Question How long vinyl plotters last...

[Bob Loblaw]

Hi Everyone,

Trying to understand the real-world life of upgrading to a professional plotter. Looking at something from USCutter, Graphtec, Roland, Summa, etc.

Qs:
On an average WEEK, how many cutting hours per DAY are you putting on your machine?
How many years have you had the machine so far?
Which make and model do you have?

 

[OPENSignsInc.]

We currently run a mimaki cg-fxii, that we got in 2015 with our printer, but before that we ran graphtec fc5100-100 & fc5100-75 (we still use the 75 from time to time, but the 100 [now in storage] got damaged by UPS when we sent it to back to Graphtec to be refurbished in 2012). We got those back in 2001.

Edit:
Forgot we also use a gerber HS 15plus (got a GS 15plus in storage too) with our Edge 2.

 

[LarryB]

We have a Summa plotter bought new 10 years ago and have never had any major issues. When anything comes up a quick call to tech support and they helpful. I'm sure it costs more than other brands but it is well worth it.

 

[James Burke]

We have 4 total: 20 to 25+ year-old Gerbers here...absolute workhorses, they are.


JB

 

[d fleming]

graphtec fc 7000-100, purchased in 05, runs daily anywhere from none to all day depending on shop load. have replaced pinch rollers. running great today

 

[bannertime]

Not to be the typical S101 guy here, but I think the more realistic question is what type of features you need as well as your workflow. Tangential vs Drag and OPOS vs ARMS. Automated cutting? Tech support? At one point the Graphtec had more cutting force and was needed to cut thicker materials like sandblast and xpel. Not sure about newer machines. All things I'd consider to be far more important than which machine might last a few years longer on average. Maybe this post is just a smaller part of your research, I get that.

The truth is that all the name brand plotters can last for many years and make tons of money over it's life. Our old Vinyl Express (Graphtec rebranded) was 16 years old and only had pinch rollers and power switch replaced. It's EoS was cutting rolls and rolls of reflective. Something like 20 rolls a week. Bought a new Q30 after that because we needed a 30in cutter. Now we run the Q30 and Q64 about an hour a day each. Not like it used to be and I don't expect them to last 15 years. However, they've already paid for themselves many times over in the past 3-4 years.

 

[Gino]

Like James B, our Gerber 750 HS plus is from 1994 and is still going strong. Our 15" HS plus would still be running, but the computer to that one failed and didn't bother hooking it up as we have enough other plotters. Years ago, they both ran all week long about 40 or 50 hours a week. We had a whole crew in here doing this stuff. Today, they might run a full day a few days a week, but usually we are printing and the die-cutters don't run as much anymore.

 

[Gino]

Being around for a long time, means you see and hear a lotta things. Plotters were always machines which plotted drawings and things, such as for architects, hence the name pen plotters. As they advanced, they replaced the pens with knives and kept improving, but they were actually known as computerized die-cutting machines/cutters. Plotter was just a lazy way of referring to them, as like my old ones, they could pen plot or knife cut. You call it what you want and I'll keep calling it die cutting. That's what I grew up learning, so ya can't teach an old dog new tricks..............

 

[MikePro]

currently running the same mimaki cgfx we bought 15 years ago.... alongside the exact same make/model we bought from a bankrupcy auction of a nearby sign company a few years later.
both still run perfectly, daily use (anywhere between 30-100yds of vinyl a week) & pretty much zero maintenance aside from some new blades annually.

 

[mark-s]

Still have a Graphtec CE 40-15 inch been running for 10 years plus never a lick of trouble.
Also a 24 inch Graphtec been running for 5 years.
mark-s

 

[Oroscoe]

we have 2 Roland cutters that vary in size. We have had one for nearly 20 years and the other for more than 10 and both are used everyday.

 

[WhiskeyDreamer]

I have a Gerber Super Sprint in storage right now, but if I'm down a plotter and can pull that bad boy out and he's ready to go. If you're serious, invest in a good cutter. Don't just upgrade to something someone's selling cheap. Do your research. Compare cutters. Make sure the software you're running is compatible. Read what other people have to say about them.

 

[McDonald Signs]

Gerber En Vision 375 15" Plotter bought New in 2000...
19years old and Still going strong. Run it every workday

 

[Browner]

I've got a Gerber GS15+ that will have been in use for 20 years come November. Haven't replaced a thing on it (other than blades).
Bought a Summa in 2008? for a job that required wider media, and it paid for itself on that first job - ran 50 yard rolls of reflective and 3M 180 without issue. Considered others, but the Summa team really outshone everyone else. Again, haven't had to replace anything other than the blades, and the 'couppy' thing that came with it.

 

[aerial]

Summa. Beautiful machine. Always tracks straight.

 

[ddarlak]

i bought a used Roland CX 500 probably 20 years ago, still going strong

 

[Chuck B]

I have an Gerber Envision 375 that's a beast, and also have an Ioline 24" friction feed. Gerber is expensive, but you get reliability. Surprisingly though, albeit Ioline plotters are inexpensive, I have found mine to be a true work horse---first plotter I ever bought (probably in 1995...paid under a grand for it new) and have only bought blades to keep it going. Big bang for the buck I'd say, and when mine dies, I'll probably replace it with another Ioline if they are still of similar quality. Easy to set up, easy to use. Can't say that about Graphtec---I've fought everyone I've ever used, and mostly see them pushed to the corner (unplugged) in the shops of others.

 

[Stacey K]

graphtec fc 7000-100, purchased in 05, runs daily anywhere from none to all day depending on shop load. have replaced pinch rollers. running great today

Ditto!!! I have the 100, bought it in 2006. Runs great! Every now and then I have to restart as the screen goes blank and doesn't like cutting from rolls. I might cry the day she stops working Great machine!!!!

 

[rjssigns]

Our Summa D610 ran enough the rubber on the pinch wheels got thin, split and fell off. Literally miles and miles went through it. 50 yard rolls of material day after day was normal. It's gotta be 15+ years old.

It would still be in use, but I bought a 54" Summa which is now two years young. Zero issues and very accurate.

 

[undertaker]

We have a Summa D60 that is 19 years old, it runs most days and has only ever cut
sandblast tape, mainly anchor rubber and that is tough stuff.
I bough a new Summa last year as I felt the old one might let me down but it has
not happened yet,
We are cutting Pvc sandblast tape on the new machine, its nicer material to work with but equally hard to cut.
I have never had bother with a Summa plotter but then I know similar gerber and roland machines that are as trouble free as mine.
Headstone workshops tend to be dusty tough sites for equipment.