ColorSpan or Gerber Solara?

[KR3signguy]

Mutoh has a unit available come Jan 2008. Specs say 140 sf/hr
nice thing is it will use bio inks that will be less cost and there will be no need for the expensive UV bulbs

When they say,
140 sf/hr
then cut that in half because you'll really be running it at the best quality mode/passes.
That's slow as shiat.

 

[ScottyDoo]

Thank you very much for the comments guys.

I'm trying to do as much homework as possible before SGIA. If anyone can think of any other resources that they feel would be helpful I'd greatly appreciate it.

How difficult is it to print full bleed on flatbeds?

I can only speak for the 9840, but about 90% of my prints are full bleed. Easy as can be, just make sure the designers have the bleed added into the file and set how much you need the overprint to be, and that's it. It will overprint past the edges of the material and you're done. All you have to do is stay on top of cleaning up your belt so you don't get buildup. Not hard at all.

 

[ScottyDoo]

then cut that in half because you'll really be running it at the best quality mode/passes.

That is slow, but why would you have to be running it at best mode/passes all the time. I always run mine bidi in production mode, for almost all jobs. Looks beautiful. Had some problems in the beginning, but after those were solved and everything was nice and calibrated, it's nice.

 

[FLSignMan]

http://www.gspinc.com/downloads/video/Solara_ION/ion_video.html

Pretty impressive for an entry level machine.
365 s/f/h in production mode.
$80k.

Nice way to get in the game both flat and r/r.

Hey guys,

Just an update on the Ion...

I just got back from the first day of the SGIA show in Orlando and spent a solid 45 minutes speaking with the Gerber reps about the Ion. My biggest concern with it is reliability. In fact, the machine was down all day today (some kind of problem with the user interface). Needless to say, it wasn't comforting to see the machine down and none of their 10 techs they had on site could get it up and running. Currently, they have only built 7 machines so it is still very early on in the testing. They hope to begin getting it out in the field for beta users by December and shipping to customers late February of 2008.

That being said, the machine looks very robust and quality of samples was impressive. The low cure feature also was very interesting given the extended life benefits it provides to the lamps. An innovative machine to say the least, but definitely needs some time to work the kinks out....

 

[Simon Belmont]

I'm also located in orlando FLSignMan, and I operate a 9840. Great printer, dont waste your time with the Gerber or the ColorSpan 5400 series, I can generate a long list of reasons why. Talk to Robert at Grimco for pricing on that machine.

 

[ksc]

help

Do not !purchase a hp / colors pan flatbed uv printer i have had mine for about 11 months with only 60 hrs on it The printer has had over 60 in shop man hours on it (warranty repair time) and is not fixed yet....the printer was purchased 1/07 i am having my lawyer return it for me....... call me 360-479-9200
some one else having the same problems>>>>

 

[ksc]

uvx continued

Kitsap SignCo has been dealing with colorspan for a 11 + months now, my 98 uvx has been basically been all most non functional. Media feed grit rollers have been replaced 3 times bearings 4 times they even broke some of the new grit roller bearing and super glued them back together o ya color spans own tech. did not know how to install them it took over 5 days plus a late evening shift
to reinstall the 3rd grit roller ...my lcd screen blinks / freezes up thay replaced the lcd screen and 2 control boxs ( screen is not fixed yet. ))
vacuum pump was replaced twice,,, 4 media drive motors replaced, Almost all the parts have been replaced 2-4 times everything except the print head... Printer has ink drop out problems, media feed on most slippery substrates dibond etc .... Three weeks before Thanksgiving through christmas o yaa new years
colorspan has over 80 tech man hours trying to fix the printer (a grand total of 160 hours of repair and testing time lots of ink and media lost)
over a eleven month period So buyer beware
Dennis kitsapsignco@bigstring.com

 

[cartoad]

Hey KSC, did you get a replacement yet? Trying to decide what we want to purchase.
Hal in Kennewick

 

[ChiknNutz]

He'd probably sell ya his for a song...and a grenade!

 

[ksc]

as of 3/08 no.............ksc

Hey KSC, did you get a replacement yet? Trying to decide what we want to purchase.
Hal in Kennewick

 

[Fuzzbuster]

Better to look into jeti or agfa anapurna $ .10 or > sq ink costs
just my 2 cents for any kinda production

The problem with LESS expensive systems is the media handling system

Do some more reasearch and talk with owners of the printer your looking at

Good luck

 

[ksc]

ksc

Finally my lawyer got a response today from hp colorspan they want to give me a new printer in place of the existing 98uvx.....does any one know if hp makes a 8' (non colorspan) hybrid type uv flat bed printer that functions correctly.....????? ideas any one.....???????

 

[ksc]

Its a new Gerber ion baby...........Boy !!!!!! The ultra sound says it's due the end of Aug. LOL

 

[ksc]

Ksc

ya!!!!! A New Baby ion it will be delivered sept.the 26th

 

[Typestries]

ya!!!!! A New Baby ion it will be delivered sept.the 26th

of what year???? lol!!!!!

 

[SignManiac]

I hope the ION will be dependable. Considering how long Gerber has delayed shipping production units, I would hopefully assume they have done a good job of debugging it for release. I am not at all happy with our HP/Colorspan 5465 printer. The one we are running now is a brand new replacement to the first one and it too is not reliable. They print okay when they're working but they are not at all reliable.

I'm going to look into making them take it back and hopefully find a replacement that I can depend on. Keep us posted on the new ION.

 

[klmiller611]

KSC, if you will share, when did you place your order for the Ion? We ordered one on April 18, and with Gerber's lack of communication, I got an initial ship date of later August. Only through bugging our salesperson, did I get an updated ship date of later September, now, as of Friday, it is now pushed back to October 17. Of course, we assume, and we all know what to assume means, that it is to be in 2008.

 

[ksc]

yes the new ion is du next week 9/18/08 lol

 

[cartoad]

Great, let us know how it perfoms!

 

[Browner]

yes the new ion is du next week 9/18/08 lol

Has it come in yet?