Efficiency and equipment upgrades

[Goatshaver]

My business has steadily increased over the last year and I'm finding it a little harder to keep up at times when I've got a full schedule. I do a lot of die cut stickers (full cuts through the backer) on my summa (two-pass process) I also do a lot of smaller kiss cut sheets of stickers and short run labels.
I'm trying to find ways to be more efficient and I've been looking possible equipment upgrades to help. I was looking at a new lamination machine that can do roll to roll, but I can't cut roll to roll so it seems not the best option, or going to a roll to roll cutter might be helpful on some jobs where I don't laminate.

I'm doing labels for a customer which has prompted me to look into a label machine with finishing which will help ease some of the workload by shifting the work over. If anyone can point me to a good resource like this forum but for label equipment I'd be thankful.

 

[CanuckSigns]

Check out the commercial printing sub-reddit.

Also, what model of summa do you run? We have a f-1612 and it does the die cut and through cut with ease, and the process is almost completly automated.

 

[Goatshaver]

Check out the commercial printing sub-reddit.

Also, what model of summa do you run? We have a f-1612 and it does the die cut and through cut with ease, and the process is almost completly automated.

I've just got a D140, the basics as it was my first cutter. I can get it to do full cuts it's just not ideal. If I could afford a flatbed I certainly would be looking at them.

 

[CanuckSigns]

I've just got a D140, the basics as it was my first cutter. I can get it to do full cuts it's just not ideal. If I could afford a flatbed I certainly would be looking at them.

Ok, before we got the flatbed cutter, we did perf cutting on our graphic, it works, just not ideal for large quantities.

I've toyed around with getting a small digital label machine, but I don't know enough about that industry to know what I need lol.

 

[Goatshaver]

Ok, before we got the flatbed cutter, we did perf cutting on our graphic, it works, just not ideal for large quantities.

I've toyed around with getting a small digital label machine, but I don't know enough about that industry to know what I need lol.

I'm kinda in the middle area right now. Cut stickers are becoming a bigger things, I regularly doing runs of 1k-3k of die cut stickers and it's just taking up a bit too much time.

Ive debated getting a roll to roll laminator but that won't work for cut stickers and it will only help me on the laminating side. I still wouldn't be able to cut roll to roll, which kind of defeats the purpose of going roll to roll.
Now if I could cut sheets after they were done cutting on my Summa D that would enable me to kind of utilize roll to roll, but as it stands it's just a pain cause material just gets bunched up in the basket and defeats the purpose of automation using barcodes cause I'd only be able to cut one sheet at a time on the roll.

 

[CanuckSigns]

I'm kinda in the middle area right now. Cut stickers are becoming a bigger things, I regularly doing runs of 1k-3k of die cut stickers and it's just taking up a bit too much time.

Ive debated getting a roll to roll laminator but that won't work for cut stickers and it will only help me on the laminating side. I still wouldn't be able to cut roll to roll, which kind of defeats the purpose of going roll to roll.
Now if I could cut sheets after they were done cutting on my Summa D that would enable me to kind of utilize roll to roll, but as it stands it's just a pain cause material just gets bunched up in the basket and defeats the purpose of automation using barcodes cause I'd only be able to cut one sheet at a time on the roll.

Could you process your decals in "sheets" like 11x17 sheets with as many die cut decals on them as you can fit, then perf cut the sheets out on your plotter? We do this for some clients, saves a.bunch of time cutting and packing decals individually, and still has a nice organized final product.

 

[Goatshaver]

Could you process your decals in "sheets" like 11x17 sheets with as many die cut decals on them as you can fit, then perf cut the sheets out on your plotter? We do this for some clients, saves a.bunch of time cutting and packing decals individually, and still has a nice organized final product.

Most people like the individually cut out pieces rather than on sheets. I ask what their end use is and if they aren't for handouts or to sell then I will do anything I can on sheets with kiss cuts.
I had thought about looking for a small flatbed, I see graphtec makes some, but I feel like that if I'm going that route might as well go for something I can run the full width of the vinyl.

 

[iPrintStuff]

What is your current full process?

Why can’t you laminate roll to roll? I ask as before we got a takeup on our laminator we had some pretty weird and wonderful ways of lamming a full roll. At one point we had the laminator and the mimaki next to each other and used the mimaki’s takeup on the laminator.

used to also be able to sit a roll weirdly between the lam and backing paper rolls on our old laminator and it would spin the roll just enough to work as a takeup. Would only work for about half a roll though as the weight got too heavy.

