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Different inks?

Ryan Scott

New Member
I'm running a Latex 370. We burn through a lot of ink and my purchasing department is getting upset at spending 375 a piece for a large box. Anyone running other brands of ink? I know HP doesn't recommend it and it can mess with your warranty, so that's something to consider as well, but seeing if anyone has had any luck with it. Thanks!
 

iljubicic

New Member
I'm running a Latex 370. We burn through a lot of ink and my purchasing department is getting upset at spending 375 a piece for a large box. Anyone running other brands of ink? I know HP doesn't recommend it and it can mess with your warranty, so that's something to consider as well, but seeing if anyone has had any luck with it. Thanks!
I am still on OEM but considering to change to magenta vision soon. Will update here as soon as it happens. It is half the price...

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Gino

Premium Subscriber
Most of the time, the machines were/are designed and built around the ink and it's properties. Changing inks can many times create problems down the road for any number of reasons.

This is a subject that comes up time after time after time and again. How is it, that some part of your equation of making signs becomes such a major factor long after all the signs were made ?? If the ink cost is 13¢ or 15¢ a square foot, how is getting it down to 9¢ or 10¢ a square gonna make that big of a difference ?? If your purchasing/boss can't see the simple math there, unless you are going through a few thousand dollars of ink a week, gonna make a difference.... even if you were going through gallons of ink in a week ?? I mean, that'll make a sign cost $342.00 instead of $339.00. Will that make a big change in how you're doing business ?? If you are indeed going through as much ink as you claim, then, you are evidently doing something right..... so why change it ?? You could lose warranties, parts could wear out much faster and profiles will need to be sorted..... all to save pennies. Seems foolish.
 

jawdavis

New Member
I've posted a few times on my experience with STS inks, I ran them in a 360 for a few months without issues. Instead of going into it all again, I suggest you contact Matt over there, he will likely let you try some cartridges at no charge. Also, I will agree that if you're doing low/moderate volume and doing small signage jobs mainly, then a few dollars to cover OEM ink probably makes sense. When you're spending over $60k a year just on two HP 360's, cutting that bill in HALF is serious dough....but only if you trust the ink and the process. Only way to know is to test it yourself. I never ran 3rd party inks in my solvent machines for fear of losing a head -- with the latex, a little over $100 bucks a printhead was worth the risk to see if we could save that money.
 
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