buying a new flatbed

[Dice]

For those of you who haven't seen it. Vutek has a new LED UV.

http://w3.efi.com/vutek/Products/GS3250LX

 

[Jack Knight1979]

that's gorgeous. wonder what that'll set ya back?

 

[animenick65]

I've heard around $750,000. Also, the lamps are rated for 5-6 years but they cost around $50k to swap out, which is a heavy hit. I've seen the Gs3250LX in action and it is pretty sweet. It has it's own nitrogen generator for god's sake.

 

[Dice]

Nitrogen? What does it use Nitrogen for?

$750 is way too steep. Getting into FB7500 territory.

 

[Jack Knight1979]

The fb7500 is exciting to watch on youtube, but there's gotta' be better options.

Does anyone know how many 7500's there are installed and running?

 

[ForgeInc]

I know of one in Texas and I think there is one locally here in Portland too.

 

[HulkSmash]

gigantic color in texas had one of the first...i promise ill have one... ONE DAY.

 

[animenick65]

Nitrogen? What does it use Nitrogen for?

$750 is way too steep. Getting into FB7500 territory.

Their engineers found that light passes through nitrogen easier than it does through regular air. They tacked on a nitrogen generator on the side of the machine and pump it under both lamp assemblies as it's printing.

 

[RycckG]

There are over 20 FB7500 in the US alone. They have actually just released the 7600.. but it will cost you 1.3MM

 

[artbot]

i bet that nitrogen story is a lie. what the nitrogen is doing is canceling out oxygen inhibition in the cure cycle. uv curables do not like oxygen. you can take a standard uv glue. put a black light over it. no cure. now let some dry ice pour it's vapors over the uv curable glue and bam. that glue will cure like it was hammered with a powerful bulb.

 

[Jack Knight1979]

I had no clue that there were that many of those beasts in the U.S. unreal. One day.

 

[National Sign Co. - Print]

i bet that nitrogen story is a lie. what the nitrogen is doing is canceling out oxygen inhibition in the cure cycle. uv curables do not like oxygen. you can take a standard uv glue. put a black light over it. no cure. now let some dry ice pour it's vapors over the uv curable glue and bam. that glue will cure like it was hammered with a powerful bulb.

Not true,. the 3250LX is LED cured not mercury cured lamps. Nitrogen helps the cure cycle so LED can have the throughput speeds.

No one at Vutek is lying they are just engineering state of the art USA technology. Take a tour of there facility and you will understand...

If you want lies stick with HP that FB7500 is 4 year old technology overpriced and not even close to the speed and quality they promote. Same BS marketing formula they use on every "production" printer. Full of Fluff....

 

[artbot]

well, i know that there are uv curing units with nitrogen blankets that are released inside them. i was doing a giant project for american ultraviolet about ten years ago, and they mentioned the nitrogen was to push the oxygen off the surface for heat senstive materials, where lower power was needed. and the only reason for the high powered lamps was to overcome oxygen inhibition. i was right there in the lab, had to sign non-disclosure documents to go back there.

 

[animenick65]

Here is a link to a video I shot of the 3250LX while I was up in Meredith in July.

 

[synergy_jim]

good info...

 

[phototec]

You need to do like any smart business person and take files and lots of them to a dealer and have them demonstrate one for an entire day and make sure it does everything you want or expect it to do. Do this with the same files with all of the distributors and then make decisions. All of us have a certain amount of sentimental value connected with our machines and want to feel we've made excellent decisions, so we recommend them. What works for us or someone else on this site, might not be your cup a tea.

ForgeInc, this is the best advice you will get on this thread, and you would be very wise to take Gino's suggestion very seriously and do as he suggests, this is a very expensive piece of equipment and you don't want to find out after it's installed that it's not the right cup of tea for you...

Always better to do your homework, and then make your own decision instead making a purchased based on what others say..

Gino's the man

 

[ForgeInc]

It is good advice, albeit one I would toss into the "common sense" dept.

 

[HulkSmash]

It is good advice, albeit one I would toss into the "common sense" dept.

+1

 

[HaroldDesign]

Wanted to thank all you guys for the input. Funny how things come around, we actually just pulled the trigger on another FB 700. Crazy! After much discussion we decided that to step up to the OCE or Agfa right now may not be enough 1-2 years down the road, and like Mike said none of what we were looking at were actually production machines.

So, We took the advice of keeping something in line with out current workflow, not having to do profiles for another machine, etc. was a big plus for us. We've only been open for about 8 months so we are still getting our processes ironed out, to throw another new machine in the mix is just too much right now. We'll stay this course for a year or so and see what new technology comes out, how we grow etc. That said if anyone has questions on the FB feel free to ask...we're becoming pretty in tune with it.

Anyway thanks 101! Have learned so much on on here the last year or so!

Count on having to profile to get them linearized, but at least it will probably go smoothly.

 

[Kaiser]

i bet that nitrogen story is a lie. what the nitrogen is doing is canceling out oxygen inhibition in the cure cycle. uv curables do not like oxygen. you can take a standard uv glue. put a black light over it. no cure. now let some dry ice pour it's vapors over the uv curable glue and bam. that glue will cure like it was hammered with a powerful bulb.

100% spot on.