Ottimo Digital has invested in an EFI VUTEk Qx5r 5m super-wide UV LED printer from CMYUK, replacing an ageing 5m machine as demand for its super-wide services increases.

The investment follows the company’s purchase of an EFI VUTEk M3h 3.2m hybrid printer from CMYUK earlier this year. Ottimo wanted its new 5m system to integrate with its existing workflow while providing additional speed, automation and capacity.

A significant factor in the choice of the Qx5r was its inline cutting capability. The printer can automatically position its slitters using information from the job file, removing a manual stage from production.

“We send a lot of wraps out on separate cores so crews on site can grab exactly what they need. On the old machine the team had to manually set the slitters, which slows everything down. With the Qx5r, the splitters are built in, they read the information from the file and move automatically. The phrase ‘game changer’ gets overused, but in this case, it really is going to speed things up massively for us,” said Craig Boxley, commercial director at Ottimo Digital.

The Qx5r also offers white and clear inks, double-sided printing, continuous printing and media handling options for large and heavy rolls.

Ottimo plans to use the Qx5r alongside its M3h, with the latter handling rigid substrates such as Foamex and the 5m machine supporting high-volume roll-fed and textile production. The company said the combination should help balance production on exhibition projects requiring both rigid panels and large-format textile graphics.

The business also intends to test a wider range of textile materials supplied by CMYUK, including substrates designed to perform better when folded. Testing and ink profiling on different fabrics is planned over the coming months.

The Qx5r forms part of Ottimo’s wider move towards increased automation across its operation.

“When I started here over eleven years ago, we were running jobs off basic paperwork,” said Mr Boxley. “It worked then, but it just wouldn’t cope with the volume and complexity we handle now. We’ve invested heavily in automation on the front end so we can process jobs really fast. The M3h and the new Qx5r are the production side of that same strategy – now we can produce as fast as we can process.”

The Qx5r has been installed in a dedicated unit next to Ottimo’s existing facility.