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XTR-1313 Flatbed UV Looking at buying one, need some opinions

E

Esmae

New Member
OK I know it's a chinese company that makes them but so are 50% of all of them in the market, just rebranded with western names. I won't post a link to the site (because i'm not sure if it breaks forum rules) but i'm interested in buying a UV flatbed at about this size (1300 x 1300mm 100mm z-axis) the price alone is very enticing and the bed size is suitable for my area.

I don't know how many of these machines are out there but if someone here owns one or has dealt with the company, I would love to hear from you. I had great success with the NC router that i imported from china about 5 years ago but routers don't contain ink and are quite simple compared to a printer.
 
artbot

artbot

New Member
i had a couple exchanges with this guy when looking at solvent flatbeds. he's a really cool dude. what are you printing that requires uv that coated and or compatible substrates and solvent ink won't do?
 
E

Esmae

New Member
It's mainly for the white ink option that i'd like to go with uv inks. Just the usual stuff though like coro, sign metals etc. The main job though is for abs plastic control boxes, that's already lined up.

I also have a laser that i'd like to use in conjunction with it. I have kind of avoided the solvent chinese flatbeds because you always hear bad things about them like using the wrong heads, ink lines etc. i thought it would be a relatively user friendly solution going UV. Plus i want a turn key solution not something i have to build.

If you have a better solution, i'd love to hear it. I know you do an extreme amount of research.

One other thing to note is that i only expect to be using it for about 15 hours a week or less to start with. I figure for the price it's quite ok for it just to sit there some days till i build up enough work for it, i'd be in a mild panic if i sat there and watched a $100,000 printer sitting though.
 
artbot

artbot

New Member
you might look at inwears small form factor's uv led printer too. Inwear is a massive company compared to this guy. i'm getting my printer from them. very knowledgeable and extremely honest. they reduced my invoice $5k a week later because of a computational mistake, even after i'd accepted the first bid! that is unheard of. literally sending me a new quote apologizing for the error.

http://zsinwear.en.alibaba.com/product/379197903-210509928/UV_Flatbed_Konica_Printer.html
 
E

Esmae

New Member
artbot said:
you might look at inwears small form factor's uv led printer too. Inwear is a massive company compared to this guy. i'm getting my printer from them. very knowledgeable and extremely honest. they reduced my invoice $5k a week later because of a computational mistake, even after i'd accepted the first bid! that is unheard of. literally sending me a new quote apologizing for the error.

http://zsinwear.en.alibaba.com/product/379197903-210509928/UV_Flatbed_Konica_Printer.html
Click to expand...

Thanks for that, I knew you'd have some contacts. I just sent them a message, not sure if the chassis can be modified to accept 100mm materials but i asked anyway. Hope to hear back from them soon. What did you get from them (if you don't mind me asking)
 
artbot

artbot

New Member
it's a one of a kind printer. a bit of a hybrid of several printers they sell. will be ordering it in january. i've got quite a few mods that i'm still detailing out which i'll keep confidential.

if the z already goes 50mm, i'm sure 100mm wouldn't be a problem. you'll probably need a taller hull but as for the z, whether worm drive or gear track, it's just more/taller of the same. seems easy.

the engineer's name is allan (i'm sure it's actually something else). he prefers to get on skype to discuss mods, etc. the main sales girl prefers to use trade manager messenger. i did have to really insist that i needed a custom printer. but after they accepted, they were more than helpful. let's face it. it's a factory just like any other (roland, mimaki, mutoh). try calling one of them and telling them..."hey, that one's cool, but i need such and such". so don't be surprised if you have to email them for an entire week straight before you get a response.

here's a video of their big uv LED at a trade show.

http://www.inwear.com.cn/news.php?act=page&id=71
 
M

MWorks

New Member
Other UV LED Flatbeds

What kind of price point for the Inwear UV-120X?

Have you guys heard of the GUNSJET SF1914?

Company seems to be in Hong Kong, but unit is made in China. Don't think it is UV LED, though.

I have also been searching for a flatbed uv (prefer uv led). And, have also been looking at Sepiax.

Have researched everything from Oce, Roland, Mimaki, CET, Jetrix, GCC etc.

Don't really need a full sheet sized bed, but a 1.3m x 1.3m or similar would work well. The major concern has been the huge price tag that goes along with a lot of these units. During such economic uncertainty, more than a bit nervous about plopping down 75-150K +

Would be great to hear more about the Inwear unit. thks.
 
E

Esmae

New Member
I haven't heard back from the people at inwear yet. Though i have asked for a quote on it being modified to accept 100mm materials.
 
artbot

artbot

New Member
and you won't hear back from them for a while. i went through the same routine.

also, i got a happy birthday email from one of the printer manufacturers today. don't remember what i was inquiring about with them at this point. but they did also have a small form factor uv printer with a head height already at 150mm.

1.3
http://www.zytech86.com/productshow...ssname=ZY-SKUVC series&uppage=/product_en.asp

and .9
http://www.zytech86.com/productshow...ssname=ZY-SKUVC series&uppage=/product_en.asp
 
E

Esmae

New Member
More choices, i'll be fluent in chinese by the time i decide on one. I'm still really leaning towards the 1300 x 1300mm size at the moment but the inwear one looks to have better components like the LED UV lamps and the Konica heads as opposed to the seiko ones which i think i read somewhere the Konica heads are more suited to uv inks (correct me if i'm wrong)

Happy birthday artbot :)
 
artbot

artbot

New Member
oops. i meant merry christmas. ...but then my birthday was last month so i'll take it anyway. it did seem when looking at the printer that inwear wasn't just in the price point business. also wit-color seemed to use better components when given the option. i wish i knew more about uv, i'd be of more help. i do remember inquriing about using uv LED clear for one process with inwear. a liter of clear uv varnish was $110. don't know if that is high or low.
 
E

Esmae

New Member
That's about the same price quoted by xtr, the guy said he cant tell me who the manufacturer of the ink is, but they are manufactured in the US.
 
J

jhanson

New Member
That's the same picture as the Inwear unit. I'm going to hazard a guess and say that both Inwear and Docan are distributing somebody else's unit.

There are a lot of Chinese companies that say they're manufacturing, only to be distributing a product from another company that has no Western presence (i.e. no translators, etc). Be wary...
 
artbot

artbot

New Member
no trust me. inwear is a manufacturer. there is a detailed description by flaar about what each large chinese company does or doesn't do as far as their business models. there is also a lot of parting with manufacturing in china (very smart). one company makes rails, one company makes other parts, etc. then a builder sets up contracts. so some hulls will match, most of the linear movements are copied from known japanese manufacturers.

i have the pdf from flaar about each company if you can seem to find it on the interweb.
 
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