To go graphtec or summa?

[SignsRus]

I've only used Graphtec plotters. Both shops I've worked owned FC7000-130's.

I like the plotter, but I can't say it couldn't have been better. Never could get it to weed the way I'd like with smaller copy and detailed cuts.

I see these summas with tangential cutting.
http://www.summausa.com/products/tseries.html

Is it worth the money?

Or should I be looking at purchasing a new FC8000?

I want the best possible weeding, and cleanest cuts.

 

[ddarlak]

i have a roland cx-500, i cut and weed .65" text flawlessly all day long.

and lots of it!

 

[Jim Doggett]

Cutting, Graphtec. Sublime cutting and higher throughput, even at the same speed as any other cutter

Contour-cutting, Summa. OPOS X is the bomb. Way more accurate and automated than anything on else the planet (friction cutter).

New Technology:
Summa's OPOS CAM is the bomb on steroids, I think. It's new, but a CCD Camera is lightyears faster than a scanner. (shape recognition takes milliseconds, instead of slow 2-3 second per mark scanning). Flatbeds, at the high-end have been using camera systems for years. Putting a CCD on a friction cutter is revolutionary, and the technology is sound. So even though I haven't had experience with OPOS CAM, I'm confident it is stable, reeeeeeal fast, and when combined with Summa's OPOS automation, they should own the contour-cutting market ... for folks who can afford one.

Back to Graphtec, the machine is fundamentally better than Summa, IMHO. Cutting is wonderful, and the price-performance blows Summa out of the water. But ARMS, Graphtec's contour cutting alignment, does not come close to OPOS. Nowhere near it.

The above is opinion based on my experience with both as a dealer / manufacturer rep. (Summa and SignWarehouse).

Best,

 

[Jim Doggett]

Oops, missed the T Series (motorized blade rotation) part. Hmmmm? I spent years at Summa believing it better. But I'd put a Graphtec drag-balde up againt a Summa T on small stuff or diamond grade reflective. It'll cut better and waaay faster; the lifting and turning on every angled cut on T cutters slows the cutting waaaaaay down.

Intricate cuts, with no lifted vinyl (ears) and great thick/heavy material cutting is the hallmark of Graphtec, as is reliability (Summa too is mega relaible). In pure cutting, though, I believe Graphtec stands alone.

 

[gabagoo]

I have both cutters. I use the graphtec 53" cutter strictly for vinyl cutting, naturally and the Summa 53"d140 is used exclusively in conjunction with the Mimaki printer. Hard to compare the 2 as they perform different functions. I can tell you this, I have not changed the balde in the Summa since I got it, but then it only cuts maybe 30% of what the Graphtec does. The opos is amazing and I sometimes dont even need a bleed to cut dead on a printed graphic with the Summa. The graphtec looks more solid where the Summa looks very plastic and a little more fragile. I suppose the day the Graphtec quits on me I will just use the Summa for cutting everything. I would have a hard time choosing one over the other as they are used so differently.

 

[Jim Doggett]

Yep; I think that's a fair comparison; the build-quality on Graphtec cutters is superb. But OPOS contour-cutting is second to none.

Best,

 

[Jim Doggett]

I should add ... Summa build-quality on the internals, the platten and the cutting head is superb. The injection-molded endcaps belie the true quality of a Summa. Technicians will tell you after opening one up that the guts of a Summa are top-rate, even suprisingly top-rate ... even if not at the freaky-quality level of Graphtec.

A nod also goes to Summa on their MicroSprocket drive-drum. It's uhhhhhhmazingly good; and it's why Summa cutters track like no other cutter, including Graphtec. Summa's near flawless tracking is also what gives them a HUGE edge on the competition when it comes to contour-cutting.

So I also agree with your assertion that choosing between them is difficult. They're both absolutely wonderful cutters. And that's great for the market, since the Graphtec/Summa war pushes the technology envelope, gives sign-makers amazing products ... and rapidly widens the gulf between Summa/Graphtec and all other friction cutters.

My $0.02,

 

[Doug Pulver]

I would have to say Summa. I have a D-60 that I bought used, I asked the same question before I bought and the response was Summa all the way.

Since owning the Summa I have been very pleased with it. I pulled the ends off just to see how it was made and was impressed with the quality, two thumbs up.

Summa's support is fantastic also.