Beyond the Basics of White Ink with HP Latex 830W: 5 Techniques Explained

How do you actually use white ink on the HP Latex 830W to create jobs you couldn't produce otherwise? In this live webinar recording, Grimco's Neil McNamara sits down with Robert Basford to walk through everything sign and print shop owners need to know about white ink printing on the HP Latex Generation 4 printers, with a focus on the HP Latex 830W. Neil breaks down the full HP Latex lineup, from the entry level 630 up through the production ready 730 and 830, then dives into the five distinct ways to print with white ink: spot white, white as an under base, reverse printing for second surface applications, three layer printing for backlit displays and window perf graphics, and five layer printing for double sided storefront signage. He also runs a live demo showing how to build a three layer design file in Illustrator, bring it into Onyx, and set up Quick Sets for repeatable production jobs. The video wraps with a live audience Q&A covering how HP Latex white ink stacks up against UV flatbed printing, media compatibility, and print head and ink expiration. In This Video: The difference between the HP Latex 630, 730, and 830 printers The five ways to print with white ink on HP Latex machines How three layer printing creates vibrant backlit signs and displays How to print perforated window graphics using white ink instead of traditional window perf Five layer printing for double sided storefront graphics with two different images A live demo building a white ink design file in Illustrator and Onyx How to set up and edit Quick Sets for repeatable production jobs How HP Latex white ink compares to UV flatbed white ink FAQ: Q: Do I need special media to print with white ink on the HP Latex 830W? A: No special media is required. Media versatility is one of the strengths of HP Latex, and most standard coated and uncoated medias will work, especially Briteline products. A small number of specialty coated films may need extra testing for adhesion. Q: Can white ink help me compete against UV flatbed printers for window and rigid applications? A: Yes. HP Latex white ink delivers strong opacity and a smooth, even lay down, which looks especially good on backlit displays viewed up close. It also has a major advantage over UV white ink because it does not yellow over time, since UV printers rely on photo activators that can yellow with age. Q: How often do white ink print heads need to be replaced? A: HP Latex print heads are user replaceable, with a 1500 milliliter warranty and an expected life between 6,000 and 8,000 milliliters. In practice, that generally works out to replacing a print head roughly every 2 to 3 ink cartridge changes. Q: Is there a difference in expiration between white ink and standard color ink? A: Yes. Standard color ink is generally good for about two years from the manufacture date. White ink has a shorter window, and the print head warranty can expire if white ink sits unused in the machine for more than six months, so it works best in a shop that uses it regularly. Products: HP Latex 830W Printer: https://go.grimco.com/4foOuuR Briteline Duration IM3205 Clear Vinyl Film: https://go.grimco.com/4f7fjm0 Briteline IM3224 Removable Clear Vinyl Film (6 mil): https://go.grimco.com/3To0xjw Briteline IM3205R Removable Clear Vinyl Film (3 mil): https://go.grimco.com/4eSSuDY Lintec Optically Clear Window Film: https://go.grimco.com/4gLE4a7 3M Wrap Film Series 2080: https://go.grimco.com/3SPgH5q ONYX RIP Software: https://go.grimco.com/4gta96m For more setup and workflow guides, visit Grimco's Equipment Support Hub at https://connect.grimco.com/en/knowledge Ready to add white ink to your production lineup? Call Grimco at 1-800-542-9941 or visit Grimco.com to talk with a rep about the right HP Latex printer for your shop. 0:00 Welcome and the HP Latex Generation 4 Lineup 2:15 HP Latex 630, 730, and 830 Printer Comparison 4:26 The Five Ways to Print with HP Latex White Ink 6:40 Reverse and Three Layer Printing for Backlit Displays 9:28 Printing Perforated Window Graphics with White Ink 11:41 Five Layer Printing for Double Sided Storefront Graphics 14:15 Live Demo: Three Layer Printing on the HP Latex 830 15:51 Building the Design File and Importing into Onyx 19:07 Editing Quick Sets for Repeatable White Ink Jobs 20:46 Auto White Flood and Manual Fill Techniques in the RIP 24:13 Live Q&A: White Ink vs UV Flatbeds and Job History 27:58 Live Q&A: Media, Print Heads, and Ink Expiration