The NEW BN-20 from Roland

[Screenanator]

I just got back from the ISS Show in Long Beach. We're adding the BN-20 to help offset the demand on our VP-540. The BN-20 is a desktop 20" print /cut machine that does pretty much everything the bigger printers do. It even prints metallic. But with a desktop footprint it makes it portable and space friendly. Cant wait to get it hooked up and running. What another great product from Roland to fill the small print /cut market out there.

Link to the BN-20 http://www.rolanddga.com/products/printcut/bn/

 

[Screenanator]

Congrats! Let us know what you think of it.

If they added white ink I think we would grab one...hint hint lol.

...Pat...I was discussing the same thing with Dana Curtis....He kind of hinted they may be exploring that. The BN20 is a new machine from the ground up. The print/cut head is an awesome piece of engineering ... Plus the media alignment is SUPER easy. I think Roland has a grand slam with this machine.

 

[dcurtisroland]

Congrats! Let us know what you think of it.

If they added white ink I think we would grab one...hint hint lol.

Duly noted, Pat. Duly noted.

-Dana

 

[Mike_Koval]

Ah so white ink possibly coming...keep us posted Dana.

 

[Mike_Koval]

we have had a very positive response on these units as well. Moved quite a few at the show as well.

This unit is a perfect fit for short run apparel jobs. Imprintables has materials stocked to fit this machine for apparel, decals, glossy paper, and even banner.

 

[sfr table hockey]

Can't seem to find any info on print speed?

Can it out run my CJ at a blistering 25 sq ft per hour?

 

[ricksoccer5]

At 10 square feet per hour print speed I can find better machines to spend my money on. I think this is one of the worst ideas Roland has ever had.

 

[jhanson]

For about the same price you can get a wider Epson-based 24" machine running outdoor-durable inks that actually are eco friendly (SEPIAX) rather than pretending to be like eco-solvents, at higher speed (15 sq.ft/hr) with a standalone cutter as part of the bundle. Great for printing and cutting stickers, decals, and heat transfer material.

Then again, it's not marketed by a company as large as Roland, so I guess I'm not surprised more people aren't talking about it.

 

[Screenanator]

For about the same price you can get a wider Epson-based 24" machine running outdoor-durable inks that actually are eco friendly (SEPIAX) rather than pretending to be like eco-solvents, at higher speed (15 sq.ft/hr) with a standalone cutter as part of the bundle. Great for printing and cutting stickers, decals, and heat transfer material.

Then again, it's not marketed by a company as large as Roland, so I guess I'm not surprised more people aren't talking about it.

Your missing the point.....the BN-20 is designed for a desktop footprint. It's a space conscious machine... the 2 machines your comparing this to would need the same footprint as a VP-300 from Roland...some shops or kiosks don't have that much room to spare. Some shops are also getting into print/cut for the first time and have no previous cutter experience.If your were starting from scratch on your print cut decal program...how nice would it be to have a product like the BN-20? I can honestly say it would have been a blessing for me...I hate using 2 different machines for one end result...I hated learning how to load material correctly. So Roland gives us another tool in the tool box. And you've got one thing right...ROLAND....the name will be here for a long time to come....and so will the support.

 

[Graphics2u]

I have only briefly looked online at these machines. I'm sure it's a decent printer, but I have to think that going this direction with equipment small size and lower cost is only going to encourage some of our clients to more affordably get started printing their own stickers, decals, ect. We're already in a enviroment that some people feel all you got to do is press print, this is only going to encourage that type of thinking, and maybe cause them to say "Hey, i'll just press Print on my own machine." Maybe I'm wrong, but this looks like a good thing for Roland and a not so good thing for sign shops.

 

[Screenanator]

I have only briefly looked online at these machines. I'm sure it's a decent printer, but I have to think that going this direction with equipment small size and lower cost is only going to encourage some of our clients to more affordably get started printing their own stickers, decals, ect. We're already in a enviroment that some people feel all you got to do is press print, this is only going to encourage that type of thinking, and maybe cause them to say "Hey, i'll just press Print on my own machine." Maybe I'm wrong, but this looks like a good thing for Roland and a not so good thing for sign shops.

