Roland VersaCAMM Vsi 54" VERSUS Mimaki CJV150-130 PRINTER/CUTTER

[illusdesigns]

Looking to purchase a printer/cutter but was wondering what everyone else thought about the two. I've seen the demo for the Mimaki so far just pending on the Roland next week.

Roland Versacamm Vsi 54" VERSUS Mimaki CJV150-130

Generally interested in the quality comparison, maintenance, reliability, ease of use, etc.
Also overall pros and cons if you have any.

Thanks

 

[DRamm76]

Contact a company that sells both. That way you can see a true side by side comparison. But ASK if they have these models on the floor. Not sure how it is in Edmonton, but I know a LOT of dealers that don't have demo models

 

[Solventinkjet]

I haven't had a chance to run a CJV150 yet but I do know that the CJV will be faster. The CJV uses a print head that is 2 generations newer than the Roland. Mimaki has also re-designed the user interface to me more intuitive than previous models. I believe all of the new Mimakis also have the same nozzle recovery feature that the JFX200 has. You can actually replace a missing nozzle with one behind it so that you can get more life out of the head. Don't quote me on that though. They may not have included that in the CJV150.

Roland has a reputation for building quality machines so you can't go wrong either way. But if it's speed you're looking for consider the Mimaki. Also, it's $4,000 for a complete head replacement, not including service call, on the Roland where it is only about $2,500 for the Mimaki.

 

[DRamm76]

I haven't had a chance to run a CJV150 yet but I do know that the CJV will be faster. The CJV uses a print head that is 2 generations newer than the Roland. Mimaki has also re-designed the user interface to me more intuitive than previous models. I believe all of the new Mimakis also have the same nozzle recovery feature that the JFX200 has. You can actually replace a missing nozzle with one behind it so that you can get more life out of the head. Don't quote me on that though. They may not have included that in the CJV150.

Roland has a reputation for building quality machines so you can't go wrong either way. But if it's speed you're looking for consider the Mimaki. Also, it's $4,000 for a complete head replacement, not including service call, on the Roland where it is only about $2,500 for the Mimaki.

Actually, that is not true. They are the exact same heads and Roland was actually using them in their machines before anyone else did.

 

[Ponto]

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm,.............muddy waters to be sure! I've run both brands and have learned that it would be best to build a war chest to use beyond the warranty period. Be sure to inquire about the "duty" cycle these machines are capable of and take care to follow all maintenance regimens after the purchase!!!! .... even then, understand that they are machines and will test your patience because they will fail at the most inopportune times...........good luck. JP

 

[rjssigns]

Once again I will give my sage advice regarding major purchases. If you can buy a printer from the dealer that is just down the street do it. Even if it costs $1000 more, do it. Like Ponto said printers break at worst possible time. When your printer is down and you have angry clients what you paid no longer matters.

Getting a tech on site with an hour or two is worth its weight in gold.

 

[Solventinkjet]

Actually, that is not true. They are the exact same heads and Roland was actually using them in their machines before anyone else did.

You are absolutely right. I was thinking VP series not VS. Thanks for the correction!

 

[illusdesigns]

Thanks

Thanks for the feedback. I watched demos for both and was leaning more towards the Roland because we already have a Roland plotter that would allow us to share parts between the two, had extra inks from a friend that was going to sell them for cheaper and also like the idea of the reliability of Roland. Mimaki was an absolute masterpiece. It was literally like watching a robot work but at the same time raises my concern because it has so much functions and detailed movements that it looks like a machine that ill have you running for the manual everyday to fix something. It brings me back to the idea of purchasing laptops and how purchasing laptops with the screen that folds into a tablet and then goes back to a normal laptop stance... so many potential problems. I guess I am leaning more towards the Roland for comfort. Tough call. Will be making the final decision in a week.. most likely leaning towards the Roland.

Thanks for the help again everyone.

 

[illusdesigns]

Mimaki cjv

FYI for anyone who cares...

mimaki pros

It pretty much has a feature called take-up reel that only grabs the head when required. The head was made intelligently and detaches itself during cleaning.
Attractive LCD screen.
You can tell it to lift certain pinch rollers up and how many to put down.
The blade cut from the center and works it way out.
Super quick but was not recommended by demo personnel to use the fast speed all the time.
There is a handle/arm on both side of the printer/cutter to latch on to your film so you do not need to keep walking around to adjust.

