About 6 years..... JV150 is much newer and still a current model.
The JV33 is a workhorse of a machine and they are still excellent choices if you find one in great perfect working order. We ran two of them for years. We now have two new JV150 machines...
So far the JV150 seems to have about the same bullet proof workhorse reliability we have gotten used to with Mimaki's over the past 12 years we have used them.
Main differences that I have noticed...
All new full color control panel.
Pinch rollers can be individually disabled and also easily replaced.
Manual head cleaning area on left end of the machine is larger and more accessible.
Newer DX7 print head versus the DX5. Technically same number of nozzles and the actual nozzle plate looks the same but the DX7 is capable of a slightly smaller droplet size and can run slightly faster. Realistically, about the same print quality overall though for general production.
Machine is about a foot longer too.
Takeup is similar but also slightly changed from the old design. Seems to work about the same.
Head carriage and some other spots in the machine are identical to the JV300 so the head carriage is technically much wider than it needs to be on the 150 models. There are also places for other connections internally for the dual head 300 models. None of this affects anything.
Nozzle dropout detection and automatic remapping feature.
Carriage obstruction detection feature. Big plus - the head carriage has a small flappy bit on each end that will instantly stop the head carriage if there is something obstructing its path like a jammed up bit of material. This just might save you a VERY expensive print head one day.
Uses a different pump and dampers than the older models.
User upgrade-able firmware.
Purty lights on the cartridge slots that get all rainbow colored during certain functions. Purty blue smiley face looking control panel.
Built in ethernet monitoring port. However, a boneheaded STUPID engineering choice by Mimaki limits that ethernet port to monitoring ONLY. So it will send you an email if its low on ink, whoo hoo... (sarcasm if you did not pick that up). You CANNOT send jobs to the printer over the ethernet port, that is only done via the USB port.
If you care about the included Rasterlink RIP then the 150 will obviously include a MUCH newer version. A used JV33 may or may not have that with it at all.
Both use the exact same SS21 ink set. Both use the same wipers. Both use the same capping top. Thats about it on that front..
Negatives - since it is much newer and many of the parts are also new, that means many of the parts are far more expensive. Printhead on either is painfully expensive but the newer JV150 head will run you close to a grand more than a JV33 head. Dampers are a lot more expensive. Slightly longer so space might be an issue if replacing a JV33 with a JV150.
