Flatbed Solvent Printers

[garisimo]

Hi all -- apologies in advance for the naive question, but are there any companies making flatbed solvent printers? I have searched the web and this site and didn't come across anything other than lavaprint (?).

We're looking at UV printers, but have concerns that the UV heat would distort specific media (10 and 15 mil rigid vinyls, among others). Also, wouldn't the outdoor durability of solvent (3-5 years) be better than a UV machine (2 years)?

Thanks for your insights!

-g-

 

[FrankW]

Hi all -- apologies in advance for the naive question, but are there any companies making flatbed solvent printers?

I don't think so, because solvent ink is not suitable to print on most of rigid media. I know some tries in that direction, but nothing has really entered the market.

 

[artbot]

there are quite a few out of china. any heat sensitive media coated with a CAB lacquer primer (there are official solvent primers) will work as a tie coat for the solvent ink. i did this for years printing with a jv3 with the heat off.

 

[ChicagoGraphics]

There are a few used solvent base flatbeds on Globalgarage.net

 

[Matt-Tastic]

There are also 10 and 12 mil rolled polystyrene that print perfect well on a roll to roll solvent.

There is probably a solution to the problem you see yourself having, you just have to find out which one is best for you.

 

[Typestries]

Jeti user here. No problem printing thin substrates with a UV flatbed......even rice paper. Just turn the lights down, and slow the carriage down. Not a big deal.

 

[garisimo]

Thanks for the replies -- I'll have to get some samples printed to see what kind of distortion (if any) will happen -- a big portion of our work (currently screen-printed) is double sided, so I don't think roll printing would work due to registration issues.

In any case, now that Mardi Gras is over, I can finally some work done!

Cheers!

 

[MikeD]

not sure what your typical print dimensions are, but Direct Color Systems makes a very high quality flatbed available in solvent and uv editions

 

[digitalwoodshop]

This is another player in the LED UV field but is still in testing from what I heard. http://www.graphicsone.com/stage/media/catalog/product/PDFs/GO Cubix 308 UV Spec Sheet.pdf

Having the ability to do Roll to Roll, Flatbed, and ROTARY as in Water Bottles has MY interest...

Have also seen some stories about in the future using a Nitrogen Flood over the Printing Head Area to aid in Low Power UV LED Printing...

So this is a ever changing market...

On the Direct Color, I was in love with a DCS1324 Solvent Printer until they quietly quit making the Pigment Solvent Ink due to the Success of the DCS1024UV, a 1324 with a LED Package slapped on the side.... And a bigger case. They still make the Dye ink for the 1324.

Good Luck,

AL

 

[artbot]

ntek makes a really attractive dual dx5 flatbed.

 

[wunder]

OCE too....T220 ....used machines are still aviable "ebay a.so."

regards
wunder