A lot of features....

 

[krgdesigns]

So which one did you go with? I am buying one tomorrow and need to make a choice. I like a lot of features of the Mimaki but are there things it does that the Roland does not? And vice versa. I know Mimaki comes with take up reel and has self cleaning feature.

 

[player]

Roland machines, in my experience, are far from reliable. Mine was defective, and once the dealer got paid before delivery, Roland and the dealer screwed me over. I am not alone in this Roland experience, as I have read about, and met other Roland printer owners who's machines were defective. Roland really takes their time going through the chain of command for permissions to get warranty work done, replacement parts etc. So if your Roland printer has an issue, you can be weeks, months or longer. All the while you're spending hours and hours trying to get it to work, going through reams of material, ink and cleaner, losing business and not printing. My issue is still not resolved, Roland admits my machine is defective, and the top repair person from head office said they give up, no more. If I want to continue paying them to fix a defective printer/cutter that they have no idea how to fix, I can, otherwise stop calling.

My advice is do not pay a cent for the machine until it is in your shop, set up, and you have run it for 12 weeks, and all features are working 100% as advertised. You could put the cash in a holding account, to be released upon satisfactory performance. Once you pay, good luck, from my experience, getting Roland to expedite your repair, if they can actually fix it.

I am sure others will say how great Roland is, but that was not my experience, or the experience of others I know about.

 

[Gene@mpls]

My advice is do not pay a cent for the machine until it is in your shop, set up, and you have run it for 12 weeks, and all features are working 100% as advertised. You could put the cash in a holding account, to be released upon satisfactory performance. Once you pay, good luck, from my experience, getting Roland to expedite your repair, if they can actually fix it.

I have read that before on S101 (not sure if it was you) but I don't think that any dealer is going to consent to
doing business in that way? Sounds like one of those good theories that are not practical. I can only imagine
my reaction if one of my customers wanted to get a sign in that fashion.

 

[player]

If that arrangement is impossible, have a contract drawn up that if they do not provide the printer as promised, you can get an immediate refund. Keep in mid you won't discover the defects and/or deficiencies for a number of weeks or even a month or two. Then you are screwed, as they jerk you around, as Roland did with me. Given the large amounts these printers cost, the stealerships work fast and loose. The new buyers need more than the word of the seller and the maker. If I buy another printer I will record all conversations and transactions, so I have proof of what they say and promise so can hold them to it.

 

[ewded]

If that arrangement is impossible, have a contract drawn up that if they do not provide the printer as promised, you can get an immediate refund. Keep in mid you won't discover the defects and/or deficiencies for a number of weeks or even a month or two. Then you are screwed, as they jerk you around, as Roland did with me. Given the large amounts these printers cost, the stealerships work fast and loose. The new buyers need more than the word of the seller and the maker. If I buy another printer I will record all conversations and transactions, so I have proof of what they say and promise so can hold them to it.

You're not alone with a defective-on-arrival Roland printer...

 

[Graphic Extremes]

I am in the same boat with Roland, My first Roland xr-640 was delivered and I used it for about a month. Then I had a problem with banding. No matter what was done it wouldn't stop. Tech was sent out and after he left, the printer was not working at all. He said he had to order parts. He showed up a week later and tried new dampers, two new print heads and was talking with a head tech from Roland on the phone. Printer is now about three months old after messing around with different fixes and none of them worked. We after several calls to Roland they finally agreed to send me a completely new printer. Now we are at six months, five months without a working printer. New printer showed up, techs installed printer and it worked for about three months before it started showing problems, called Roland and the sent a tech from a different location than the first tech was from. Fast forward to present day about 3 years later. Printer has eaten several print heads at my expense, and uses ink like crazy to clean itself all the time. The machine can be in the middle of cleaning and will go through a cleaning cycle. One reason I purchased the Roland printer was that Roland let me try the software before I actually bought the machine to see if I like it. If Mimaki had let me try their software I may have bought theirs instead.