Canon Colorado 1650 UVgel ink approved for 3M MCS Warranty program

Canon Production Printing has announced that 3M has added the Colorado 1650 and its UVgel 460 ink in their 3M MCS Warranty program. This approval provides assurance that applications printed on the Colorado 1650 in combination with the UVgel 460 and 3M’s approved media will achieve the highest quality standards. Applications covered by the 3M MCS Warranty include vehicle graphics, signs and displays, floor graphics and many others.

“At 3M we take pride in the ability to provide graphics manufacturers the widest selection of premier printing solutions. Extending the warranty through our partnership with Canon reinforces our commitment to quality and to our customers' success, which in turn inspires confidence in the printed graphics,” said  Woonsik Shim, Vice President, Graphics and Personal Auto Business, 3M Commercial Solutions Division.

To qualify for the approval, the Colorado 1650 and its UVgel 460 inks, in combination with a variety of 3M media, successfully passed a series of rigorous tests carried out under 3M’s stringent assessment conditions. Underpinned by the thorough testing of ink, printer and media combinations, including also 3M’s elaborate weathering technology, the 3M MCS Warranty gives both print service providers and their customers peace of mind and confidence that their images will perform as expected for the intended lifetime of the printed graphic.

Dirk Brouns, Vice President Large Format Graphics at Canon Production Printing, commented, “UVgel is a breakthrough technology that is transforming the way wide format graphics and other applications are being produced. By securing the 3M MCS Warranty, we have passed yet another milestone in our long-term strategy to encourage adoption of the technology. By working together with key industry partners such as 3M, we will continue our mission to offer print service providers in this exciting market a wider choice of print technologies and demonstrate the significant difference UVgel could make to their business.”

Widely recognized as an industry standard and representing a comprehensive, all-inclusive warranty for finished graphics, the 3M MCS Warranty provides non-prorated protection for the graphic’s intended lifespan, including protection against fading, cracking, peeling, blistering, discoloration and many other aspects of graphic performance.

The Canon Colorado 1650 uses the unique UVgel ink technology, which incorporates all the best aspects of alternative ink technologies, such as the colour gamut and light fastness of eco-solvent, the fit-for-indoor use and quick drying time of latex and the productivity and low-temperature printing process of UV. UVgel technology also enables unique options, such as the production of output with a matt or gloss finish or even the two combined in one print.

UVgel inks produce odourless, ultra-robust output fully certified for indoor use, as well as being very durable for outdoor use. And with customers benefitting from zero VOC emissions, zero hazardous air pollutants and a low average ink usage of 6.4ml/m2 across the more than 2,500 UVgel engines installed worldwide, UVgel is a sustainable and cost-efficient alternative for latex and eco-solvent technology.