All that said, we did get a new laminator with a takeup and it didn’t actually break the bank. We had a run of 6k COVID signs that were about 24”x36” so that bought us a new laminator (could’ve bought us 15!) lol. But the laminator does 10m a minute (full roll in 5 mins) and only cost about 6k.

the automated/barcode system is definitely the way to go and as much as I have a summa, the graphtec definitely seems better for perf cutting.

on our summa we only do kiss cut and cut to small sheets. For singles we charge a LOT more.

Though now we have the flexa XY cutter for anything that’s not contour cut. That thing is my favourite purchase. Love it!

 

[Goatshaver]

What is your current full process?

Why can’t you laminate roll to roll? I ask as before we got a takeup on our laminator we had some pretty weird and wonderful ways of lamming a full roll. At one point we had the laminator and the mimaki next to each other and used the mimaki’s takeup on the laminator.

used to also be able to sit a roll weirdly between the lam and backing paper rolls on our old laminator and it would spin the roll just enough to work as a takeup. Would only work for about half a roll though as the weight got too heavy.

All that said, we did get a new laminator with a takeup and it didn’t actually break the bank. We had a run of 6k COVID signs that were about 24”x36” so that bought us a new laminator (could’ve bought us 15!) lol. But the laminator does 10m a minute (full roll in 5 mins) and only cost about 6k.

the automated/barcode system is definitely the way to go and as much as I have a summa, the graphtec definitely seems better for perf cutting.

on our summa we only do kiss cut and cut to small sheets. For singles we charge a LOT more.

Though now we have the flexa XY cutter for anything that’s not contour cut. That thing is my favourite purchase. Love it!

Right now I'll setup my jobs on sheets as kiss cuts or die cuts. I don't mix die cuts with kiss cut sheets. Typically I'll run a 54" x 24-32" sheet off my epson with the kiss cut or die cut job on it and leave them to off gas for the day then laminate each sheet and cut each sheet that came off my epson.
My problem is not laminating roll to roll, it's the step after lamination, which I don't have a roll-to-roll cutter. I can't afford to upgrade both machines at once, the cutter is just over a year old right now. Although I may not have a choice but to upgrade both laminator and cutter at the same time.

I just can't see any easier way to handle things without these upgrades.

 

[iPrintStuff]

If you can lam to a roll, why not just get a new cutter and throw rolls on it? Maybe use one for kiss and the new one for die cut?

 

[Goatshaver]

If you can lam to a roll, why not just get a new cutter and throw rolls on it? Maybe use one for kiss and the new one for die cut?

I can't laminate to a roll currently. I was thinking about upgrading my laminator since that is my oldest piece, but can't see the benefit if I don't upgrade my cutter. Also right now I've got space limitations so having two cutters isn't an option.

 

[MichaelGass]

Do you laminate everything?

 

[Goatshaver]

Do you laminate everything?

There are some jobs I don't All depends on the end use, but I'd say 90% of jobs get laminated.

 

[MichaelGass]

Have you looked at UV roll to roll? You can print-immediately laminate then load back in and run your kiss and through cut all at the same time. Its a big investment but will make you more efficient and reduce your footprint.

 

[Goatshaver]

So I think my best option would be to upgrade my laminator to a roll to roll and also upgrade my cutter to allow roll-to-roll or at least auto sheet cut-off.

I'm still torn between cutters as I think a Graphtec FC9000 would be better suited for my needs as I do a lot of die cut stickers (full cuts through the backer), but I also do a lot of sheet items with kiss cuts as well. I like my summa but the process to have full die cut stickers isn't ideal and the machine really isn't made for it in my eyes, compared to the Graphtec with the cut channel.

Now I'm not sure what other laminators are recommended out there but right now I'm running an old Royal Sovereign 1400C. I was looking at a GFP 355TH for a roll-to-roll lamination machine.

Any recommendations on either machines would be very welcome!

 

[Saturn]

Bought one of these for my baby Mutoh that didn't come with one and it was life changing, bought another for the 30" inch Royal Sovereign that didn't come with one and it was life changing too! Slowly starting to do all my jobs with the Summa barcode so I can do exactly what you're describing and cut off between jobs... Triply life-changing!

 

[jfiscus]

Get a GFP563th. One of the best upgrades we've made here at our shop from our old Seal and GBC laminators (we have a couple of them now). Easy, dependable lamination.
We just recently purchased a Graphtec FC8000, but the jury is still out on how happy we are with it for cutting/accuracy. It does not play well with our Onyx RIP workflow, and Graphtec says to "just use their software instead and print from Illustrator" and that isn't an option.