New technologies and innovations advance the Epson STYLUS PRO 9600 and STYLUS PRO 7600 to the next generation

June 2002

Sydney, 18 June 2002: Epson Australia, a leading manufacturer of large format inkjet printers, has released two new revolutionary wide 24 inch [610mm] and 44 inch [1118mm] printers equipped with Epson's newly developed Micro Piezo Print Head and next generation pigment ink technology - UltraChrome Ink.

The Epson STYLUS PRO 9600 and STYLUS PRO 7600 are the first large format printers to deliver 2880 x 1440 dpi resolution using Epson's patented Variable Size Droplet Technology [VSDT], providing print quality and durability never seen before in a large format printer.

Designed for the photographic, fine art, Computer Aided Design (CAD), Geographical Information Systems (GIS), pre-press and printing industries, The Epson STYLUS PRO 9600 and STYLUS PRO 7600 are ideal for producing high-quality resolution images that will stand the test of time.

"We expect very strong demand from photography and printing professionals for these new printers. The new technologies and innovations by Epson really do place them at the top of their class for colour depth, stability, image resolution and print durability," Epson Business Manager Professional Graphics, Craig Heckenberg, said.

"Combined with Epson's UltraChrome ink - an all new 7 colour inking system that possesses an extremely wide colour gamut rivalling that of today's dye ink technologies - the Epson STYLUS PRO 9600 and STYLUS PRO 7600 are unbeatable professional large format printers."

Epson developed UltraChrome pigment ink to reproduce exceptionally vivid colours across a wider colour gamut at a higher density and over a greater range of media than previous pigment inks. The result of Epson's research is pigment particles less than half the wavelength of visible light in size, allowing Epson to double the density of pigment in the applied ink and create images of superior colour depth and detail.

Combined with UltraChrome's advanced features and seven colours -including light black for the first time - the Epson STYLUS PRO 9600 and STYLUS PRO 7600 apply Epson's Micro Piezo Print Head and Variable-Sized Droplet Technology to generate three (3) different size ink droplets down to four picolitres in one print pass. The result is amazingly sharp images reproduced in stunningly fine detail, with beautiful skin tones and an ultra-wide colour range on a broad range of media including fine art, canvas and other types of matte and gloss media.

Each individual ink pigment particle is further coated in a fine resin, enabling better penetration into a wide range of media substrates, and the formation of a smooth coating for perfect light reflection, giving greater depth to the colours. The resin-coated pigment particles also protect the colour from fading, giving the inks up to 75 years lightfastness, depending on the media used.

To take advantage of the characteristics of the UltraChrome ink, the seven colours come in individual cartridges and the number of ink nozzles on the STYLUS PRO 9600 and STYLUS PRO 7600 have been increased to 96 per colour, making print times 1.5 times faster than previous models. The Photo Black and Matte Black ink cartridges can be swapped by the user, adding a level of flexibility to the choice of media and finish.

Other innovative features on the STYLUS PRO 9600 and STYLUS PRO 7600 include:

• True Borderless Printing - first ever large format printer capable of printing a four-sided borderless print. There are three different modes to choose from depending on the needs of the user, thus reducing print production times.
• High speed interfaces - USB2.0 interface (1.1 compatible) as standard in addition to the conventional parallel port, and 10/100 Ethernet and IEEE1394 Firewire cards as options.
• Greater Media Flexibility - Prints on virtually any media type up to 24 inch [610mm] for the STYLUS PRO 7600 or 44 inch [1118mm] for the STYLUS PRO 9600 with a variety of weights and thicknesses up to 1.5mm. The automatic paper cutter is standard, while there is an optional manual cutter for thicker media. The STYLUS PRO 9600 also has an optional automatic take-up reel system.

The STYLUS PRO 9600 and STYLUS PRO 7600 supersede the STYLUS PRO 7000 and STYLUS PRO 9000 series printers and will be available from Epson during June, adding to the current range of professional graphics printers: STYLUS COLOUR 3000; STYLUS PRO 10000; and STYLUS PRO 10000CF. This lightfastness test is a simulation of colour fading in an indoor preservation condition under fluorescent light with glass mount. The display life may vary depending on the conditions that you display your prints. Factors, other than light, such as ozone, temperature and humidity can affect the print life.

Lightfastness Test Criteria (Indoor Display Condition)
Light source:		Fluorescent light
Intensity:		70,000 lux
Temperature:		24°C
Humidity:		60%RH
Glass mount:		2mm, soda lime
Fade criteria:		Pure YMC 30% loss at OD=1
Display-life Calculation:		Total illuminance / (500lux x 10hours x 365days=1year)
Tests developed and conducted by Epson. "Stylus" and "UltraChrome" are trademarks owned by Epson.

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