Entire Canon Colorado Roll-to-Roll Printer Range Now Supported by SAi Flexi RIP Software

VENLO, February 7, 2024 – Canon’s entire UVgel roll-to-roll printer range, comprising the Colorado 1600 series and the new Colorado M-series, is now compatible with SAi Flexi, the all-in-one design, print and cut software for sign and print providers. Flexi 22, the latest version of the RIP software, supports all Colorado models for seamless integration into a sophisticated production workflow.

SA International (SAi), a leader in design-to-production software, has released Service Pack 4 for Flexi 22, which adds drivers for the whole Colorado range (1630, 1640, 1650, M3 [W] and M5 [W]) and supports both white and multilayer printing. The new software drivers also support Canon’s FLXfinish⁺ technology, which enables customers to print matte, gloss or mixed matte and gloss on the same print, without the need for additional varnish.

SAi Flexi

Capable of driving up to five printers simultaneously and any number of cutters, SAi Flexi offers a complete all-in-one solution for designing, printing, cutting and print & cut. With the addition of the cross-platform ‘Flexi Designer’, it delivers a versatile experience, giving users a seamless workflow from design to production. An easy-to-use white printing workflow, that allows for the creation and customization of white layers, comes as standard in all versions of SAi Flexi. The software incorporates a robust 64-bit RIP architecture that ensures optimal performance and precision in advanced color management, spot color mapping, Pantone matching, true-shape nesting, and banner finishing.

Scalable and modular Colorado M-series

The Colorado M-series is a modular 1.6m roll-to-roll printer with two speed configurations that is also available with Canon UVgel white ink, boosting the printer’s exceptional productivity and substantially expanding the range of applications customers can create.

The unique formulation of Canon’s UVgel ink facilitates the fast build-up of dense and opaque white images in fewer passes than conventional printing technologies, while printed output retains its original whiteness over time. The particular properties of UVgel also eliminate many of the production, nozzle-cleaning and maintenance challenges commonly associated with white ink, while delivering smooth, error-free printing, reducing ink usage and waste, and increasing productivity.

Mathieu Peeters, Senior Director Strategic Marketing Large Format Graphics Worldwide at Canon Production Printing, comments:

“Canon Production Printing truly believes in open systems, which enables partners and customers to integrate Canon printers in their workflow by offering an Application Programming Interface (API) and a Software Development Kit (SDK). SAi, one of the largest RIP software vendors, has a huge network of highly satisfied sign makers and print service providers (PSPs) worldwide. I am extremely pleased that our sales partners, offering SAi as their preferred RIP software, can now provide their customers with an integrated solution – SAi Flexi driving our Canon Colorado printers. In addition, PSPs utilizing SAi Flexi software can now capture the benefits of UVgel by adding Canon Colorado printers to their production floor without changing their workflow. SAi managed to create a driver for the Colorado printers supporting the full functionality within the shortest timeframe. This proves that SAi is a true Canon Software Ambassador.”

Radisa Peric, Flexi Product Manager at SA International, comments:

“We are proud to offer our wide customer base the full support of the Colorado UVgel roll-to-roll printer range. SAi Flexi software is omnipresent in sign and print shops worldwide so the ability for our customers to use their preferred software with their Colorado printers is a win-win partnership.”

Canon Software Ambassador Program

The Canon Software Ambassador Program is designed for independent software vendors, aiming to integrate with Canon production printers, to provide Sales Partners and Customers an end-to-end workflow solution fully tuned to the customer needs.

More information can be found on Canon’s Large Format Graphics collaboration platform graphiPLAZA.