This machine is not for a TRUE sign shop. It's speed dictates that it is not a high volume machine. It's a kiosk or a fill in for a TRUE sign shop. Will the BN-20 replace my VP-540?...NO....not by a long shot. But will it free up my VP-540 to print my higher profit large format signage....YES. And if your concerned about a little machine like this then I feel for you. It's like everyone freaking out when Wal Mart began carrying the Criqcut or whatever its called. The BN-20 is a perfect fill for my decal short runs and 5-10 piece photo shirts. I do not fear what this machine might do the market...I say this machine will help keep me ahead in the sign market and apparel market.

 

[Graphics2u]

This machine is not for a TRUE sign shop. It's speed dictates that it is not a high volume machine. It's a kiosk or a fill in for a TRUE sign shop. Will the BN-20 replace my VP-540?...NO....not by a long shot. But will it free up my VP-540 to print my higher profit large format signage....YES. And if your concerned about a little machine like this then I feel for you. It's like everyone freaking out when Wal Mart began carrying the Criqcut or whatever its called. The BN-20 is a perfect fill for my decal short runs and 5-10 piece photo shirts. I do not fear what this machine might do the market...I say this machine will help keep me ahead in the sign market and apparel market.

You feel for me???

I wasn't knocking the machine or you for getting one. I think the purpose that you have in mind for it is exactly what it's designed for and I hope it works well for you. And I'm not freaking out. This machine is by no means a CriCut. That's exactly more reason for the line of thinking that i was trying to get accross. The lower the entry level costs are and the ease of printing stickers from someones spare bedroom tends to lower the perception of value of what we do on a larger scale. Sorry to have offended you.

 

[jhanson]

Does the epson print silver......?

Does the epson come running Sepiax out of the box?

Is the epson a CMYKOG printer?

I get your point, but as far as I'm concerned you're comparing a pair of larger apples to one little orange that just so happens to print silver.

It comes with SEPIAX out of the box, profiles and rip software. Easy enough that an end user could do the setup by themselves. Not CMYKOG, but it runs CMYK and white is a possibility. No silver.

I know it's a slightly different market... you can't fit it into a mall kiosk, but it's more versatile.

Sorry, I didn't mean to hijack the thread here. Just saying that the BN-20 really isn't the only game in town.

 

[Screenanator]

You feel for me???

I wasn't knocking the machine or you for getting one. I think the purpose that you have in mind for it is exactly what it's designed for and I hope it works well for you. And I'm not freaking out. This machine is by no means a CriCut. That's exactly more reason for the line of thinking that i was trying to get accross. The lower the entry level costs are and the ease of printing stickers from someones spare bedroom tends to lower the perception of value of what we do on a larger scale. Sorry to have offended you.

I'm not offended at all....I'm sorry if it came across that way. Just remember this....someone in their bedroom probably isnt going to make a stand out value product. Brick and mortar will always beat bedrooms basements and backyards.

 

[Just Another Sign Guy]

let's hope this works out a WHOLE lot better than the last time Roland went down this road or the last 3 times they went down this road what were they pc 600, pc 60 and pc 12?, unfortunately with that track record I would not be in a hurry to jump on this band wagon, someone else can be the guinnea pig this time...and believe it or not I am a Roland fan but this makes all my alarms go off just based on history. I sincerely hope we aren't quoting George Santayana.

 

[WildWestDesigns]

Brick and mortar will always beat bedrooms basements and backyards.

Not always the case. A person can produce quality product out of their house just as much as a person that has a brick and mortar place produce crap product.

I know one embroidery place in a town that is close to Nashville that produces crap products that they sell at unreal prices and I know quite a few women that run out of their homes that bring out good quality product.

It really just depends on the person(more this) and the funds that they have available to them.