EFI Ceramic Ecosystem

Benefiting from the extensive experience of its parent company EFI, Cretaprint has improved the quality of its range of machinery, software control and colour management solutions in the last two years.

EFI Cretaprint has expanded its product portfolio with the aim of becoming the major technology partner for ceramic tile manufacturers.

The new EFI Ceramic Ecosystem now covers industrial printers, software and ceramic inks and also ensures a rapid, allround Customer Service, an innovative concept aimed at total customisation and capable of delivering added value along with maximum quality and production efficiency.

New products launched in 2015 are based on research into new hardware, inks and software and follow the latest trends in the ceramic sector, particularly in terms of large formats and textures.

Cretaprint now offers industrial printers with multi-head technology designed for durability and upgradability with the latest technology.

The C3+ and P3+ 8-bar multi-head printers with printing widths of respectively 700 mm and 1400 mm are equipped with fast EFI electronics. They achieve more efficient suction between the bars and airflow and feature fully automatic reverse flow for internal printhead cleaning to prevent permanent nozzle clogging.

At Tecnargilla 2014, Cretaprint successfully launched the new C4 8-bar machine with a maximum printing width of 700 mm. This machine can use different printheads on the same machine, including the latest Seiko printheads developed for industrial ceramic tile production and meeting the needs of high productivity and highly creative designs. The C4 is a more compact machine than its predecessors, requires less maintenance and has lower energy consumption. The new C4 also maintains the distinctive characteristics of Cretaprint printers while featuring a newly engineered ink system, a more efficient vacuum system and high-precision printing quality, a new transport system for greater alignment precision and a simplified user interface. Optional features have been added including machine synchronisation, an alarm system that sends text messages from the printer to a mobile phone, and control and correction of nozzle wear.

The EFI Fiery ProServer colour management software has also been improved with the addition of new functions such as the automatic creation of the effects channel. Fiery is extremely fast and precise and can achieve excellent results on tiles with perfectly reproduced graphic designs and even simpler colour matching.

It also offers full control over ink consumption and greater flexibility in the choice of inks and glazes. Fiery ProServer is the fastest tool for creating and adjusting ceramic inks in the pre-production stage, as well as the simplest and most cost-effective solution for managing this operation inhouse.

Building on its decades of experience and scientific and technological expertise in the field of printheads and inks, chemistry, stability, jetting performance and the production process for various applications, EFI has developed a new range of ceramic inks aimed at customers demanding greater quality and reliability.

Unveiled at Tecnargilla 2014, these include dark blue, reddish brown, yellow, golden yellow, beige, pink and black, as well as effect inks such as sink-in ink, white and digital glazes for special decorations. EFI provides a full warranty for the quality and supply of its inks to Cretaprint customers, together with the support of a highlytrained team of ink application engineers. EFI inks are specially formulated to guarantee optimum performance on the printheads and ink systems used on Cretaprint machines. They do not contain VOCs and are non-hazardous, odourless and have a minimal impact on operator health and the environment.