Help Me Decide Please

[rick s]

Hello,
We are upgrading our art department, getting rid of the Macs,
going all PC. We also need to purchase a new plotter. I have narrowed
the choice down to the Summa D120SE (3,995) vs Graphtec FC7000-75
(2,745). We do not do much large scale graphics, or big runs where
super accurate tracking would be a deciding factor. I do feel like I want
my art people to have a nice and fast machine. SO - should I spring
for the Summa - or save 1,200. and go with the Graphtec? Don't be shy,
let me know - I need to order this sucker asap!!

Thanks in advance for your input !!!!!!!!!

Rick
head slave driver

 

[ChiknNutz]

Although I have a Summa D60 and have no complaints whatsover, if I were in the market for another plotter, I'd look very hard at the Graphtec FC7000-series plotters. They seem to be very good, and considerably less $$$ than a comparable Summa.

 

[2NinerNiner2]

Rick (head slave driver ...

... Lyle (chief cook & bottle washer here .... can't offer an opinion on those two plotters as my experience has been with Roland, but I believe you are "downgrading" your art department by going to PCs! Not to pirate this thread or get that old story riled up here again, but I just had to comment on that comment ... all the best in your plotter decision though

 

[bigbly]

Just bought a Summa D120SE and am very happy with it. If you get into cutting printed shapes it works great too. Had Graphtec and Roland plotters previously.

2NinerNiner2, Macs ARE Pcs now lol, I've had both types of computer too, and there's nothing you can't do on a PC these days..

 

[Just Another Sign Guy]

i've owned, Gerber, Ioline, Graphtec, Roland, and Summa and my money for Plotters now goes to Summa

 

[JWILLIS]

Ive had graphtec s for years and no problems even with accuracy...

Have the graphtec 7000 -75 and love it...

 

[rick s]

Thanks guys, keep it coming this is great!
We do architectural signs, the most important thing
for us accuracy cutting small letters in vinyl and
ruby lithe materials. And of course reliability.
Thanks to all.
Rick

 

[animenick65]

Agreeing with 2NinerNiner2 on the mac issue....especially if reliability is a key factor...

 

[Pro Image]

A very happy Graphtec owner here...............

 

[k.a.s.]

My 10yr old Graphtec runs everyday without ever having any problems. I would buy another in a heartbeat.

Kevin

 

[Sign Prophet]

I would go for Graphtec. That is what I have used and have had zero problems with theri machines.

 

[Sign Works]

I've been using a Graphtec FC-4100 for about 7 years now, I cut a ton of vinyl and have had no problems.

 

[iSign]

graphtec, 8 years, zero problems

 

[rick s]

Hello Everyone, We are now up and running with our new PC's and Graphtec
FC-7000-75. Art department is very happy. Nothing against Summa, but we opted to save some cash. We were impressed to actually have the president of Summa call us, he must have seen this thread and took the time to find my phone number and call me. Very nice of him to do that. Obviously a stand up company. As far as PC vs. Mac; Adobe Illustrator, the program which we use to design most of our jobs works identically on both types of computers. Only bad thing, is we had to re-purchase most of our fonts again. So we bought a selection of the basic fonts we use, and get new fonts on an as need basis. We also upgraded our flexisign to the latest version, and now find we can no longer copy and paste a file from illustrator directly into flexisign. This is just a minor inconvenience. Overall, with all of the new equipment, we are able to be more productive being entirely PC based and are able to get more work done in a day. It was worth it.
Best.
Rick

 

[iSign]

I use Illustrator too... almost all the work I do in my expensive copies of Flexi, Signlab & Omega starts by importing illustrator (& Photoshop) files in there.

...but I also bought Corel about 8 years ago... for one reason. FONTS!! It came with tones of fonts & only cost me $150.