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PRODUCT PORTFOLIO

Star product
Inkcups Helix One

A dedicated DTO option for parallel and tapered cylinders, says Simon Eccles

matically tilts and rotates to optimise print
quality and speed.
The parts must be fully cylindrical (ie not
oblongs) and straight-sided, either as paral-
lel-sided cylinders or conical sections (max-
imum taper is 7º). Cones are rotated at an
angle so that the straight edge is always at a
constant distance from the printhead.
Inkcups says that most competitors are
belt-driven, but the Helix One has a preci-
sion linear servo/rail system with a linear
encoder controlling the carriage motion
and synchronising the inkjet head firing
clock.
The LV series ink is UV-cured, with a seg-
mented curing lamp that “minimises the
carriage travel for a given image size,” says
Grauf. It’s suited to substrates including
powder coats, stainless steel and rigid plas-
What does it do? Specifications as an entry-level printer, so the ability to tics. Some materials work best with a
Helix One is a direct-to-object full colour Process UV inkjet scale up is very attractive to users. It is an primer that is available if you order an extra
inkjet printer for parallel and tapered cylin- direct-to-object ideal solution for businesses exploring new printhead.
ders that is compact enough to fit on a desk- markets, with a lower investment than Helix One is supplied with Onyx RIP soft-
top or be used in a shop kiosk. The case is Resolution other direct-to-object solutions, minimal
styled with bright colours and curves to 600x1,200dpi footprint, and full colour, productive, and ware controlled from a separate PC. It
look more like an office appliance than an quality print operations.” accepts standard PDF or EPS files. Artwork
industrial machine. Colours CMYK plus can be set up in Adobe Illustrator or
It is made by the US-based Inkcups, white plus varnish How does it work? Photoshop. For conical sections you’d need
which also makes pad printers and laser (plus optional Housed in an attractively styled casing, to measure the object and set up the appro-
plate engravers for direct-to-object work. primer) the lift-up front door includes a UV-filtered priate 2D shape for the wraparound.
Its Helix range of direct-to-cylinder print- Part length smoked glass window to show job progress.
ers was first introduced in 2016; the name 51-305mm There’s a touchscreen control panel and As standard the Helix One is intended to
refers to the spiral line of print as the inkjet buttons on the front panel below the door. fit on a desktop or similar surface, but
head advances along the rotating cylinder. Part diameter Inside the system uses an inkjet print- there’s an optional standalone base with
45-120mm head on a travelling carriage that moves storage cabinet for ink and supplies. There’s
When was it launched and what
markets is it aimed at? Max image length from side to side across the width of the also an optional ink mist extraction system,
print area. The colours are CMYK plus
The compact Helix One was launched in 220mm white and clear, with an optional primer as which sounds like a good idea around an
April this year and shown at Fespa Global a seventh channel. Inkcups says its print- office or shop.
Print Expo. It’s said to be particularly suited Max taper angle 7° heads use MEMS technology that’s new to
to drinks applications: bottles, cans and Voltage 220V its Helix range. “Early users have been How fast is it?
flasks. “The compact size and price point amazed by the output quality and consist- Throughput depends on the size of the
make it well-suited to print shops aiming to Weight 295kg ency of this head,” claims Grauf. items being printed, but Inkcups reckons
target new markets with an entry-level yet (including work- Underneath the head carriage is an auto- that on average it can print one vessel per
efficient and high print quality solution,” bench)
says Bobby Grauf, managing director of matic programmable tooling fixture and minute.
Inkcups Europe. Price About £60,000 height adjustable rotation mechanism. This
holds and supports the target parts What does it cost?
“There was a clear desire for a more mod-
ular machine that could run independently (Inkcups also calls them ‘vessels’) and auto- The complete system is about £60,000.
Helix One is supplied with Onyx RIP software controlled from a separate PC.

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