Home
About

Contact Us
Enquiry With Us
Thumbnail 1 Thumbnail 2
Ceramic Printer K-1170-12 | Digital Ceramic Tile Printing Machine & Wide Format Printer
Thumbnail 1 Thumbnail 2
Printer Ceramic Printers

Ceramic Printer K-1170-12 | Digital Ceramic Tile Printing Machine & Wide Format Printer

Resources

Watch videos or download catalogues

PDF 1
Enquiry Now

Product Description

Ceramic Printer K-1170-12 with SEIKO RC1536 printheads, 12 channels, 1170×1800mm print area, 360 DPI. Best ceramic printer for digital ceramic tile printing, custom designs, print on demand tiles and wide format ceramic production.

Ceramic Printer K-1170-12 | Digital Ceramic Tile Printing Machine & Wide Format Printer

The Ceramic Printer K-1170-12 is a high-capacity ceramic printing machine built for tile factories and ceramic printing studios that need more width and more colour channels than entry-level machines, without stepping up to a full industrial glaze line. With a 1170mm × 1800mm printing area, 12 ink channels, and SEIKO RC1536 printheads, this ceramic printer handles larger tiles, wider panels, and more complex multi-colour designs than smaller 740mm machines can manage. As a wide format printer and large format printer for ceramic substrates, the K-1170-12 sits in the practical middle — more productive than a basic model, more accessible than a 28-30 channel production line.

For a small printing business that has outgrown its first ceramic printer, or a sign shop running flex printing and flex printing machines that wants to add ceramic tile production as a new revenue stream, the K-1170-12 offers a serious step up without the complexity and cost of a full glaze line. It uses the same proven SEIKO RC1536 printheads with recirculation design, adjustable drop size from 14~98pl (up to 13~133pl), 360 DPI native resolution, and 37 kHz firing frequency found in much larger machines. With 12 channels supporting extended colour gamuts and special-effect inks, print on demand custom tile production, and continuous factory runs, the K-1170-12 is versatile digital printing equipment that covers everything from standard wall and floor tiles to decorative panels and custom ceramic designs.

Key Advantages of Ceramic Printer K-1170-12

✔ 12-Colour Channel System

12 ink channels give you extended colour gamuts and room for special-effect inks alongside standard CMYK. For a ceramic printer in this width class, 12 channels is a meaningful step up from 10-channel entry models — richer designs without swapping inks between jobs.

✔ SEIKO RC1536 Recirculation Printheads

SEIKO RC1536 industrial printheads with recirculation design keep heavy ceramic pigments from settling. For ceramic printing where ink stability directly affects print quality, this is the proven industry-standard head.

✔ 1170×1800mm Large Format Area

A 1170mm × 1800mm print area handles tiles that are too wide for 740mm machines. As a large format printer for ceramics, the K-1170-12 prints wider tiles and panels in a single pass — no seaming, no weak joints on your ceramic printing output.

✔ Adjustable Drop Size 14~133pl

Drop size adjusts from 14~98pl up to 13~133pl, giving operators fine control over detail, smooth gradients, and heavy ink coverage for glaze-effect and cover inks on dark tile designs.

✔ 37 kHz High-Speed Firing

A 37 kHz firing frequency with 360 DPI native resolution keeps ceramic printing fast enough for continuous factory production lines without sacrificing image quality on every tile.

✔ Print-on-Demand — No Screens

Digital workflow enables custom tiles, short sample runs, and print on demand designs without making screens. For a small printing business expanding into ceramics, this removes the biggest barrier to entry.

Ceramic Printer K-1170-12 Technical Specifications

ITEM SPECIFICATION
Model K1170 - 12
Printing Area 1170mm × 1800mm
Printhead SEIKO RC1536
Drop Size 14~98pl (Adjustable to 13~133pl)
Native Resolution 360 DPI
Firing Frequency 37 kHz
Max. Channels 12 Channels
Belt Size 1180mm
UPS Requirement 15 kW – 30 kW
Air Requirement 6 Bar, 500 L/Min Compressed Clean Air (Free of Humidity and Oil)
Power Requirement 380V (3 Phase + Neutral + Ground) 50–60Hz
Technology Digital Ceramic Inkjet Printing System
Applications Ceramic Tile Printing, Decorative Ceramic Surfaces, Print on Demand Tiles, Industrial Ceramic Decoration, Wide Format & Large Format Ceramic Production

Ceramic Printer K-1170-12 Compatible Materials & Applications

Material / Use Case Applications
Ceramic Wall & Floor Tiles Wide-format wall tiles, floor tiles, and décor tiles up to 1170mm width with digital patterns and effects
Decorative Ceramic Surfaces Custom motifs, marble effects, wood effects, stone effects, and artistic ceramic designs
Print on Demand Production Short-run custom tiles, sample batches, and personalised ceramic designs without screens
Industrial Ceramic Lines High-volume ceramic tile decoration for factories and continuous production plants
Wide / Large Format Panels Large ceramic panels and wide format decorative surfaces for commercial interiors and architecture
Growing Print Businesses Suitable for ceramic specialists and a small printing business expanding into digital ceramic substrates
Related Digital Print Workflows Complements shops already running flex printing, flex printing machines, or printer for vinyl signage lines

