Solivent or UV for a Flatbed?

[Infinitygraphix07]

What's the advantage & disadvantage of these type of machines?

 

[KR3signguy]

different ink lifespan & material options.
roll to roll generally solvent= rolled media
flatbed UV =rigid substrates

the flatbed can also be used to take naps or play air hockey.

 

[Infinitygraphix07]

I ment, if I had the option to buy a solivent flatbed or a UV flatbed printer do print on things like coro, sintra, and foam cor, which would be better?

 

[Infinitygraphix07]

I'm lovin the airhockey idea!!

 

[sign&frame]

Pretty sure with solvent flatbeds you can print on all them things.
Things I doubt you can print on it glass and metal because the solvent has to eat into the material to adhear.

 

[Infinitygraphix07]

oh I see. One machine that's solvent claims that it could do aluminum. U think that's bs?

 

[Matt Cuellar]

In my experience solvent is very limited on what substrates it can be directly printed on. All plastic based products (PVC, Coro, etc) are incompatible as the ink will just run. True solvent will print on styrene, cardboard, and plywood, but for the most flexibility, UV will adhere to almost anything. If you're doing a lot of substrates, UV is probably the better way to go.

 

[sign&frame]

Well, I believe don't hold me to it but not completely B.S because you might have to add a pretreatment so the ink adheres to no poris material.
But in long run both machines will have there up and downs because I done research and been to alot of trade shows.
If you think you are gonna do a lot of production work than go with UV but you are just doing little odd and ends get Solvent

 

[Infinitygraphix07]

thanks for all the info. I think I'll get a sample of the solvent & do a few tests to it to see how it holds up.

thanks again.

 

[sign&frame]

Yup, seeing is believing

 

[KR3signguy]

Solvent will usually last a few more years more than UV outdoors depending on who makes the ink & the elements that they're exposed to. Good luck

 

[ksc]

Gerber ion all the way baby........

 

[Browner]

Gerber ion all the way baby........

Have you got yours yet?

Still waiting to hear some "real world" acclamations.

 

[Typestries]

Jeti all the way baby.
yes, it's like putting a house in your shop, well worth it though!!! And air hockey as a free bonus.....

 

[CarolinaCabinet]

VUTEk... best in the business, but only if youre willing to pay for it...

 

[KR3signguy]

VUTEk... best in the business, but only if youre willing to pay for it...

Opinions vary.

 

[National Sign Co. - Print]

VUTEk... best in the business, but only if youre willing to pay for it...

Vuteks are no more expensive than any other machines in the same caliber.

HP/Scitex FB6100 $300K

Gandi 3150 $300K

Vutek QS $300K

Just a matter of opinion.

 

[ksc]

ion all the way baby.... ($95000.00 with all the stuffing (software etc......)) (The stork will deliver my new air hockey playing baby ion on the 19th of sept...

 

[ksc]

My ion just was installed on 10-8-08 the ink is hard and flexible the ion is fast and you can walk away from it its cool.... coroplast prints vary nice, no head strikes mdo etc ...too cool....

 

[jdigital]

For UV? Inca with sericol inks. Great combination!! Sericol makes two types of inks for the Incas. We use UviJet EI which works grrrreat(lol). They also make a more flexible ink for the Incas. I've heard it's really good and not as brittle.