Durst Rho 161 TS User Manual

Rho 161 TS

Roll to Roll UV Inkjet-Printer
for Traffic Sign Applications

Durst introduces the new, compact high speed direct digital UV
printing system for long-lasting traffic sign production, designed
for manufacturers of traffic signs. The Rho 161 TS is a further
development of the Rho 160R printer and is escpecially developed
for printing directly onto 3M High Intensity Prismatic Sheeting HIP
3930 and 3M Diamond Grade Cubed Sheeting DG3 4090 media
types and offers exceptional productivity, quality and flexibility.
Designed for the use of 3M UV Ink Series 8800, the Rho 161 TS
can print Traffic Signs, with a durability of up to 12 years
MCS warranty, while meeting key requirements in terms of
retro-reflectivity and color boxes and reducing significantly cycle
time and production workflow steps.

Advantages of the Rho 161 TS:

• Direct Digital UV Inkjet-Printing System for producing long lasting Highway Trafc signs & general

traffic signs

• Printer designed for printing onto 3M High Intensity Prismatic Sheeting HIP 3930 and 3M Diamond Grade

Cubed Sheeting DG3 4090 media types

• Meeting the European Trafc standards, 3M CRYK inks are specically developed to match the trafc sign

color boxes.

• 12 year 3M MCS warranty (durability, reectivity, trafc colors) are provided when using 3M UV Ink Series 8800

• Reduced operating steps and higher exibility with digital production workow.

• Excellent print quality with a resolutuion of 400/600 dpi (addressable)

• High output speed – up to 65 m

• Easy Operation with Durst Rho 161 TS proprietary user software based on Linux

• High reliability and 24/7 unattended printing

• Fast media changing with minimum media waste

• Maximum printing width 157,5 cm (62 in.)

• Maximum printing length – limited by the roll length

2

/hr (700 sq ft/hr) in 2 Pass Mode at 400 dpi

Belgium company uses
Durst Rho 161 TS for traffic
sign production

Janssens, based at Lokeren, near Ghent in

Belgium, has built its business on the
production of traffic signs since it was

founded in 1978. Initially production was

limited to a few standard signs printed by
the silk screen process. Today the company
is responsible for several hundred different
designs, many of which are in multiple
colours and it has also diversified into
different areas of road and traffic
management. Group Janssens, which

employs more than 160 people (32
manufacturing trafc signs), encompasses:

the installation of traffic signs, sign rental,
the production of traffic lights, illuminated
“speed warning” signs powered by solar
energy, road markings and a division that is
responsible for the renovation and upkeep
of bridges, buildings and car parks.

Janssens first decided to introduce digital
printing technology into the traffic sign
business four years ago when it invested in
a solvent printer. Digital print provided far
greater flexibility especially for low volume
work. However, there are environment issues
with solvent ink and the company believed
UV ink was the next step in developing a
better printing solution.

With advice from 3M, Janssens installed a
Rho 161 TS UV roll to roll printer last
September, which uses special media and
inks supplied by 3M. Mr Ivan De Coster,
Production and Quality Control Manager
of Janssens, said: “We have always used
3M consumables and wanted a machine
that was both suitable to our business
requirements and compatible with 3M inks
and materials. Durst and 3M worked closely
in the development of the machine and
although we are acting as a Beta site for the
new version of the Rho 161 TS, it has proven
to be very reliable. We are also very pleased
with its performance, the print quality is
excellent and its productivity is very high.”

Four weeks after the installation of the Rho

161 TS, Janssens also invested in a digital
cutting table. Prior to that the signs were
either stamped out or cut out by hand.
Mr De Coster commented, “We are printing

5 or 6 complete rolls of material a day

on the Rho and we needed to be able to
cut out the printed signs equally quickly.

From printing all our signs by the silk

screen process up to four years ago, we

now produce 75% digitally, it’s far more

convenient and turn around is much faster.
We started with short run or one-offs
being printed digitally, but now we print

anything up to 500 signs on the Rho, cost

effectively. Anything over that and it is
still more economical to use silk screen
particularly for the printing of single colour
signs.”

Janssens is responsible for the complete
process of traffic sign production, from
the delivery of plain sheets of aluminium
through to the finished sign. The raw sheets
of aluminium are cut and fabricated into the
correct shape of the sign, weather proofed
and powder coated ready for the finished
printed sign to be glued in place.

Quadro® Array Technology

Durst‘s own innovative Quadro® Array
printhead technology achieves the
combination of the highest productivity
with the finest quality and is featured in

all the Durst Rho UV inkjets.

Mr De Coster said, “We don’t start printing

on the Rho until we have enough signs
ready to print a whole roll of material. The
reflective media used to make the signs
is very expensive and so we eliminate as
much wastage as possible by carefully
nesting the signs, often many different
designs, until a whole roll is completed.
And then we print it in one go, followed by
laminating the material and then sending
the finished roll to the cutting table.”

