New owner means NEW EQUIPMENT! Need some advice...

[ATTTR]

So, the company I work for has been bought out by a very successful multi-million dollar company.
The new owner wants to make my graphics department sky-rocket (which will be possible with his customer base) and after a 2 hour meeting to bring him up to speed on the state of my department and equipment, it has been determined that I am in need of new equipment. This means I get to purchase a new printer and plotter. I can't begin to describe how happy this makes me.

We currently own a Mimaki CG-130 FX Plotter that's on it last legs. I can't even cut anything cleanly under 2" tall and doesn't even comprehend contour cutting anymore, even after several parts have been replaced. Mimaki says the motherboard is failing. Well, ok then. I also have a JV3-130 spII. We all know that Mimaki is no longer manufacturing replacement parts and will no longer be supporting this machine. Knock on wood, it still works for me, but it's not ideal or practical anymore. Both of these machines are a little over 8 years old and will be kept running for use as back-up, so we're not selling or dumping them.

But since I get to pick out 2 brand new shiny machines, I was hoping to pick your brains and see what machines everyone else loves, hates and wish lists (and why).

I've only been at this for a little under 2 years. When I started this job, I had NO CLUE about Mimaki, car-wraps vinyl, etc... I am self taught on the machines and Onyx, FineCut and Flexi (with a little web and phone training on Onyx).

Our main focus is vehicle graphics, car, tractor, truck, trailer wraps, etc... We also do banners and storefront/window graphics and murals.

So any thoughts, advice would be welcome.

Thanks!

 

[BIG EASY DOES IT]

So, the company I work for has been bought out by a very successful multi-million dollar company.
The new owner wants to make my graphics department sky-rocket (which will be possible with his customer base) and after a 2 hour meeting to bring him up to speed on the state of my department and equipment, it has been determined that I am in need of new equipment. This means I get to purchase a new printer and plotter. I can't begin to describe how happy this makes me.

We currently own a Mimaki CG-130 FX Plotter that's on it last legs. I can't even cut anything cleanly under 2" tall and doesn't even comprehend contour cutting anymore, even after several parts have been replaced. Mimaki says the motherboard is failing. Well, ok then. I also have a JV3-130 spII. We all know that Mimaki is no longer manufacturing replacement parts and will no longer be supporting this machine. Knock on wood, it still works for me, but it's not ideal or practical anymore. Both of these machines are a little over 8 years old and will be kept running for use as back-up, so we're not selling or dumping them.

But since I get to pick out 2 brand new shiny machines, I was hoping to pick your brains and see what machines everyone else loves, hates and wish lists (and why).

I've only been at this for a little under 2 years. When I started this job, I had NO CLUE about Mimaki, car-wraps vinyl, etc... I am self taught on the machines and Onyx, FineCut and Flexi (with a little web and phone training on Onyx).

Our main focus is vehicle graphics, car, tractor, truck, trailer wraps, etc... We also do banners and storefront/window graphics and murals.

So any thoughts, advice would be welcome.

Thanks!

Everyone can tell you what you should get or not but it depends on you. I would go with a HP Latex 360. It's a 64" printer so it can handle all your size needs for paneling ad what not. Since it's latex in comes off dry which means no waiting to laminate beause of out gassing. so you can put it straight on a truck. It will print on almost any media. And then I would go with a Graphtec plotter to match for contours and cut decals I have gotten amazing service from both companies so down time isminimal when you have an issue. The new profiling on the L360 is on board and it does it basically onits own. so if you get new media for a job. You don't have to spend hours and hours profiling. Check them out, I strongly suggest latex. Down side, if your doing a lot of wraps that are going to stay on 5 years plus you might want to look at a solvent again because of longer ink life.

 

[VinylLabs.com]

I double agree, 1) many people will give ther own preference, it's up to you to weight the pros and cons, and 2) I recommend the latex line as well, caveat: I do not own one, but if I was to buy another printer, it would be a HP latex.

 

[Dennis422]

Both of them.
I own Graphtec and older HP L25500. Only thing that I would add, if you have big budget, go with Summa cutter.
I love my Graphtec, but if my budget was bigger at the time, I would have Summa cutter.

 

[Graphic Destruction]

Latex for sure. So easy to maintain, ready to Laminate and install right off the machine. I'm running a 25500, I'm sure the newer latex machines are even more impressive.

 

[jmcnicoll]

I'm not sold on Latex, but have loved the quality the Epson printers produce!

 

[CES020]

Summa Tangential cutter, without thinking twice about it.

 

[AF]

With an unlimited budget, latex and summa t-series without question. Also get an AGL laminator and rolls roller. Don't forget the UV flatbed and Zund, if you have the room in the shop and the budget. 12' hydraulic shear would be nice come to think of it, and a bridgeport CNC center and HAAS lathe. I would build a new workstation to power the new workflow and upgrade to the latest rips / adobe stuff.

