Staedtler Lumocolor ink for wide format inkjet printers.

Since this is a water-based ink we will cover it on www.wide-format-printers.org, but since this ink prints on signage material used by print shops that tend to use eco-solvent, mild-solvent, full-solvent, or UV-curable inks, we will also including mention on our signage ink site, www-large-format-printers.org.

When I first saw the exhibits of Staedtler Lumocolor ink at Photokina 2004 I was impressed at the sheer number of diverse materials that this water-based ink could print on.

But the ink would not adhere well to non-absorbant materials (such as PVC), so was not of interest to everyone who wanted to print signage.

Side view of Steadtler printer at Photokina Trade Show, 2004. Printing some sample to proove ink quality.

Plus many materials required a special form of heater on the printer: so no normal printer could easily handle the ink. Experiments in Japan did not produce adequate positive feedback. Thus it was sad to see such a promising ink not succeed. The chemical aspects were only a fraction of the problem. Most of the issues were corporate: for example they had the wrong distributor in the US (a good person and good company but not adequate for décor, architectural materials, or signage on unique materials).

Lumocolor could have, and should have, been more successful. But the internal politics of how it was handled and the opposition by Epson to any outside ink going through their printheads combined to result in a lack of acceptance of the ink.

HP latex ink is another ink that requires a heater.

Different materials printed in Steadtler printer at Fespa Trade Show, 2006.

I have long felt that Staedtler Lumocolor ink is one of the most interesting inks available. Unfortunately, no printer manufacturer was brave enough to be willing to go out on a limb and develop a printer that could handle it. But now HP has shown that it will at least try when a new ink requires special printheads and an even more special heating/drying system. Since HP has never made it’s own heating drying system (it’s solvent printers HP 9000s, HP 8000sr, HP 10000s are all made by Seiko, based on the original Seiko ColorPainter 64S), it will be interesting to see the printer that is intended to use the new HP latex ink.

So now HP has a new latex ink; it also requires furnace-like heaters. The printer that utilizes this HP latex ink has been launched at DRUPA 2008.

One difference between HP latex ink and Staedtler Lumocolor is that HP latex ink is aimed directly at signage, whereas Staedtler is primarily showcasing its inks ability for specialty items, including thick rigid materials via a flatbed. The first generation HP latex ink will not print on flat rigid materials because the heaters are on the bottom. Staedtler’s ink can accept heaters at the top.

Staedtler ink works best in piezo printheads with small droplet size.

HP latex ink works best (so far) with thermal printheads with 12-picoliter droplet size.

Actually most alternative inks require a heater.

About six years ago, the Encad VinylJet used ink from DuPont. It required a lot of heaters. Unfortunately Encad’s ink delivery system and printheads were primitive, and Kodak’s management drove what was left of the company into the ground. Plus it was a first-generation ink and not enough media was available for it. HP has a long more clout for launching its latex ink.

One new alternative ink from Europe requires a heater. These are not the searing hot mercury-arc UV lamps that UV-curing needs. The alternative water-based and alcohol-based inks simply need some medium heat from the top (since these inks are aimed at printing on thick materials, such as wood, stone, acrylic panels, glass, etc). Kiian ink is one alcohol-based ink that can print on almost all surfaces: décor and signage.

But one new water-based ink requires no additional heater.

Sepiax ink is water-based and does not require special heaters for most signage materials. The normal heaters that are already on a Mimaki, Mutoh and Roland eco-solvent printer are plenty good enough to handle Sepiax water-based ink.

Put a photo of Nicholas inspecting Sepiax ink; try to make it not the same as used on other sites.

Three-quarters view of Mimaki printer outfitted to handle Staedtler Lumocolor ink. Photokina 2004. Yes, you can use this ink in most Mimaki, Mutoh, Roland, or Epson printers, but…. But it needs a special heater to print on vinyl and non-absorbent materials (not the heater that is on a solvent printer, because Staedtler Lumocolor is not a solvent ink).

Sepiax ink prints on uncoated Tyvek, uncoated newsprint, Kraft paper, PVC, metal, leather, and diverse other surfaces (but is not intended for glass).

So far all alternative inks have failed in the market place. Why?

There was a recent article in SIP magazine, and one of the questions was on ink. One of the commentators politely stated that Lumocolor ink showed promise but was not successful in the market place. FLAAR was quoted several times in the same German article.

Since 2008 FLAAR has been doing an in-house study (meaning for ourselves, not yet commissioned by an outside company; but available under consulting) on why all alternative inks have failed.

This study also asks, and answers, questions about HP latex ink: what are its stumbling blocks; what are its selling features. But HP latex ink is actually not as innovative as is Staedtler Lumocolor because latex ink can’t print on diverse materials and can’t print on any thick or rigid material.

Please realize these are NOT numbers to ask questions; to ask questions you need to fill out the Survey Inquiry Form, and most questions are answered by the FLAAR Reports that you can ask for.  If you need consulting, then you can use the e-mail or telephone number to request consulting on a normal fee basis.

If you wish to consult with Dr Hellmuth at SGIA trade show, he is also available, as well as at some VISCOM fairs in Europe. . Please understand there is no telephone consultation unless you have a prior appointment and have taken care of the consulting fee (or if you have ordered a requiste quantity of FLAAR Reports in order to get consulting at a reduced rate).

Most recently updated May 21, 2009.
First posted March 18, 2008. Updated February 8, 2009.