LAS VEGAS – Durst, the world’s leading manufacturer of wide-format production digital printing platforms, today announced a significant breakthrough in the accuracy of ink droplet size and placement with the introduction of its new 10-picoliter Variodrop^™ printing technology – which has very important implications for grayscale printing. 

Variodrop technology strictly controls drop size modulation by utilizing “multipulsing.”  This technological breakthrough delivers two voltage pulses, with the second pulse pumping precise amounts of ink into the droplet before it detaches from the nozzle plate – without forming any satellites.  Variodrop technology is now available on all of Durst’s P10 Series printers.

“Compared to the often uneven droplets that are formed from a not-well-tuned greyscale wave form, this double-pulse drop shape we produce is perfectly uniform and the placement is always evenly spaced with Variodrop,” said Dr. Richard Piock, CEO of Durst Phototechnik AG.

Durst is demonstrating its Variodrop printing technology on a Rho P10 320R UV Inkjet Digital Roll-to-Roll Printer this week at Sign Expo in Las Vegas (Booth 1515).  In addition, the company is displaying its new Rho 1012 Continuous Inkjet Production System.

Also at Sign Expo, April 4-6 at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center, Durst is teaming up with Zund America and Caldera to demonstrate a complete digital production workflow – from ripping to printing to cutting – in real time on the show floor.  Durst’s and Zund’s booths are located next to each other, and attendees will be able to follow a job from creation to completion.

When combined with Durst’s popular greyscale technology, the application of Variodrop results in improved productivity and image quality, as well as a dramatic reduction in the errors that can occur in greyscale printing. Conventional greyscale relies heavily on the accuracy of drop placement, which can be affected by the uniformity of drop velocity. Any variations in print head working conditions can lead to a mismatch of greyscale drop velocities, and the consequence is drop placement inaccuracy.

“But our multipulsing technology, which is at the heart of Variodrop, directly addresses the challenges of grayscale printing with impressive results,” said Christopher Howard, Senior Vice President of Sales & Marketing for Durst U.S.  “We’re very pleased to bring this important new capability to our customers.”

For a more in-depth explanation of Variodrop technology, the company’s “path forward” and the expanding capabilities of its industry-leading printers, Durst is conducting a press conference at 2:00 p.m. (pdt) Thursday, April 4, in Room Coral C of the Mandalay Bay Convention Center.  Howard and other Durst executives will be on hand to make the presentation and field questions from members of the press.