Question Shall I make the change from Roland Xr-640 to a VG3-640?

[scrip]

Hi all! Would it be a good move to go from a xr-640 to the new TrueVis VG3?
My XR goes very well but the technology have changed in the past 9 years
and with Roland incitatives and sales going on...it's tempting.
Whats are your take on it? Good machines to get?
Thanks - merci !

 

[White Haus]

I personally wouldn't, assuming your XR-640 is still running well.

We have one (XR-640) and won't be getting another Roland after this one. We started off with an XC-540 then got this one a few years ago, and they've been pretty solid but I don't like the way they're going with those TrueVis printers.
Lots of complaints on here since they came out and I think they locked out any user service options? (I might be wrong on that)

If I needed to get a new solvent printer today I'd be looking at an Epson. Otherwise the Canon Colorado is next on our shopping list.

Just my $0.02

 

[petepaz]

no way i would get rid of the XR. that is a work horse. we have had roland printers for the past 20 yrs and they have been great up until we got the truvis. we got one of the first models released and it was nothing but trouble for most of the 4 yrs we had it. the first 2 years it barely ran and was taken apart by nazdar techs and roland techs a couple of times. the other thing is for some reason roland decided speed is not an important any more and all their newest models are slow as hell. the print quality is great but production is slow and that is a problem. we were in the market for a new solvent printer the end of last year so we went back to look at a new roland and found out they changed their business plan and all the printers are slow as hell now so we ended up getting a mimaki which really does the job. we still have our xr and lej rolands but unless they change their business model we probably won't get another which is a shame because the XR and XC we traded in were both great machines

 

[garyroy]

I posed your question to three people in my office. One of them said you should definitely upgrade, the other person said definitely not and the third person said they weren't sure.

 

[scrip]

I personally wouldn't, assuming your XR-640 is still running well.

We have one (XR-640) and won't be getting another Roland after this one. We started off with an XC-540 then got this one a few years ago, and they've been pretty solid but I don't like the way they're going with those TrueVis printers.
Lots of complaints on here since they came out and I think they locked out any user service options? (I might be wrong on that)

If I needed to get a new solvent printer today I'd be looking at an Epson. Otherwise the Canon Colorado is next on our shopping list.

Just my $0.02

Thanks for your insight. I'll put it on the balance.
I also went the XC-540 route.
I don't service on my printers myself.

no way i would get rid of the XR. that is a work horse. we have had roland printers for the past 20 yrs and they have been great up until we got the truvis. we got one of the first models released and it was nothing but trouble for most of the 4 yrs we had it. the first 2 years it barely ran and was taken apart by nazdar techs and roland techs a couple of times. the other thing is for some reason roland decided speed is not an important any more and all their newest models are slow as hell. the print quality is great but production is slow and that is a problem. we were in the market for a new solvent printer the end of last year so we went back to look at a new roland and found out they changed their business plan and all the printers are slow as hell now so we ended up getting a mimaki which really does the job. we still have our xr and lej rolands but unless they change their business model we probably won't get another which is a shame because the XR and XC we traded in were both great machines

Definitely something to consider.
I’m not looking for speed per say, shure would love the gamut with orange and green inks.
Are the trueVis inks better than Ecosol Max2?

 

[scrip]

I posed your question to three people in my office. One of them said you should definitely upgrade, the other person said definitely not and the third person said they weren't sure.

Hahaha! And yet a coin have 3 sides!

 

[cornholio]

While the VG had some quirks, these have been solved in the VG2 and VG3.
The TR2 ink is very stable and you can laminate 6 hours after printing.

 

[scrip]

While the VG had some quirks, these have been solved in the VG2 and VG3.
The TR2 ink is very stable and you can laminate 6 hours after printing.

Thanks! good thing to be able to laminate sooner
I've read somewhere that you have to 'shake' the inks every other day.
No too fond if it's the case...

 

[petepaz]

the TR2 inks aren't bad but i did find that when running a long run and using the take up real some materials had drying issues. meaning they weren't fully dry as they got wound on the take up real leaving damage to the print but i suppose that can be fixed by turning up your post heat. as far as the newer models i can't really speak on the improvements. i will agree the print quality was never in question on our truvis and maybe we just got a lemon (truthfully i think roland just released that printer before they did adequate testing.)
with that said roland has always been good to us. we started with a 30" vp printer/cutter and at one point had 4 rolands at once. rip is easy to use, machines were pretty solid not a lot of problems and maintenance was pretty easy so if speed is not an issue then you would probably be ok. just send them the materials you use and have them run tests for you or go see a demo

 

[ChaseO]

I'm getting the same emails about an upgrade. After talking to my rep, I think I'm going to hold off and keep running the XR. I don't print enough to justify a 3rd printer (I also have a SP) and I don't want to let this one go for pennies on the dollar when it makes me money everyday. I like the speed this one runs, but I too would like to try the orange and green inks. I wish the VG3 also had red ink... The grass is always greener I guess. While on the phone with him, I went ahead and ordered a tune-up on both machines, maybe I can put off a new printer a little while longer. Side question, How does the take up reel work on the newer machines? I have to start babysitting the XR after 40 feet or so.

 

[Joseph44708]

I'm running two XR-640 printers 10 to 15 hours a day, they are bullet proof. Just added a VG3-540 to replace our two Seiko W-64 printers which after this year will be used up.
So far the VG3 is keeping up.
Thanks Roland

 

[cornholio]

Thanks! good thing to be able to laminate sooner
I've read somewhere that you have to 'shake' the inks every other day.
No too fond if it's the case...

Every other day is for white ink only. The other inks about once a week. I only saw problems with orange ink, when it sat in the printer for over three months without replacement or shaking.
But I always set shake alert to on, to keep the colors consistent at all times.