Canon launches 3.4m Colorado XL-series powered by its unique UVgel Technology

Canon has announced the Colorado XL-series, a new platform of 3.4m printers that extends the advantages of Canon's UVgel technology to the 3.2m graphics market. The new series is available in hybrid and roll-to-roll modular configurations.

Steven Badger, Head of Sales & Professional Services at Canon Production Printing Australia, says,  "Large format print providers in the 3.2m graphics market are looking for systems that deliver high productivity, versatile applications, and reliable quality while addressing the challenge of finding skilled operators. The Colorado XL-series meets all these needs with an advanced platform that combines the significant advantages of our unique UVgel technology with extensive automation and a modular design that can grow with a customer’s business.”

The Colorado XL-series comprises two easy-to-operate models, the Colorado XL7 roll-to-roll printer and the Colorado XL7 hybrid printer. Like the Colorado M-series, the Colorado XL-series modular platform design ensures a future-proof investment.  Customers can start with the configuration that meets today's business needs and, as requirements grow, add capabilities through field upgrades, such as a dual roll option that allows two 1.6m rolls running side by side to be tensioned individually.

The new series brings the benefits of UVgel to a new market segment with exceptional application versatility across a comprehensive range of media – from banner, paper, vinyl and films to textiles, heat-sensitive materials, foam board, fluted polypropylene, acrylic, aluminium composite boards and cardboard – providing the flexibility to tackle diverse customer requirements.

With print speeds of 70sqm/23 boards per hour in quality mode, 106sqm/35 boards per hour in production mode and up to 211sqm/70 boards per hour in express mode, the system delivers the productivity needed for demanding production environments while accommodating substrates up to 52mm thick for rigid applications.

The Colorado XL-series also introduces the UVgel 860 gel set, which has been optimised to cover rigid and flexible applications. It also provides the proven benefits of UVgel,  odourless and instant-dry prints, high mechanical and chemical robustness, dimensional stability due to low-temperature curing, excellent colour consistency, TPO- and VCL-free, and matte and gloss finishes without the need for a separate varnish.

Also included are new UVgel 850 PrintHeads. Designed to print high-quality, large-format graphics, each printhead has 4,544 nozzles and features automated, built-in nozzle performance monitoring and compensation. A single printhead supports two colours simultaneously, so that only two printheads are required to print CMYK, plus an optional third if white is needed. Additionally, the Colorado XL-series has an agile and precise printhead carriage that features UVgel DynamicMotion Control to ensure exceptional print quality even with challenging media. Machine vision technology actively tracks any micro movement of the media while the carriage is travelling. UVgel DynamicMotion Control recalibrates the printhead positioning on-the-fly for unmatched precision and alignment of print passes at high speeds.

The Colorado XL series introduces UVgel Fullbeam Curing, taking the UV LED curing process to the next level. This technology uses a unique 3.4-metre-wide LED curing array that, combined with an ingenious mirror system, delivers consistent UV light dosing across the entire print width, guaranteeing exceptional print uniformity over large surfaces and enabling a wider colour gamut.
 
Automatically detecting and correcting the media positioning, the UVgel TRIdrive vacuum belt system features three interactive rollers and multiple powerful vacuum zones that reduce wrinkling and skewing and result in highly repeatable media transport through the printer, ensuring accurate positioning both longitudinally and laterally and enabling razor-sharp applications. This advanced self-steering belt system provides unparalleled stability and control when handling various media types, from stretchable flexible materials to challenging rigid substrates. The UVgel TRIdrive system offers several additional benefits for flexible media: automatic loading and straightening even for less experienced operators, reduced media waste by printing on the leading edge, and unattended printing through automatic tension adjustment on the feeding and take-up spindles. By optimising the media transportation and tensioning, the system enhances accuracy and reduces errors in complex printing scenarios. In addition, the vision-based Smart Guided Workflow provides operators with an intuitive media loading procedure that allows multiple boards to be loaded side-by-side and independently.

Optional features for the Colorado XL-series include UVgel White for hassle-free white printing, FLXfinish+ for creative effects using matte, gloss or mixed matte and gloss on the same print without additional varnish, and FLXture for textured finishes that mimic materials like leather, wood or fabric.

Sustainability and cost-effective features include low VOC emissions and a GREENGUARD Gold certification, ensuring suitability for sensitive indoor environments. Combined with low energy and minimal gel consumption, automated quality control systems and features designed to reduce waste, such as a two-litre bag of UVgel in a recyclable box, the Colorado XL series supports eco-friendly media, including PVC-free and paper-based substrates, while a multi-level service concept, from automated maintenance to remote support, minimises environmental impact and maximises uptime.

The Colorado XL-series will be available in the Oceania region by mid-2026.