Roland DG has launched a new inkjet printer for the textile printing industry, the Texart XT-640.

The 1.6m-wide machine has a list price of £18,999 and is available with immediate effect. It is the second in the manufacturer’s series of Texart dye-sublimation transfer printers following the RT-640.

The machine has been designed especially for the production of fashion, sports clothing, interior design and soft signage after the company spotted a demand for higher volume runs of ‘fast fashion’.

Roland DG said the rail and frame structure has been developed to enable highly detailed printing with precise ink droplet placement. A new Feed Adjuster at the front and back of the printer provides even tensioning and prevents skewing of the media. The XT-640 features dual printheads to achieve high-speed performance at print speeds of up to 63sqm/hr. The device is optimised for sublimation printing and works in combination with Roland Texart Ink which is available in either 2xCMYK or CMYK, light cyan, light magenta, orange and violet configurations, supplied in one-litre foil pouches. In four-colour mode, the system provides two litres per colour. The Roland Ink Switching System automatically switches to the back-up ink pouch when the primary pouch runs out.

Also included with the device is an integrated post heater, a media take-up system, and the Ergosoft Roland Edition RIP software.

Division president of digital printing market development Yuko Maeda said: “In the fashion field, trend cycles are becoming shorter as seen in fast fashion and the desire for personalisation that represents individual preferences and lifestyles.”

Prior to the XT-640’s launch, Roland attained Oeko-Tex Standard 100, product class I certification, ensuring the safety of textile items printed with the XT-640 using Texart Ink.