Hot on the heels of receiving a highly coveted European Digital Press Association award – one of only six awards in the Large & Wide Format Printing hardware category - Mutoh’s 1625 mm (64"), environmentally-friendly, roll-to-roll HydrAton 1642 printer took centre stage on Mutoh’s stand at PacPrint, enjoying its Australian debut.
PacPrint marked the Australian debut for Mutoh's innovative HydrAton 1642 featuring Aquafuze ink technology
Little wonder that the press attracted so much attention too, when you consider that it also utilises the innovative Fujifilm-developed Aquafuze water-based UV ink technology, which was recognised with its own EDP Award in the Inks & 
Substrates category.
The two combine to deliver exceptional environmental performance.
Mutoh Australia CEO, Russell Cavenagh notes: “The ink technology has actually been seven years in development and the finished product is nothing short of exceptional. The ink is very low in VOC's and has been designed to minimise emissions, but the really important thing is that it has zero SVHCs – Substances of Very High Concern – so no carcinogens. In fact, it is classified as GHS hazard-free which means that it does not require any hazard markings of any kind, so we’re confident in claiming that the Aquafuze technology is the safest ink out there.”
The HydrAton operates at lower temperatures (30 - 50°C) than conventional industrial latex and water-based resin ink printers too, enabling compatibility with heat sensitive substrates and significantly reducing energy consumption and CO₂ emissions.
Cavenagh adds: “The system runs two AccuFine HD print heads, which enable it to run at high speed without compromising the print quality.”
The AccuFine print head nozzles have a longer row length and high-density pitch which leads to improved ink placement accuracy, reduced banding and enables sharp details like fine lines and small text.
“So the system delivers a very thin film ink, which is still highly abrasive-resistant and there is no odour to the printed ink either. Nor does it require any optimisers or primers, so it really is a win-win for customers looking to expand into new markets whilst placing a high value on their environmental performance.”
The thin and durable printed Aquafuze ink also adheres to a wider range of substrates than most conventional inks, including non-porous materials, without primers or adhesion promoters, offering excellent scratch resistance without an overcoat, Cavenagh believes this lends itself to ‘an untapped future in markets like the interior design/decoration space, making it ideal for wallpapers, retail décor, indoor signage, and public space applications. or in sensitive environments, where you don’t want any odour when you’re opening up packages’.
The HydrAton’s optimized ink film formation system combines a three-way heater, a blower fan, and a UV lamp. “It's a water based UV: the ink polymers are suspended in water and then jetted out through the printhead and the warm air starts to evaporate the water away. Then, almost simultaneously, nano-seconds after the ink lands on the substrate and as the water is evaporating away, the ink is quickly cured or hardened with a UV lamp. The fact that the UV process follows immediately behind the release of the ink onto the substrate – not like a traditional UV machine which has a backwards and forwards motion - is what enables you to have a very thin film of ink online, which is abrasive-resistant and doesn’t have the smell.”
Aquafuze is GREENGUARD Gold certified. Mutoh is working towards additional certifications for interior & building materials in Europe.Cavenagh adds: “And the really exceptional aspect of this machine, is that it still delivers a terrific colour gamut because this technology is so precise in its action.”
The HydrAton 1642 integrates a suite of automated production tools to streamline workflow, including:
- DropMaster 2 for automatic bi-directional alignment
- FeedMaster, which uses internal sensors for automated media feed correction;
- Media Tracker, a barcode system that monitors remaining media length to minimise waste.
The printer also ships with Mutoh’s VerteLith RIP software, which is optimised for the HydrAton's capabilities and includes integrated colour management features.
Cavenagh concludes: “Mutoh is also the only hardware manufacturer to manufacture wholly in Japan – and that equates to high quality finish for Mutoh products, with excellent technical engineering capability.”