 

[BIG EASY DOES IT]

With an unlimited budget, latex and summa t-series without question. Also get an AGL laminator and rolls roller. Don't forget the UV flatbed and Zund, if you have the room in the shop and the budget. 12' hydraulic shear would be nice come to think of it, and a bridgeport CNC center and HAAS lathe. I would build a new workstation to power the new workflow and upgrade to the latest rips / adobe stuff.

Can I start working at this shop? haha sounds like a really nice shop. Of course no sure yu need a 12' hydraulic shear for a wrap shop.

 

[Split76]

i'm very happy with hp l260 latex & summa s2 140t. Before, with rolands eco-solvent inks my working tables were always full of drying prints...
No more drag knife cutters for me

 

[danno]

Seiko M-64, a Seal Pro D laminator & a Summa T-series plotter. If you want my 2 cents. (or would that be 3 cents)

 

[dlndesign]

I'd go with a Vutek GS Series Hybrid and a Zund. Both I have worked with and have amazing support and extremely great quality. Also think about your training time to get up to speed as well as a few weeks of getting up to speed on your own. What size graphic department do you have currently, or is it just you?

 

[ATTTR]

WOW! Thanks for all the replies!

So, my department at the moment... is just me and one installer. Down the road when we see how many of the new owners client base jump on board, we will talk about adding to the staff then.

A lot of past customers have asked about longevity, mostly to do with the actual vinyl. So... since I pretty much laminate everything, does it matter if it's latex or solvent? Drying time is a whole different ballgame. I guess the importance of it depends on how heavy a workload I end up with.

I don't have an unlimited budget, I can go overbaord, but if the price is within reason and it's capabilities lie up to the $$$, then he's flexible. I am currently requesting quotes on the current version of the equipment I have now and going from there. Since I've only been at this a short time, all the research I am doing is a little over my head because I don't know - what I don't know and what I NEED to know.

I guess I am a little reluctant to go non-Mimaki only because I know FineCut, but since I will get training, I guess it doesn't matter.
Heard a lot of good things about Graphtec Plotters. But not really more than that for other machines.

I am going to look into all the other brands that were mentioned here, though.

Thanks!

 

[Ditchmiester]

Summa S2

We had a graphtec F8000 and thought it was awesome. Then I convinced our owner to upgrade to a Summa 54" S2 Tangential. Now I know what an Awesome Plotter is. You will never believe you got by with out the Summa after owning one.

 

[dale911]

I did tons of research before buying my first printer a couple of years ago. Found a used L25500. I love love love this machine. Now I'm chomping at the bit for a L360. I can use it for hours on end and then turn it off and not use it for a week or two and never have a problem. Heads are cheap, ink is relatively inexpensive and it prints on almost anything. I have printed on tons of material that aren't even mentioned as being able to be printed on such as Grimco's house brand of calendered vinyl. Printed beautifully and is holding up fantastically outdoors for temporary signage. I will be sticking with latex.

 

[jfiscus]

We just got approval on funds here for new equipment to make things go smoother and speed up production time. We're kinda in the same boat; we have a couple Mimaki printers and plotters, and a few other ramdom plotters.
We decided upon an HP latex and a Summa plotter. That is what fit our needs best.

 

[ATTTR]

Summa folks... HELP!

Overwhelmed looking at their website. Holy smokes.

What are the most notable differences (if you use any of these models) between the summacut series, the D series and the T series (and what in the world is tangential?)?

I don't even understand half the lingo!

 

[AF]

Summa folks... HELP!

Overwhelmed looking at their website. Holy smokes.

What are the most notable differences (if you use any of these models) between the summacut series, the D series and the T series (and what in the world is tangential?)?

I don't even understand half the lingo!

Get the T series. The D and Summacut are less expensive but lack tangential. Since your budget allows, there is no reason to not get the T series.

 

[CES020]

Tangential means the knife blade actually rotates based on the shapes being cut. It will get to the end of a cut, lift up, the blade rotates, then it goes back into the cut. You can cut thick stuff with it. The T series are beasts. I cut .030" thick rubber sandblast mask on ours a good bit of the day today. Everything weeded beautifully. Love that machine. Don't know how to use a fraction of it's features, but love the machine. Plus their tech support is probably one of the best in the business.

 

[econolinesigns]

We were just at the SGIA show and went there with the intention of focusing on a new Roland to replace our old one (moving from 54" to 64") but after looking at just about everything, we are most likely going to go with the EPSON SureColor S50670 and a Summa plotter. Colors and print quality were exceptional and we preferred the back to front loading (just like the Rolands) over the bottom up loading of the HP.