China Print Supplies (CPS) has introduced the Gongzheng HB18UV PRO, a 1.8m compact hybrid UV printer designed to handle both rigid and roll-fed media.

Available from £37,000 plus VAT, the system can be configured with up to eight Epson I3200-U1 printheads and supports CMYK, white ink and varnish printing. CPS will showcase the printer on its stands (S220 and S420) at The Sign Show, taking place at the NEC from 29 September to 1 October.

The HB18UV PRO is aimed at production applications across sectors including signage, display graphics, packaging and industrial print. It is capable of printing onto a range of rigid materials such as PVC board, foam board, corrugated board, aluminium sheet and wood, as well as flexible media including vinyl, banner, backlit film, fabric, wallpaper and leather.

The printer features a heavy-duty mesh belt system with extension tables to transport both rigid and flexible substrates. It accepts rolls up to 300mm in diameter and 50kg in weight, with a maximum print width of 1850mm.

Users can configure the machine with four, six or eight Epson printheads, depending on production requirements. White ink recirculation and stirring systems are designed to maintain consistent ink density, while multi-layer printing modes enable colour, white and varnish to be applied in a single pass for applications including backlit graphics, printing onto transparent materials and spot gloss effects.

Dual water-cooled LED UV curing provides instant drying, while the printer uses Greenguard Gold certified UV inks supplied from 1.5-litre bulk ink tanks. The machine is driven by FlexiPrint RIP software, with Digital Factory UV Edition v12 available as an option.

Scott Clutton, managing director of China Print Supplies, said: “This is a serious production machine. Eight Epson heads, white and varnish, multi-layer printing and an industrial belt system, and the output quality speaks for itself. Set that against a starting price of £37,000 and it is one of the strongest cases I have seen on a 1.8m hybrid.”

CPS said every HB18UV PRO is supplied, installed and commissioned by its UK team, with operator training included and ongoing technical support provided after installation.

Mr Clutton added: “The machine matters, but so does everything around it. We supply, install and support every printer with our own UK team, and operator training comes as standard, so customers get the build quality, the print quality and the backing to match. That is what helps a print business invest with confidence and take on bigger work.”