Epson will demonstrate its 6-colour, compact digital dry lab for high-quality photo print production at Drupa (3-16 May in Düsseldorf, Germany).

Ideal for traditional mini-lab retail environments, the Epson SureLab SL-D3000 also offers new business opportunities for print shop owners. It can print on glossy, matte and lustre media up to 12-inches (30.5cm) wide to produce photos, greetings cards, invitations, flyers and promotional leaflets.

The SL-D3000 utilises Epson's proven Micro Piezo printhead technology, in combination with Epson's original ink and LUT, to deliver accurate reproduction and a maximum resolution of 1440 x 1440dpi. Epson’s UltraChrome D6 6-colour photo ink-set achieves a wide colour gamut that exceeds that of silver halide, yielding prints that are vivid and lifelike with excellent black density.

Kristin Saus-Opuszynski, senior business manager for prophoto at Epson Europe, says: “For the past decade, Epson has supplied components to the digital dry lab industry, and the SL-D3000 draws on this expertise. The Epson brand is synonymous with the highest quality in professional photo printing, and we feel the time is right to introduce an Epson-branded digital dry lab that brings added value to the market.”

The power-efficient SL-D3000 uses significantly less energy than a wet lab, and does not need a water supply, air filter or chemicals, reducing impact on the environment and the total cost of ownership. Further lowering the cost per print, the printhead and LUT are carefully configured to use ink economically while maintaining the best print quality.

Users don't need any specialist skills to operate the SL-D3000. The optional ‘OrderController’ software, which includes basic photo re-touching, makes setting up jobs easy. The SL-D3000 begins printing quickly without the need to warm-up chemicals, and can automatically move finished prints to an optional A4 job sorter. The only regular maintenance required is consumables replacement.

For placement flexibility and easy installation, the SL-D3000 has wheels and a small footprint. It can be positioned in a corner to save space, as it is operated from two adjacent sides.

The dual-roll model allows two different media types and/or two different roll widths to be loaded simultaneously for versatility and improved productivity. A single-roll configuration will also be available.

Pricing and availability will be announced at drupa.

Key features: