Looking for a new printer

[glotex]

Hi everyone thanks for reading. My company is currently running a Mimaki jv3-133 and we're looking to upgrade. We've looked at Mutoh's and Roland's, and we were wondering if anyone has any experience/suggestions with the two they could offer that way may not be considering outside of technical specifications which are readily available online. We're interested in printing white because we feel like we can expand our current business with offers like static cling and transparent backgrounds, but the maintenance requirements feel like if you're only kinda going to use it, it isn't worth it. Also, is it better to get a printer/cutter separately or combined like in a Roland? I'm aware if the cutter goes out the whole printer goes out, but how often does that really happen, if at all?

Again, thanks for reading, any input is appreciated.

Thank you!

- Ian

 

[Solventinkjet]

If you are happy with the Mimaki I would look at the new JV150 or JV300 versions. They are running a special right now that includes a free cutter that matches the size of the printer you buy. The new versions are faster and the print quality is very crisp due to some drop placement improvements.

If you have the space, separate printer and cutter is the best way to go. If you need to save room, the CJV150 or CJV300 are some of the best printer/cutters I have worked on so far.

Although white ink usually is a maintenance nightmare, the new Mimakis have a circulation system that works well and keeps sediment from building up and clogging the head. The white is now part of the SS21 ink set as well which has better scratch resistance.

I have set up about 10 of these units so far and my customers are calling and telling me how much they love them compared to their older machines including the JV33. They haven't been out long enough for a full reliability assessment yet but in 2 years I have had no warranty calls. They replaced a lot of the cheap plastic parts on the older versions with metal as well. Overall Mimaki seems to be heading in the right direction as far as machine quality goes and I would stay with them if I were in your shoes.

 

[Behrmon]

Being a shop that uses Roland Print/Cut machines I would strongly suggest 2 independent devices. The "all-in-ones" create a big bottle neck for us, waiting to cut while busy printing away, they are also in my opinion just not great cutters. As for the White, I can only speak to the Rolands but I am personally unimpressed and if we had it do do over I would not go with the White option again, for us the opacity is just not there at all, maybe it is for others?

 

[ams]

Roland is a leader in the printing/plotter world.

Non-White Ink:
[h=1]SOLJET® XF-640[/h]
White Ink:
[h=1]SOLJET Pro 4 XR-640[/h]

 

[Robert Gruner]

If you want to print white ink, buy UV printer; if NO white, best choices are:

1 - HP Latex 110, 310, 330, or 360 with stand alone Graphtec or Summa cutter

2 - Mimaki CJV300 or CJV150, 54" or 64" Print & Cut

3 - Roland Print & Cut

Good Printing

 

[glotex]

Thanks for all the responses. We've been leaning toward the HP 360, went and saw a demo of it and it looked really nice. Does anyone have much experience with the pros and cons of latex vs solvent? We were also looking at a Mimaki if we stick with solvent, and we're hoping someone has some practical experience with the two they can share with us. Each vendor is, understandably, making a pretty good case for their respective products.

 

[myront]

Thanks for all the responses. We've been leaning toward the HP 360, went and saw a demo of it and it looked really nice. Does anyone have much experience with the pros and cons of latex vs solvent? We were also looking at a Mimaki if we stick with solvent, and we're hoping someone has some practical experience with the two they can share with us. Each vendor is, understandably, making a pretty good case for their respective products.

We were using a Mimaki JV133 before and now have the HP360. Loved the Mimaki!

1. HP will never be able to match colors from mimaki. We started a fleet of vehicle wraps with the mimaki and now trying to print the same on the HP has been a pain.
2. Loading the HP is extremely cumbersome. Head strikes all the time.
3. Can't get it to print exactly in the middle of the roll media
4. The take up reel is bass ackwards imo. And another pia.
5. Reds are never going to be right.
6. The only way to even get close to the Mimaki prints are to use over 16 pass profiles all the time.
7. Somehow we got lucky with the mimaki and simply used the same profile for every media with no problems at all. Colors were beautiful. Easy to load and unload, easy to use the take up.

I personally do not recommend HP. To each his own though.