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New banner printer suggestions...

wabam

wabam

New Member
Have owned a Roland xc-540 print and cut for several years now and we love it! We are in the market for a new printer, mainly to print banners by the hundreds. We have been happy with having a local Roland tech for repairs & support only a mile or two away and we've been spoiled by the 6 color print quality as well. I have been looking at the Roland Soljet XF-640 because of it's speed but, I'm nervous about the 4 color part. I've also checked out the HP latex 280 which I like because of the print quality and 104" print area but, the price is a little high. I wouldn't mind checking out a flatbed as well, as long as it prints roll media. Any suggestions or must sees before I make up my mind? Thanks in advance!:thumb:
 
M

MR. Graphics

New Member
I would outsource the banners, frees up the printer to do what you need. They have a quick turn around time now. No more waiting 2 weeks.
 
particleman

particleman

New Member
wabam said:
Have owned a Roland xc-540 print and cut for several years now and we love it! We are in the market for a new printer, mainly to print banners by the hundreds. We have been happy with having a local Roland tech for repairs & support only a mile or two away and we've been spoiled by the 6 color print quality as well. I have been looking at the Roland Soljet XF-640 because of it's speed but, I'm nervous about the 4 color part. I've also checked out the HP latex 280 which I like because of the print quality and 104" print area but, the price is a little high. I wouldn't mind checking out a flatbed as well, as long as it prints roll media. Any suggestions or must sees before I make up my mind? Thanks in advance!:thumb:
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Get print samples on the xf-640 and see if it will work. If you are happy with Roland and your local tech then you'll likely be better off to keep your business with them.
 
2B

2B

Active Member
particleman said:
Get print samples on the xf-640 and see if it will work. If you are happy with Roland and your local tech then you'll likely be better off to keep your business with them.
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+1
besides you are looking for a "banner" printer, usually banners are not going to to be the photograde imagery
 
rjssigns

rjssigns

Active Member
Any banner orders over 2 or 3 pieces get subbed out. Quality has always been excellent and my rep has gone to the mat more than once to make me look good. I also come out ahead. My delivered cost is less than my input costs. Then you have to factor in what you time is worth. Time that could be better spent getting the next order of 300 banners. Plus I don't beat my printer to death. Our in house printer is used for short run, fast turn jobs. That's it.
You will never compete on a cost basis with a to the trade shop. My banners are done by a shop that has their material delivered by rail twice a week. Ink comes twice a week also, in semis.:omg:
 
Letterbox Mike

Letterbox Mike

New Member
What is your budget?

You said "banners by the hundreds", so to me that makes me think you should be looking at a $50-100K unit. If you're printing a hundred banners at a pop, an HP L280 or a Roland XF is not going to cut it IMO. A Mimaki JV5, Roland AJ, or an entry-lever UV hybrid is more in line with those production demands, at a minimum. EFIn has a new entry-level 3 meter RTR machine (R3225) in the mid $100k range that would be a production beast for the money.

I can't tell if this is volume level is a new venture for you or not, but if it is, don't neglect the fact that printing that many banners is only the start (and frankly it's the easy part). You still have to trim and finish them. Don't leave that equipment/labor cost out of your equation.
 
TXFB.INS

TXFB.INS

New Member
insignia said:
What is your budget?

You said "banners by the hundreds", so to me that makes me think you should be looking at a $50-100K unit. If you're printing a hundred banners at a pop, an HP L280 or a Roland XF is not going to cut it IMO. A Mimaki JV5, Roland AJ, or an entry-lever UV hybrid is more in line with those production demands, at a minimum. EFIn has a new entry-level 3 meter RTR machine (R3225) in the mid $100k range that would be a production beast for the money.

I can't tell if this is volume level is a new venture for you or not, but if it is, don't neglect the fact that printing that many banners is only the start (and frankly it's the easy part). You still have to trim and finish them. Don't leave that equipment/labor cost out of your equation.
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exactly, doing these # of banners is very much time consuming for finishing if done by hand
 
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