New PRO version of Gongzheng 1.8m hybrid UV printer now available
Designed for large format rigid and roll media production, Chinese manufacturer Gongzheng has recently released a higher spec PRO version of its compact hybrid UV printer range. The 1.8m HB18UV PRO, which can be configured with up to eight Epson I3200-U1 printheads, enabling multi-layer print structures such as white-under-colour, white and varnish alongside CMYK, and day/night graphics, is exclusively available locally through Sydney-based GZ Australia.
Jake Einspinner, founder and MD of GZ Australia, says: “This is a serious production machine. Eight Epson heads, white and varnish, multi-layer printing and an industrial belt system, and an output quality that speaks for itself. Set that against a competitive starting price and it is one of the strongest cases I have seen on a 1.8m hybrid.”
The HB18UV PRO is built for production work across signage, display graphics, packaging and industrial applications, printing onto rigid boards and flexible roll media on a single platform, including onto PVC board, foam board, corrugated board, aluminium sheet and wood, and onto flexible roll media such as vinyl, banner, backlit film, fabric, wallpaper and leather. A heavy-duty mesh belt system with extension tables moves both rigid and flexible substrates through the machine, which takes rolls up to 300mm in diameter and 50kg in weight on 2” or 3” cores, with a maximum print width of 1,850 mm for flexible roll media and rigid sheet materials up to 40mm thick.
The printhead layout is configurable, with four, six or eight Epson I3200-U1 printheads and colour configurations ranging from CMYK to CMYK plus white and white with colour and varnish. Printing uses piezo variable dot greyscale technology for fine detail and smooth gradients. A white ink recirculation and stirring system keeps pigment in suspension for consistent white density and lower maintenance.
The unit uses a mesh belt-conveying system with retractable extension tables, allowing the bed to be folded away for roll-fed substrates or extended to support rigid boards. It has a maximum resolution of 720×1,800 dpi, with production speeds ranging from approximately 8sqm/h (CWC, quality mode) up to 59 sqm/h (six-head configuration, draft mode). Curing is handled by a dual water-cooled LED UV system for instant drying, low energy use and adhesion across the full range of materials. Ink is supplied via a 1.5-litre bulk system, with a dedicated white ink recirculation and stirring mechanism to reduce pigment settlement and nozzle blockages. The machine uses Gongzheng’s REI-3 UV ink, which is Greenguard Gold certified, and connects via USB 3.0 (external) and fibre-optic (internal) interfaces. Bundled RIP options include FlexiPRINT, with ONYX available as an alternative.
Einspinner adds: “The machine matters, but so does everything around it. We supply, install and support every printer with our own team, and operator training comes as standard, so customers get the build quality, the print quality and the backing to match. That is what helps a print business invest with confidence and take on bigger work.”
For a quick video overview of the new HB18UV PRO in action, see here
