Canon U.S.A. Inc., a leader in digital imaging solutions, announced the launch of six new models in the Arizona 1300 flatbed printer series, the 1340/1360/1380 GTF and 1340/1360/1380 XTF, featuring award-winning FLOW technology, an innovative zone-free vacuum system that makes media handling easy. Canon provided an overview of the updates during a media and analyst presentation last week.
The Arizona 1300 GTF series (F indicating FLOW technology) will complement the existing GT models, while the Arizona 1300 XT units will be replaced by the XTF.
Also announced is the upcoming availability of PRISMAelevate XL software, an extension of the powerful PRISMA XL Suite, which can help users create tactile print applications. The PRISMAelevate XL is a rebranding of Canon’s Touchstone dimensional printing software, which provides users with the ability to print textured, layered and complex high-valued text applications by mimicking textured surfaces and using embossing, metallic accents and raised lettering up to 2mm.
Creative applications range from fine art to signage for the visually impaired, notes Randy Parr, marketing manager for Canon U.S.A. There will be other exciting technology improvements that build on Touchstone, and Parr sees it as a point of differentiation for print shops.
“I like to tell people that even if you never print a textured image with PRISMAelevate or Touchstone, as a print provider, showing that you have the capability can be a very compelling message to the end-user that your shop knows how to do things other shops can’t,” he said. “It not only adds value as far as selling print, but also selling other applications that you can produce.”
Extending the comprehensive Arizona flatbed printer family, the Arizona 1300 series with FLOW technology serves the growing mid-volume segment, enabling large format graphics printers and other print service providers (PSPs) to offer their customers an extensive range of applications for retail, interior décor, packaging, and industrial markets. Designed for productivity, the new printers enable users to produce versatile, accurate and highly efficient multi-board and double-sided printing.
With variable print speeds of up to 568.3 ft2/hr, the Arizona 1300 series with FLOW technology is designed to allow users to print pin-sharp, high-value print applications. PSP customers can benefit from eye-catching prints on rigid or flexible media of any size up to 49.2″ x 98.4″ with the Arizona GTF or 98.4″ x 121.3″ on the Arizona XTF. With added FLOW technology, users can quickly change media and board size, making it an ideal solution for printing many short-run jobs spread throughout the day, allowing users to deliver commercial-quality prints and help increase levels of productivity. Since there are no vacuum zones, far less if any masking and taping is required, helping to reduce effort, time and cost.
Other new features include updates to the user interface with Advanced Image Layout Controls, which give users the ability to make last-minute adjustments before printing, including trimming; multi-reference points flexibility; and visualization and modification of the print layer sequence. The new controls allow users to respond quickly to board material availability, to help use up leftovers and reduce waste, while providing more flexibility and time and cost efficiencies. The new Arizona 1300 GTF and XTF also benefit from an additional pneumatic registration pin on the right side of the print zones. Originally introduced with the Arizona 2300 series, the additional registration pin enables quick, easy and accurate double-sided printing without requiring calculations. These models also include a new accounting interface, to help users retrieve valuable data on ink consumption and production time, for example, for further processing in accounting packages.
New print modes have also been added for both the Arizona 1300 GTF and XTF. These include Quality-Smooth, Production-Plus and Quality-Plus (8-channel configurations), to support exceptional print quality, print after print. The additional ‘Plus’ modes also allow users to achieve a larger color gamut to create eye-catching applications.
The Arizona flatbed printer series, from design and manufacturing to use, reuse and recycling, has been designed with a number of sustainability benefits. Blower boxes for the creation of the FLOW and LED curing bring energy efficiencies, the circular design means Arizona devices can be repaired and easily disassembled, enabling the reuse and recycling of materials and VariaDot technology reduces ink consumption. UL GREENGUARD Gold certified, the inks are safe for use in sensitive environments and are free from Hazardous Air Pollutants (HAPs) and Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs).
“The Arizona printer has helped revolutionize flatbed printing and has continued supporting the mid-volume market segment to allow for new growth opportunities and help meet print buyer demand for fast turnarounds. Renowned for its image quality, productivity, reliability and application versatility, Canon has expanded the Arizona 1300 series with the launch of the GTF and XTF models with FLOW technology,” said Shinichi “Sam” Yoshida, executive vice president and general manager of Canon U.S.A., Inc. “These new models offer the unparalleled image quality of prior and current Arizona models, and in combination with the upcoming PRISMAelevate XL, are designed to increase customer productivity and overall experience, allowing customers to remain competitive.”
The PRISMA XL Suite is part of Canon’s PRISMA workflow solution portfolio and includes PRISMAguide XL, an easy-to-use, innovative software solution that includes plug-ins for Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator to assist customers in building and previewing designs using pre-defined job recipes for Colorado and Arizona printers.
“One of the biggest complaints I hear from print shops is finding skilled operators,” Parr said. “I’ve often heard, ‘If our top operator ever quits, we’re in trouble.’ This gives the owner of the business some flexibility in staffing. Also, if they have multiple shifts, they can use the recipes from the daytime shift in the evening, or in different locations. That ensures consistency everywhere.”
The PRISMA XL Suite is completed by PRISMAservice – a new cloud-based service platform that provides faster, more efficient and more effective customer support for Arizona printers, with 24/7 access to service information, dashboards and relevant service data to predict, plan and perform relevant service activities to keep printers running.
The Arizona 1300 GTF and XTF with FLOW technology will join the existing 1300 GT series and are available immediately, while PRISMAelevate XL software is currently scheduled to be available for ordering and delivery from July 2023.
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About Canon U.S.A. Inc.
Canon U.S.A. Inc. is a leading provider of consumer, business-to-business, and industrial digital imaging solutions to the United States and to Latin America and the Caribbean markets. With approximately $30.3 billion in global revenue, its parent company, Canon Inc. (NYSE: CAJ), as of 2022 has ranked in the top-five overall in U.S. patents granted for 37 consecutive years. Canon U.S.A. is dedicated to its Kyosei philosophy of social and environmental responsibility.
