DST adds advanced ultrasound to its PHD machines and releases new OEM-compatible inks

Digital Sign Technologies (DST, Mississauga, Ontario) has announced that its Print Head Doctor (PHD) machines for cleaning and recovery of inkjet printheads are now available with advanced ultrasound. Its new 75 kHz ultrasonic tanks now have an adjustable power output that provides a safer environment and safer treatment for printhead cleaning. “The standard 40 kHz ultrasound was known to damage certain types of printheads, but the higher frequency and a variable output solve this problem,” said DST. The company’s flagship PHD Model 13 , equipped with high-performance custom pumps made by KNF in Switzerland, is able to unclog all kinds of printheads safely and effectively.
DST added that the latest testimonials of the Print Head Doctor 13 have shown that the machine is capable of increasing the maximum output speed of inkjet printers by restoring printheads to their cleanest condition so they “perform like new.” Even single-pass print modes are possible as a result of a thorough printhead cleaning. For example, said DST, an Infiniti Printer with 8 Seiko 510 printheads is capable of achieving print speeds of 100 sq. m. per hour (1,070 sq. ft. per hour) with 3-year-old printheads. That was previously only possible with brand new printheads. The output quality at all print speeds has been also dramatically increased.
Alternative OEM inks
The company is also releasing new alternative inks for two popular printers. The first alternative solvent ink is for Siko Colorpainter H74/104s printers. Supplied with a chip, it’s a “ready-to-use plug-and-play solution with the same colour gamut and adhesion as the OEM’s at a fraction of the cost.” The second release are the first-to-market alternative inks for HP Scitex FB550 UV curable inks. They’re a “direct replacement for the OEM product with the same properties, including 100% matching colour gamut, flexibility and adhesion to media.” DST also added that its UV curable inks are fast acting, won’t clog the printheads and have a shelf life of approximately one year. “These inks are a fraction of the cost of the original HP ink, which will save users hundreds of dollars in operating costs.”