Technology Focus: Aqueous, Durable Aqueous, Latex, and Resin Printers
The Epson resin printer uses the new Precision Core Micro TFP (thin film piezo) printhead. This printhead is 2.6", and can jet a 4.2 picoliter droplet for high quality prints. The printhead is 300 dpi tall for print resolutions of 600/1,200/2,400 dpi. This new printhead is meant to last for years, and is user-replaceable — a feature not found on most piezo printheads — and is relatively inexpensive at $695 when registered for the Epson Cloud Solution PORT software (especially considering that piezo printheads are not something the average user would ever replace without calling a technician.) Another new feature is the ability for this printhead to do an inkless nozzle check. The printhead checks the nozzles by sending a pulse to the piezo and then measuring the result of the pulse. If there is a blockage, the nozzle would get a different reading than a clear nozzle, and a cleaning would be recommended. The Epson resin printer comes with cyan, magenta, yellow, black, light cyan, light magenta, and an optimizer. Resin inks come in 1.5-liter ink bags. Lastly, the Epson is designed with a robust and precise feed system for print length consistency.
Ray assists association members with information on digital printing as well as digital equipment, materials, and vendor referrals. He oversees training and certification workshops at PRINTING United Alliance. Ray is project manager for both the PDAA Certification program and the PRINTING United Alliance Digital Color Professional Certification program and is an instructor for the Color Management Boot Camps as well as a G7 expert. Ray regularly contributes to the Association's Journal and won the 2016 Swormstedt Award for Best in Class writing in the Digital Printing category. Ray was inducted into the Academy of Screen and Digital Printing Technologies (ASDPT) in 2020. He also works with SkillsUSA to conduct the National Competition for Graphics Imaging Sublimation. Outside of work, Ray enjoys biking, international cuisine and spending time with his three fantastic grandkids.
