Fastest printer for wrap vinyls with sellable quality

[Jack Knight1979]

What is the fastest printer for running wrap vinyl roll-to-roll for less than $250k.

I feel like I may need two of the new roland xr machines as they run awesome quality at something like 200 sqft an hour, but I know that other machines are capable of printing at 2500 sqft an hour, but that's UV on billboard quality scrim. UV printers don't work for wrap products, so what's the best option?

I've looked into solvent AGFA's, but the maintenance/repair on those machines have me freaked out a bit. It seems like it's five grand every time they don't want to turn on.

Thanks for your time guys.

 

[HulkSmash]

What is the fastest printer for running wrap vinyl roll-to-roll for less than $250k.

I feel like I may need two of the new roland xr machines as they run awesome quality at something like 200 sqft an hour, but I know that other machines are capable of printing at 2500 sqft an hour, but that's UV on billboard quality scrim. UV printers don't work for wrap products, so what's the best option?

I've looked into solvent AGFA's, but the maintenance/repair on those machines have me freaked out a bit. It seems like it's five grand every time they don't want to turn on.

Thanks for your time guys.

HP SCITEX LX 800

2 54" rolls printing at once, 40 rolls a day easy. 120" printing width.
~220k

mike @ merritt has a nice video of one
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QujSrLQ3hOI

 

[Jack Knight1979]

Thank you!

 

[ucmj22]

Roland BN-20...

 

[Jack Knight1979]

very funny. lol

 

[SightLine]

Or for solvent based the Mimaki JV5-320 can run up to 450SF per hour.

 

[CSOCSO]

You can order on of the new roland machines with 8 cartridges... 2black,2cyan,2magenta,2yellow.
Faster than printers with only 4 cartridges

 

[SightLine]

Thats how Mimaki's have been setup for 10 years or so. You can configure the machine as CMYKLcLm or dual CMYK (CCMMYYKK) which doubles their speed....

You can order on of the new roland machines with 8 cartridges... 2black,2cyan,2magenta,2yellow.
Faster than printers with only 4 cartridges

 

[Kentucky Wraps]

I hear latex printers cut out the curing time. That's 24 hours or so of "faster" if you ask me.

 

[Jack Knight1979]

I have two six color machines. I'll have to look into their speeds at dual CMYK.

I have become quite smitten with the LX850. The three phase power requirement is a drag out here in rural Maine. I'm trying to find a building that is already equipped with it. I've been told that putting three phase in a building is about 20-25k.

Does that price sound right for you guys in other states?

 

[Typestries]

What about redundancy? Add a larger number of lower cost machines? If you are running on tight deadlines, and you go down hard, service up your way might be an issue for a big machine.

 

[Typestries]

Oh, and adding 3 phase just find a building with it. We had a perfect location in our sights, local elec utility wanted $90k to get 3 phase to us. Then the install cost on top of that. That's partly why 14k sq ft of goodness was so attractively priced. Of course the cost depends on your distance from the source of the 3 phase. Don't even consider a phase converter with these machines.

 

[Jack Knight1979]

Thanks for the heads up. I thought about a converter for a second, but realized the drawbacks instantly.

90k. That's a pi$$er.

 

[Letterbox Mike]

Personally I second Rick's suggestion for multiple smaller machines. Yes, 1 big industrial printer is faster, but for $250k you can put in 10+ smaller RTR printers, which means reduced downtime and the flexibility to run multiple jobs or medias at once. Redundancy is efficiency, there's a lot to be said for it.

 

[CS-SignSupply-TT]

Holy cow Batman! A Flora 4 x 8 flatbed with roll to roll is about $125k. ADD two Roland XR-640s $30k each and you are at LESS THAN $200k

 

[Jack Knight1979]

I won't be able to run a flatbed for this application. I wish that I could because I'd like to add it to the stable, but I need a roll to roll machine.

I love Rolands, but the ink cost for the amount of printing doesn't make sense. (XR's)

The Rolands I currently have will stay. 745 & 645, but I'll need this large LX moster. The cost of consumables for it are about half the cost of Roland OEM inks, so it doesn't make sense to run a large number of Rolands.

Initially the plan was to run three Rolands -- my current machines plus the XR, but image quality between the machines will be way different and it's still not fast enough.

In two weeks running the LX in ten hour shifts, I could print what my Rolands output in a year continually running. Additionally the LX runs at 1200 dpi all the time. You only gain density by adding passes. Win

Now I need to find a spot with 3 Phase power.

 

[HulkSmash]

Holy cow Batman! A Flora 4 x 8 flatbed with roll to roll is about $125k. ADD two Roland XR-640s $30k each and you are at LESS THAN $200k

Last time i checked Floras don't print wraps.

He asked for printing wraps. 1 fast printer. Nothing beats the LX.

 

[Jack Knight1979]