“Until now all our signs have been for
Belgium and we deal with all the various
local authorities throughout the country.
But now, having installed the Rho 161 TS,
we will be looking for opportunities to
export our services to other parts of

Europe.”

The technology is based on Spectra inkjets.
There are four slots in a single heated jet

plate in an array configuration.

This provides a total of 512 nozzles wich

are supplied with continual ink flow. This
makes it possible to achieve the greatest
drop density yet recorded in the smallest
amount of space, and at the same time
to eliminate the tolerances between the

jet heads. The drops are set at precisely

defined points.

Printing quality is further improved by
Durst‘s own electronic system which

controls the size and shape of the drops.

This means that the printing of very small

text (as small as 6pt), is comparable to that

achieved with conventional offset printing.
With precision drop setting electronics, at
either 400 or 600 dpi resolution, the
customer no longer has to make the choice
between the best quality and a high rate
of printing speed. Quadro array technology

makes the Rho inkjets both high-quality

and fast, without compromise.

Finally, Quadro Array Technology, with its

constant control of drop geometry, also
makes it possible to print full-area, critical
colours without variation.

For more information on Janssens,
visit www.groupjanssens.com or telephone
[phone].

Technical Data

General specifications

Power supply:

120/208 VAC ± 10 %, 3 phase,
3 wi, 60 Hz, or
230/400 VAC ± 10 %, 3 phase
+ N/50 Hz

Power consumption:

Maximum: 13 KVA; average: 7 KVA

Max. amperage per phase:
208 VAC: 32 amp

230/400 VAC: 17 amp

Dimensions:

Width: approx. 505 cm (199 in.)
Length: approx. 201 cm (79 in.)
Height: approx. 212 cm (83 in.)

Space requirement:

Approx. 7 x 5 m ( 23 x 16 ft.)

Weight:

approx. 2000 kg (4400 lb)

Safety standards:

Complies with currently valid
guidelines

Printing specifications

Printing system:

Patented Durst Roll to Roll trans­port system with Quadro® Array­Technology

Resolution:

400 /600 dpi (adressable)
800/1200 dpi (apparent)

Finish:

3M 1170 overlay lm

Colors:

Rho 161 TS: CRYK

Inks:

3M UV 8800 Inks,
designed to match the traffic sign
colors

Ink supply:

Continuous ink supply with 10-litre
ink reservoirs, refillable during
operation for large print processes.

Rell ink in 5-litre

non-returnable containers, easy
disposal in collapsed condition,
avoiding pollution to the machine
and the environment.

S o f t w a r e / R I P :

Durst Rho User software based on

Linux.

RIP Workstation with Caldera
GrandRIP+

Printing specifications

Media types:

3M High Intensity Prismatic
Sheeting HIP 3930
3M Diamond Grade Cubed
Sheeting DG3 4090

3M Engineer Grade 3290I Sheeting

Maximum printing width:

Up to 1575 mm (62 in.) with border

and no edge to edge option.

Max media weight:

Limited only by maximum outer
diameter of supply roll and/or max.

weight.

• Lower position 1: approx. 35 cm
up to 200 kg (445 lb.) with

pneumatic axle for media feeding

and take-up unit Pneu 76, 74 to
82 mm (2.9 to 3.2 in.)

• Upper position:
approx. 25 cm (9.8 in.) up to
35 kg (77 lb.)

Max. medium thickness:

0.15 mm up to 2.5 mm

Medium cutoff:

Approx. 40 cm (16 in.) at the

leading edge

Media cutting:

Mechanical guide for manual
cutting of the roll

Location requirements

Maximum height:

2,400 m (8,000 ft) above sea level

Temperature range:

+15 °C to +30 °C (+59°F to 86°F),

non-condensing

Relative air humidity:

25 - 80 %, non-condensing

Durst Phototechnik
AG
Large Format Division

Vittorio-Veneto-Straße 59
I-39042 Brixen, Italy
Telefon [phone]
Telefax [phone]
www.durst-online.com
[e-mail]

Productivity:
Rho 161 TS-16:

Up to: 65 m

2 Pass Mode at 400 dpi

Front-end workstation:

HP Linux Worstation

Operating system:

Pre-installed RedHat Enterprise
Linux WS EM64T

Monitor:

HP TFT Monitor

Network Interface:

Ethernet 100/1000 Mbit

2

/h (700 sq.ft. /h) in

Durst Phototechnik
Digital Technology
GmbH

Julius-Durst-Straße 11
A-9900 Lienz, Austria
Telefon [phone]
Telefax [phone]
www.durst-online.com
[e-mail]

The latest technical developments
are constantly being incorporated
into Durst product s. Illustrations and

descriptions are therefore subject to

modification. All rights reserved on
images and illustrations.

Durst Phototechnik AG, 09/2008

©

IX25055