Do we need FlexiSign Pro for handling Printing and Cutting?

[briankb]

I've been getting quotes on equipment. One was from SW and it included the FlexiSign Pro software for about $4300. We used Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator to create designs. With our current graphtec 24" we can also use the plugin for illustrator and print to it directly.

Do we really need FlexiSign Pro or a RIP to send jobs to the 48" ValueJet Printer and 54" Graphtec cutter?

 

[bob]

I've been getting quotes on equipment. One was from SW and it included the FlexiSign Pro software for about $4300. We used Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator to create designs. With our current graphtec 24" we can also use the plugin for illustrator and print to it directly.

Do we really need FlexiSign Pro or a RIP to send jobs to the 48" ValueJet Printer and 54" Graphtec cutter?

Yes for the printer, not so much for the plotter. Notwithstanding that there might weoll be some obscure el cheapo technique to bypass an actual real live RIP.

 

[MVIP]

Yes, but I wouldn't use flexi!

We use Wasatch and it integrates with photoshop great.

-Matt

 

[cptcorn]

ditch Flexi... pickup Wastach or Onyx...

 

[luggnut]

a lot of rips have the contour cutting feature. i have only used flexi for that so i don't know exactly how it is done with the others. but you will need a RIP to drive your printer so if they give a good package deal with flexi included.... i have used wasatch rip when i work at a shop with a roland but the roland was a print and cut machine so just save a job with a cut line specified and there it was in the rip. with flexi it sends a file to the printer and a job file to the plotter.. so i have the prt. file and plt. file for each device

 

[Conor Knoxx]

I use Flexi on a very similar setup. (VJ1204 + Summa cutter)

However, I don't use "PRO".

needing a RIP - I bought their "Flexi Print and Cut" package, which was a lot less money than PRO.

This version doesn't have any project estimating features (which I wouldn't use anyway)
After 2 years, the only things I can think of that are "missing" from this version (it gets easy to tell, because their help manual is always for the Pro version, so when it shows how to things that are "missing" - you know that feature is only for Pro.. ) - are:
1) auto serialization ( sequenced numbers ) within the "step and repeat" function and
2) in the text tool, I cannot "insert symbol"

I also bought it from the "chinese cutter" people (Desay) - though their cutters may suck, their pricing on software was WAY lower than any of my regular sign/equipment suppliers.

 

[zmatalucci]

avoid flexi at all costs!

 

[Flame]

Flexi handles production pretty well, but it's no where NEAR worth $4300. Try Wasatch or CoCut Pro.

 

[LittleSnakey]

Illistrator and Flexi don't realy play to well together.
If you are using Illistrator to design, you probably don't want to try using Flexi as your Rip. Doesn't the printer come with a rip software you can use with Illistrator?
We have a Roland and it came with versaworks which you can install as a printer and print directly to it from Illistrator.

 

[briankb]

Thanks for the advice and feedback! My Summa rep suggested I get Onyx for a RIP. Which seems to go along with other advice.

This follow up question may need it's own thread. Should I get a Roland VersaArt or a Mutoh ValueJet? I know the VP-540 include a rip so I'm guessing their printer only does as well.

 

[gabagoo]

I have Signlab and Omega so the idea of having to buy a full design print and cut software was not worth it for me so my printer came with Flexi Photoprint which for about $1200.00 has design features (not a full flexi package) and rip software which has the ability to contour cut. I have grown to understand it enough to do what I need and set most files up in Signlab first. Although the software has cutting ability, where they get you is that it has to be printed before it can be cut, you can't use the software to simply cut graphics, but for me that was not necessary as we have all the other software already. If I had to do it again I waould have spent the extra to move to onyx. Maybe one day. good luck

 

[Sign-Man Signs]

I guess I'm the only person in the world that got a good copy of Flexi Sign Pro. Never a problem and have been using it from 6.0 version. I use it for both rip and cut on 4 separate machines. I do have a few issues with Flexi and Vista but never with Flexi and XP. I think it just comes down to what you are used to and have learned over the years.
Frankly, I think they all are about the same package with pros and cons for all.
Just my 2 cents.

 

[LittleSnakey]

Don't get me wrong I love Flexi and the only problem I have is on files larger than 2gb. I just hate trying to work on Illistrator files in it espcially ones with fades and transparencies.

I guess I'm the only person in the world that got a good copy of Flexi Sign Pro. Never a problem and have been using it from 6.0 version. I use it for both rip and cut on 4 separate machines. I do have a few issues with Flexi and Vista but never with Flexi and XP. I think it just comes down to what you are used to and have learned over the years.
Frankly, I think they all are about the same package with pros and cons for all.
Just my 2 cents.