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(November 2009) posted on Wed Nov 18, 2009

Gerber has many ions in the (cold) fire…

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By Chris and Kathi Morrison

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T o print on rigid materials, you have essentially two choices: to screen or UV-cure print. Because we write primarily about computer-aided signmaking, we, of course, lean toward the UV-cure printer solution. The technology is mature, proven, and, while prices are not at a commodity level, they have declined as more systems become available.
Also, for many signmakers, UV-cure, flatbed printers seem a more logical choice because printing directly onto a substrate is an excellent method to produce signs. With such a system, you can eliminate the vinyl altogether, major finishing steps and, simultaneously, reduce your operating costs. Hybrid – true flatbed and roll-to-roll – printers make even more sense. Thus, signmaking is easier with flatbed, UV-cure, print processes. You simply load the rigid media into your printer and print directly to the substrate.
A no-brainer, right? Not always. Especially if you choose thin, aluminum blanks as your rigid substrate and the traditional U-cure lamps’ heat causes the aluminum to warp. We’ve seen this happen often, with metal, plastic and film substrates.

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Gerber’s ion series
Roughly two years ago, Gerber introduced a new, UV-cure, print system that reawakened an industry buzz-term – cationic ink. Gerber’s GerberCAT™ UV-cure, cationic ink requires much less activation energy and, therefore, generates very little heat. Called a “cold fire cure” system, it’s appropriate for all signage and heat-affected substrates.
All Solara ions use cationic inks, and this greatly expands a signmaker’s available media and substrate range. We’ve written about Gerber’s Solara ion line in the past. Remember? You can start with a basic model and upgrade as your need arises? The latest family member, the ionz is fast, with spectacular print quality. We’ll have more on it in a minute.

The GerberCAT inks
GerberCAT ink offers a broad, color gamut which helps produce intense reds and blues. The gamut’s wide range allows ion-equipped printmakers to produce eye-catching images with a four-color (CMYK) process. Additionally, the inks sailed through our scratch test, plus the inks’ aggressive adhesion properties make them ideal for film, plastic, acrylic and flexible-media applications.
The GerberCAT inks also offer simply unmatched chemical resistance, which fits well with most outdoor applications where the sign may be exposed to harsh conditions.