A New Benchmark for Digital Traffic Sign Printing

With the ORALITE® UV Traffic Sign Printer XP eXceptional Performance, ORAFOL reinforces its pioneering role in digital printing by combining high productivity, maximum flexibility and certified system solutions in one compact printing system.

Higher printing speeds, a compact machine footprint and broad material compatibility – when Maurice Jongen, Technical Sales Manager Reflective Solutions, and Łukasz Zysk, Strategic Sales Manager Reflective Solutions at ORAFOL, talk about their latest project, their enthusiasm is unmistakable. "With the ORALITE® UV Traffic Sign Printer XP eXceptional Performance, we are setting a new benchmark in digital printing. For manufacturers of temporary and permanent traffic signs, this new printer is a true game changer," says Zysk.

How can the output of a large industrial printer be integrated into the smallest possible footprint? This question guided the development of ORAFOL's latest printer generation. The result is a printing system offering a print width of 1.37 metres and an output of approximately 44 square metres per hour - twice the speed of its predecessor. "Traffic sign manufacturers need to respond quickly to changing requirements. With our new high-productivity system, they can produce even more efficiently and flexibly," explains Zysk. Despite its impressive performance, the printer requires only minimal floor space thanks to its compact design.

Two Printing Modes for Maximum Flexibility

The newly developed One-Pass printing mode is the key to this significant increase in productivity and is being introduced by ORAFOL for the first time. Unlike the conventional Four-Pass mode, where the printhead passes over the material four times to achieve the required print quality, the One-Pass process completes the job in a single pass. A specially developed high-gloss printing process delivers both significantly faster production and highly transparent print results, improving the reflective performance of traffic signs. Manufacturers therefore benefit in several ways: higher productivity, enhanced visual quality and longer-lasting traffic signs. At the same time, the proven Four-Pass mode remains available. "We deliberately offer both options," explains Maurice Jongen. "Manufacturers replacing existing traffic signs can reproduce previous print results without any visible differences by using the established mode, while switching to the new process whenever higher productivity is required."

A Fully Certified System Solution

From the outset, ORAFOL developed the ORALITE® UV Traffic Sign Printer XP eXceptional Performance with international markets in mind. The printer and its complementary materials comply with a wide range of regional requirements, including European specifications as well as ASTM standards in the United States. Manufacturers can choose from numerous certified combinations of materials, including different grades of reflective sheeting and a variety of laminates such as standard, anti-graffiti, anti-sticker and protective laminates. "No other manufacturer of reflective sheeting offers as many certified system combinations as we do. This underlines our commitment to leading the way in printing," says Jongen. Łukasz Zysk adds: "Because the printer is built on proven components and forms part of a fully integrated system - including reflective sheeting, inks, printer technology and service–it makes compliance with international standards significantly easier while reducing the effort required for customers' own certification processes."

Global Perspectives on the New Printing System

"With digital printing as one of our core competencies, we deliver uncompromising safety at the pace of smart city development, supporting the region's rapid infrastructure expansion. We are more than a supplier–we are a technical partner helping shape the future of traffic management across the Middle East."

"For the Indian market, having everything from a single source–from reflective sheeting to over-lamination to inks and software–is a significant advantage. ORAFOL manufactured digital printing inks giving output have proven to be a key success factor, and the reflectivity test results are outstanding. Combined with close customer collaboration and first-class service, this enables us to set new benchmarks for performance and innovation in India."

Advanced Partnership, Advanced Solution

One of the key factors behind the system's success is the long-standing development partnership between ORAFOL and AGFA. For the past 13 years, the two companies have worked together on UV printing solutions specifically for the traffic sign industry. "This partnership is particularly valuable because traffic sign printing is a highly specialised market," says Maurice Jongen. "Printing on reflective sheeting presents unique technical challenges that printer manufacturers first need to understand." Over the years, the collaboration has generated extensive expertise, enabling both companies to develop new printer generations more efficiently and with greater precision, from which customers directly benefit. The same close cooperation also exists internally at ORAFOL. "The continuous exchange between Łukasz, myself and our respective teams ensures that market requirements and technical development are closely aligned," says Jongen. The two colleagues are already working on their next project. While details remain confidential, both Łukasz Zysk and Maurice Jongen promise one thing: "It's going to be something big."

Learn more about ORALITE® Digital Printing Systems