HP reports that sales of its line of latex printers, which includes the HP Scitex LX800 unit shown here, have exceeded 1,000 units since the printers were first introduced. (Image courtesy of HP)

The introduction by Hewlett Packard in 2008 of “Latex” water-based inkjet inks that print directly onto uncoated vinyl opened up a new world of water-based direct-to-vinyl inks and ink/media systems. HP reports that sales of its latex printers have exceeded 1,000 units in a little more than two years since the printers were first introduced. This success has attracted both aftermarket ink suppliers and similar products for other printing systems. Here we will comment on the success of this technology in the marketplace and explore some of these new products 

 

LATEX VS. ECO-SOLVENT

The “Latex” inks and their printing systems were originally designed as an alternative to eco-solvent inks. We now have two years of performance to determine how they have done. Evidence suggests that they indeed compare favorably to most eco-solvent inks in the applications where they are intended to be used. In applications where severe abrasion may occur, prints created using latex inks should be laminated to insure the images are not damaged. This is true for most eco-solvent inks as well. For indoor applications they appear to offer good performance and an attractive alternative to eco-solvent inks.

 

Sepiax inks from Austria—a water-based “universal” ink set intended for use in Epson printheads—are currently aimed at printing onto specialty substrates where other ink sets are not used. Without a printer dedicated to the special needs of the Sepiax inks, it is unlikely that they will be widely used in the graphics market.

Performance, with regard to outdoor light fastness, also appears to be similar to eco-solvent inks. 3M just announced a Matched Component Systems (MCS) warranty with cobranded HP/3M inks and 3M media indicating two to three years outdoor longevity depending on the substrates and laminating materials used. They do not warranty the prints unless they are laminated. This may be a reflection of the durability of the prints. In Europe and Africa, 3M presents a different matrix of warranties for outdoor use with most combinations of substrates and laminating materials giving three years in Northern Europe, two years in Central and Southern Europe and one year in the harsh environment of Africa. 

 

Similar results have been reported by print providers in South Florida where without lamination they observed some loss of color in 12 months. These performance characteristics are shared by most brands of eco-solvent inks as well, although some provide poorer performance. So, when comparing eco-solvent and “Latex” inks it is important to understand that neither have the longer outdoor durability of many of the older strong-solvent inks using higher lightfast, lower color gamut ink sets. It is a rule of nature that to achieve long-lasting fade-resistant color prints, you pay a price with a smaller color gamut.

 

3M now offers a Matched Component Systems (MCS) warranty with cobranded HP/3M “Latex” inks and 3M media indicating two to three years outdoor longevity, depending on the substrates and laminating materials used. They do not warranty the prints unless they are laminated.

NEW LATEX-LIKE INKS

Several companies have indicated their intention to offer “aftermarket” inks intended to be used in HP “Latex” printers. At the recent SGIA Expo in Las Vegas, Singapore-based ink manufacturer Sam*Ink was running an HP Latex printer with two of the HP colors replaced by Sam*Ink colors. Clearly they expect to be offering an alternative “Latex”-like solution in the near future. 

 

Representatives of San Leandro, Calif.-based ink manufacturer INX Digital have indicated that they are also working on an aftermarket ink offering for HP “Latex” printers, but did not indicate when their inks would be available. 

 

In an article earlier this year we discussed the introduction of Sepiax inks from Austria intended for use in Epson print heads vs. thermal ink jet print heads in the HP “Latex” printer. Rather than compete for the signage market like HP with the Latex printers, Sepiax is focusing on printing on specialty substrates where other ink sets are not used. Without a printer dedicated to the special needs of the Sepiax inks, it is unlikely that they will be widely used in the graphics market.

 

Several companies have indicated their intention to offer aftermarket latex-type inks. Sam*Ink of Singapore, was offering inks for HP Latex printers at the recent SGIA show.

SUMMARY

The water-based direct-to-vinyl systems approach illustrated by the HP “Latex” ink and printer system is a continuation in the ongoing improvement of the environmental impact and human safety aspects of the inkjet printing process. Elimination of much of the solvent and replacing it with a relatively benign glycol material, which is largely condensed and captured during the printing process, is a distinct improvement over the low smell eco-solvent approach where the solvent truly escapes the printer and provides both VOC and human exposure issues. 

 

Some say that UV-curable ink is the answer rather than “Latex” or eco-solvent inks. It has its place, especially on rigid substrates and lower-resolution grand-format applications. UV-cure systems do have their drawbacks as well, especially the safety aspects of UV light and ozone generation, and the safety of the UV-curable ink in its liquid state. 

 

All in all, for those applications for which it is designed, the new water-based direct-to-vinyl ink technology should have a bright future, and with future generations will likely offer more and more advantages over UV-cure and solvent-based systems.