Roland DG, will display the RT-640 at Fespa

Wide-format print giant Roland DG has moved to capitalise on the expanding textile print market by launching a new brand developed exclusively for use in the sector. The ‘Texart’ brand is set to bring a host of solutions to printers in this sector, with the first of these being the new 64- inch Texart RT-640 dye sublimation transfer printer. The device will feature at this year’s FESPA Eurasia event, which is due to take place at the CNR Expo in Istanbul, Turkey from December 4-7. The new model boasts production quality print speed of 22sq m/hr and a maximum speed of 32.6sq m/hr. The Texart RT-640 also features innovative print control technology, powerful RIP software and a choice of four-colour (CMYK) or eight-colour (CMYKLcLmOrVi) original dye sublimation ink. In addition, an optimised fan absorption power keeps transfer paper flat for printing while a newly designed feed adjuster at the front and back provides even tensioning and helps prevent skewing. The new model will also benefit from a new ink that has been developed specifically for the new Texart brand. Speaking about the reasons behind the launch of the Texart brand, Michel Van Vliet, product marketing manager at Roland DG told FESPA it has been developed in response to a market trend that has seen textile print blossom as one of the industry’s key growth sectors. “The digital printing market for textiles shows great promise with research showing an expected surge in demand and double-digit growth rates for the coming years,” Van Vliet told FESPA. “Demand for digital printers is growing as a means of increasing the efficiency of high-mix, lovolume production and tailored production in a wide range of fields, including fashion apparel, interior decor, gifts and promotional goods. “Roland DG has provided the market with a number of solutions including the manufacture of soft signage printed on fabric and decorations on sportswear garments – and now we offer a dedicated brand for textiles that has been developed to capitalise on the increasing size and growth potential of the market.” In terms of the Texart RT-640 device, Van Vliet highlighted a number of its key features that will help support printers in this sector, focusing on the newly-developed ink in particular. “Developed specifically for dye sublimation, the Texart RT- 640 provides superb quality, vivid colouring and highly stable performance,” Van Vliet said. “The RT-640 will add value to every business through a wide range of applications including apparel, signs, interior décor, fashion and original goods. “One of the RT-640’s major innovations is our new ink. The newly developed Texart ink delivers bold and vibrant colours, and deep and rich blacks. The orange and violet inks increase the colour gamut and allow for exceptional reds, oranges, deep blues and purples, while light cyan and light magenta provide subtle gradation and a remarkably fine level of detail. “Moreover, users have a choice between Roland VersaWorks and ErgoSoft Roland Edition RIP software, developed especially for the RT-640 by ErgoSoft, the premier RIP provider in the textile printing industry.”