Ceramic Printer K-1170-12 FAQ

Digital ceramic tile printing uses a specialised ceramic printer — not a standard inkjet or ceramic 3D printer. Machines like the K-1170-12 are built specifically for ceramic printing: they use industrial SEIKO RC1536 printheads with recirculation systems that handle heavy, abrasive ceramic inks containing glass frits and mineral pigments. The ceramic printing machine jets the design onto a flat tile or slab as it passes through on a conveyor belt. The print is not finished at this stage — the tile must then be fired in a kiln at 800–1200°C, which fuses the ceramic inks permanently into the tile surface. Machines range from compact 740mm models for small studios to 2100mm complete glaze lines for large factories. The K-1170-12, with its 1170×1800mm print area and 12 channels, is a mid-to-large format ceramic printer suited for factories and growing businesses that need to print tiles wider than 740mm but do not need a full 28-30 channel production line. Some people searching for a "ceramic 3D printer" actually need a 2D ceramic printer like the K-1170-12 — 3D printers build shapes from clay, while ceramic printing machines decorate flat tile surfaces.

The cost of a ceramic printing machine varies widely depending on width, channel count, and production features. Compact 740mm models with 10 channels typically range from the lower end of industrial equipment pricing. Mid-format machines like the K-1170-12 with 1170mm width and 12 channels sit in a higher range due to the wider print area and additional ink channels. Full production lines like the KT1500-28 (1500mm, 28 channels) and the KT2100-30 (2100mm, 30 channels, complete 3-stage glaze line) represent the highest investment tier. Beyond the ceramic printer itself, budget for a kiln (800–1200°C capability, typically a significant additional cost), 380V three-phase electrical installation, a compressed air system with oil-free dry air at 6 Bar and 500 L/Min, and ongoing costs for ceramic inks, printhead maintenance, and spare parts. For a small printing business moving into ceramic printing, the total setup cost including the ceramic printer, kiln, and infrastructure is substantially more than adding another flex printing machine or printer for vinyl — but the per-square-metre margin on ceramic tiles is also significantly higher than on flex or vinyl output. Contact a supplier for specific pricing on the K-1170-12 based on your configuration and shipping requirements.

The "best" ceramic printer depends entirely on your tile sizes, production volume, and budget — there is no single machine that is best for every situation. For a small studio or a small printing business just entering ceramic printing, a 740mm 10-channel model is often the right starting point — lower cost, simpler operation, smaller footprint. For mid-size factories that print tiles wider than 740mm and need more colour channels for complex designs, the K-1170-12 is one of the strongest options — its 1170×1800mm area handles wider tiles, and 12 channels give you more design flexibility than 10-channel machines, all without the cost and complexity of a full glaze line. For large factories producing big slabs (1500mm+) that need base glaze, colour, and effects in one continuous line, the KT1500-28 or KT2100-30 is the right choice. The K-1170-12 hits a sweet spot: more productive than entry-level ceramic printing machines, more accessible than industrial glaze lines, and versatile enough for both print on demand custom work and continuous production. If your factory prints tiles up to 1100-1200mm wide and wants 12 channels for richer colour, the K-1170-12 is genuinely one of the best ceramic printer options in its class. Note: a ceramic 3D printer serves a completely different purpose — it builds 3D objects from clay rather than decorating flat tiles.

A ceramic printer like the K-1170-12 works through a multi-step process that is quite different from flex printing or standard inkjet printing. Here is how it works from start to finished tile:

Step 1 — Ink Preparation: Ceramic inks containing glass frits, metal oxides, and mineral pigments are loaded into the ceramic printing machine. These inks are much heavier and more abrasive than the solvent inks used in flex printing machines, which is why the K-1170-12 uses SEIKO RC1536 printheads with recirculation systems that keep pigments suspended and flowing.

Step 2 — Digital Printing: The raw or pre-glazed tile is placed on the conveyor belt. As it passes under the printheads, the ceramic printer jets the design onto the tile surface using variable drop sizes (14~133pl) at 360 DPI resolution and 37 kHz firing frequency. The K-1170-12 can use up to 12 ink channels for extended colour and effects.

Step 3 — Drying: The printed tile may pass through a drying section to remove moisture carriers from the ink.

Step 4 — Kiln Firing: This is the critical step that separates ceramic printing from all other digital printing. The printed tile enters a kiln at 800–1200°C. At these temperatures, the glass frits in the ceramic inks melt and fuse with the tile surface, while the metal oxides develop their final colours. The design becomes a permanent part of the tile — scratch-resistant, water-resistant, and UV-stable.

Step 5 — Quality Check & Packing: The finished tile is inspected and packed for shipping.

The entire process from ceramic printer to finished tile takes minutes to hours depending on kiln speed. Unlike flex printing where the print is finished when it comes off the machine, ceramic printing is only complete after firing. And unlike a ceramic 3D printer which builds shapes layer by layer, a ceramic printer decorates an existing flat surface.