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New flatbed digital- 110,000 sqft/hr

RycckG

New Member
No sir, it does not only print to paper, it can ONLY print on rigid substrates. It will print to corrugated cardboard, foam-cor and possibly corr-plast and pvc. We have not yet tested that. This printer will use similiar inks as the HP FB6700 which is capable of printing corrplast with the proper pre-coat.

The printer handles 45" print width at 500 ft /minute, or 5000 sheets p/hr.
 

Gino

Premium Subscriber
No sir, it does not only print to paper, it can ONLY print on rigid substrates. It will print to corrugated cardboard, foam-cor and possibly corr-plast and pvc. We have not yet tested that. This printer will use similiar inks as the HP FB6700 which is capable of printing corrplast with the proper pre-coat.

The printer handles 45" print width at 500 ft /minute, or 5000 sheets p/hr.



Okay, for giggles.... let's say this printer does print to rigid stock, which by the three different videos I watched.... they specifically said they don't, but let's say they do...... who needs 10's of thoudasnds Cor-X signs or gatorboard signs ?? On a continuing basis ?? This sounds like a foolish idea for the sign industry. If this thing does what you say it does, you can handle the whole country's needs in a few days, then you'll be out of work. :doh:

If you're printing newspapers, magazines and other readable material that is tossed out almost daily, I can see this machine, but I don't think you have your facts straight.

I looked up both the machines you posted and neither do what you say they are capable of doing.
 

RycckG

New Member
You may want to go back a re-read my posts, especially my first. You will see that I only refererenced the Agfa or HP as a way of understanding that this technology exists.... The printer is designed for the packaging industry which prints billions of sqft /yr. I was asking for suggestions on other industries that may be appropriate.
 

MikePro

New Member
If you're researching printers, then I would like you to make a lightweight, portable version, that can be mounted to a building, vertically, and print direct to brick as it moves up tracks.

and its gotta be cheap!
 

Gino

Premium Subscriber
I don't need to re-read your first post, but I did anyway. You actually said....paper based rigid products. But when I look at the machines you told me to.... there isn't a one doing what you said. My comeback to that was simple.... even if this machine is coming out in October..... what kind of market do you think you're going to find in the sign industry ?? There's very little use for 10's of thousands of anything on such cheap material. Even if you make it for window signs and franchise restaurants or fast food places..... and you make them by the 100's.... you'll sell yourself out of a market in no time.

The sign industry isn't based on thousands of much of anything except some niche markets. However, they're never gonna pay for that machine or even the electric to run it, let alone the guy that has to feed this stuff in, unless you buy another expensive machine and have it robotically fed.

I know you came here looking for suggestions, but I don't think anyone can make a suggestion based on nothing they can see or touch. It's kinda like going into a shoe store and asking if any of the salespeople or customers want to buy tropical fish form Jupiter. Well, maybe..... what do they look like and what kind of food do they eat ?? Are they bigger than a breadbox ??
 

RycckG

New Member
typo correction "..as the Dotrix..."

Sorry, I meant to say the Dotrix and T300 ARE one pass printers....

I accept your 'doubt' regarding the capabilities of this printer. I suggest that you look at what HP has done with the T300 or Agfa has done with the Dotrix. Imagine 2 or 3 of these aligned with each other.

Yes, this is several million dollars and it is not a bed printer. The Inca is not a one pass printer, AS the Dotrix or any of the digital web printers are. Packaging printers routinely run at 5-10,000 sheets per hour and material handling systems are standard equipment.

My question to the group, was what other product lines might I consider as an addition to packaging that would meet these specs of 300 x 600 dpi where cost is more important than image quality. I specifically wonderred if anyone has experience with political signage? Exterior use is questionable... but likely accpetable for less than 90 days with the finishing top coat that is applied.
 

Steve Werner

New Member
If it's for the packaging industry why wouldn't they just print on an Indigo, flexo press, or an oversized offset press ? The economies of scale cannot be that much better with inkjet at those square footage quantities. Cost of entry will be less but that's about it. The two fastest presses right now are the Onset or the M Press Tiger.
 

RycckG

New Member
Offset and Indigo both require flexible substrate. Although litho lamination is used, it adds additional cost and material handling. Flexo printing is SOP today, but tooling is quite expensive. Flexo for corrugated is typically .250 thick and cost about $80 sqft. per color. Setup, mis-registers and 1/8" traps are all added obsticles. The new Kodak press not only runs crazy fast but produces "image-on-substrate' at less than 10cents sqft.

M-Press currently tops out at apx 8000 sqft/hr, but the density is weak.
 

Steve Werner

New Member
Now that you've clarified that the packaging is for the corrugated industry, I might have missed that earlier, I have yet another question. What is the benefit of Kodak or any other technology ? Printing black on corrugated ? If you want to do four color process or spot color you're still better off printing on a white stock and mounting to corrugated because your colors will be lost in the brown of the corrugated.
 

RycckG

New Member
Corrugated packaging is made up of 2 primary segments, 1. brown box 2.display. Most everything you see at a retailer is display and is on corrugated with a white liner. Brown box is primarily shipping containers and do not carry color. Digital printing for this industry is soley for Display where qtys are under 10,000 pcs.
 

Letterbox Mike

New Member
I can definitely see a niche market printing cheap-o fold-over cardboard yard signs and election signs. Not that they're a high dollar or high profit item, but they'd probably provide some okay volume to use as filler work between bread and butter jobs. Being able to do shorter runs of affordable 4-color elections signs would be attractive. Right now there are limited sources for this type of work.

Can this thing print roll-to-roll too or is it strictly boards?
 

RycckG

New Member
strickly rigid material.. no capabilities at this point to handle web. We currently operate a Gandi w/ SM heads and the quality is silightly BETTER at 8 picolitre, but it is strickly indoor usage.
and does not have the density of UV. Corrugated is a 3 Bil sqft yr industry in US.
 

HulkSmash

New Member
believe it or not.. this sounds odd. but you could market this out to cartographers. They're in dire need of flatbed work of this nature.
check it out..
 

RycckG

New Member
Interesting, what is it that cartographers are after. I assume some kind of map but wouldnt the quantities be large enough for litho?

Thanks much...
 

RycckG

New Member
Hello Rick... not yet. Ship date is April 1.. Kodak has informed us that they are so happy with the progress already, that they will be equipping the printer with an additional array in width (within 6 months) that will take the printer to 54" x 110". That will bring the thru put to 135,000 sqft /hr. I now have a video but I am not permitted to release it yet. If our paths cross, I will be happy to show you.
 

Signvertise

New Member
Ok... I realize this is an old thread, but 110,000 sfph got my attention. This machine prints on media at a rate of a jog - 5.68 mph!!! :)
 
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