FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 3, 2003
New Wide-Format Printer Enables Direct-to-Vinyl, Outdoor Printing Without Solvents
ENCAD VINYLJET 36 printer’s brilliant output backed by three-year outdoor guarantee
San Diego, Calif., April 3, 2003 - Sign printers now have an affordable, solvent-free alternative for
producing wide-format, direct-to-vinyl signs that are as durable as they are vibrant, Encad, Inc., announced today.
The new VinylJet TM 36 printer by Encad, a wholly owned subsidiary of Eastman Kodak Company (NYSE:
EK), is a 36-inch, 600 dpi, full-color printer that enables aqueous printing on uncoated/untreated vinyl media. It
does this through proprietary new Encad technology and DuPont TM ink technology, including:
- AquaVinyl TM Technology. This printing system features an internal heater that pre-heats the vinyl
as it moves across the platen for optimal ink reception. Then, immediately after the ink is printed
onto the vinyl substrate, an infrared (IR) lamp cures the ink, creating an impermeable bond for long
lasting, colorful text and graphics.
- AquaVinyl TM Ink. This new, infrared-curable ink for the VinylJet 36 printer is formulated to
produce vibrant color—the ink’s color gamut is unsurpassed as compared to that of solvent inks or
traditional inkjet pigments on the market today—without compromising durability.
Supporting Encad in its development of AquaVinyl Technology and the outdoor direct-to-vinyl market are
industry leaders such as Avery-Denison and Scanvec Amiable. Making durability a centerpiece of the VinylJet 36
printer’s functionality, Encad, in conjunction with leading vinyl manufacturers, will back the new printer’s output with a three-year outdoor guarantee covering both UV durability and water resistance.
Solvent-Free and Affordable
Because the VinylJet 36 printer is an aqueous printer, it can be operated without special ventilation.
AquaVinyl ink contains 85 percent less Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) than solvent-based inkjet systems in
its category. This falls well below levels regulated by OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration).
The VinylJet 36 printer is priced affordably for small- to medium-sized sign shops and will begin shipping in the United States and Canada May 2003.
New Standard for Outdoor Sign Production
“This is a terrific machine at a great price,” said Tom Stewart, owner, HTS Marketing, San Marcos, Calif.
Stewart helped test the new VinylJet 36 printer and has now added one to his shop. “It gives sign shops a way to
produce high-resolution banners, four-color signs and other small-run projects without the labor and set-up costs of
screen-printing or pressure-sensitive vinyl laminates. This is a printer that will pay for itself very quickly.”
“With the VinylJet 36 printer, we’ve combined affordability with key benefits small- to medium-sized sign
shops need for their businesses,” said Brad Kruchten, CEO, Encad. “The printer uses aqueous ink so it can be
operated without special ventilation. And we did this without compromising color vibrancy or durability.
“The VinylJet 36 printer marks Encad’s entry into the Outdoor direct-to-vinyl market and we expect
AquaVinyl Technology to set a whole new standard for affordable, outdoor and wide-format sign production,”
Kruchten concluded.
Easy To Use, Comes with Trial-Version RIP
The VinylJet 36 printer furthers Encad’s reputation for building reliable and easy-to-use printers. The
interface is user-friendly. In addition, AquaVinyl Ink kits will include new thermal print heads, and each 600 dpi ink
cartridge (head) will be shipped pre-filled with ink and a septum already in place for straightforward installation.
The VinylJet 36 printer prints in four different preset modes from 23 to 55 square feet per hour (2.1 to 5.1
square meters per hour). In addition to speed, the VinylJet 36 printer offers superior productivity features. Encad
has teamed with Scanvec Amiable to offer a free Flexi-Banner trial RIP (Raster Imaging Processor) with every
VinylJet 36 printer. The Flexi-Banner RIP provides sign/banner design software that gives users “out-of-the-box”
printing capabilities and includes ICC (International Color Consortium) profiles for popular media.
An integrated feed/take-up system, on-board control panel, special banner adapter for feeding banner vinyl
media and IEEE 1394 network connectivity give the Vinyljet 36 printer the advanced functionality required by
today’s sign makers. The VinylJet 36 printer can be used with readily available vinyl media.
To learn more about Encad’s revolutionary new VinylJet 36, aqueous-based, wide-format printer capable of
printing directly on uncoated/untreated vinyl, visit www.encad.com or call 800-45 ENCAD (800-453-6223).
About Encad, Inc.
Encad, Inc. is a leading innovator in wide-format image printing technology. Leading the industry from the
very beginning, Encad’s expertise helps create new opportunities and expand wide format applications. Encad
offers a broad line of wide-format inkjet printers, a complete selection of wide-format media plus the extensive
image science and technical support of Kodak. Encad’s products deliver brilliant color images quickly and costeffectively, and are designed to increase user productivity in a variety of applications including indoor and outdoor sign making, point-of-purchase graphics, photographic enlargement, graphic arts, fine art, textile design, and
computer-aided design. The company's products are sold and serviced through a worldwide network of distributors
and value-added resellers.
The digital output provided by Encad printers is yet another way in which Kodak is participating within the
$385+ billion infoimaging industry, driven by the convergence of images and information technology. Infoimaging
unites three closely related imaging markets—devices/software, infrastructure and services/media—that enable
people to more easily use images as a fast, effective means to share them as information, entertainment or
memories.
© Eastman Kodak Company, 2003. Encad, Kodak, VinylJet, and AquaVinyl are trademarks of Eastman Kodak
Company. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
Encad, Inc.
6059 Cornerstone Court West
San Diego, CA 92121-3734
Phone: 858-452-0882
Website URL: www.encad.com
