Calgary-based I-Dent, which supplies regulatory and compliance signs to the oil and gas industry, has installed an Arizona 550GT ultraviolet-curing (UV-curing) flatbed printer from Océ-Canada, a subsidiary of the Canon Group, to expand its production capacity.

Complementing I-Dent’s existing Arizona 250GT press, the 550GT can reportedly print up to 40.2 m² (433 sf) per hour in production mode, outputting nearly 100 standard 1.2 x 2.4-m (4 x 8-ft) graphic boards in a single shift. With select media and applications, express print speeds can even reportedly reach 61 m² (657 sf) per hour.

The machine is equipped with Océ VariaDot imaging technology and a four-colour ink set, which can apparently use up to 50 per cent less ink than six-colour systems.

Founded in 1982, I-Dent has updated its production technology over the years to offer longer-lasting, more fade-resistant and environmentally friendlier signs, particularly through UV-resistant lamination.