UV Printer NEEDED!

[aaron1776]

I am about buy a UV Printer flatbed/roll to roll. I currently have my eyes on a Roland LEJ-640. Does anyone have any suggestions of a good machine that prints white. Our application is lighted signs. We currently print everything in reverse with an HP Colorspan 5465, and lay it on the inside of all the polycarbonate faces. Then back spay all the panels white.

In a perfect world we would be able to print directly to a flat sheet with cmyk+w and then vacuum form the panel. In the past the ink has cracked when trying to do this. Does anyone have any ideas?

 

[aaron1776]

I'll look into the OCE and see what I find.

 

[HulkSmash]

Never buy a first generation flatbed. just my opinion

check out the CET Color and the OCE

 

[noack214]

my mimaki is a great machine....pricetag not so much...there is also a newer jf than the one i have and it runs LED saves money on power.

 

[NZDR-Payne]

In a perfect world we would be able to print directly to a flat sheet with cmyk+w and then vacuum form the panel. In the past the ink has cracked when trying to do this. Does anyone have any ideas?

I'm not here to push ink sales, eventhough this may sound like it. If you want to print direct to your flat stock and then vacuum form I think you will have a hard time finding a UV-curable ink that won't crack under those conditions. Nazdar has developed a UV-curable ink that is specifically made for vacuum forming applications. However, this is not a general purpose ink. The users we have on this ink have a UV flatbed machine that is dedicated to vacuum forming applications only and then another UV machine for general purpose work. You can find more information on Lyson 760 Multi-Flex ink here.

If you'd like more information please let me know.

 

[10sacer]

Chuck's right. You have to determine what will be the maximum amount you would ever vacuum form and find an ink that can withstand the tension. 3M was supposed to have a vacuum form capable ink to run in Vutek machines, but I don't know how flexible it was. You kind of have to start backwards with this - meaning - find an ink that works first and then find a machine that supports that ink. UV ink is not interchangeable based on a variety of specifications - chief among them the energy wavelength used to cure the ink by enabling the photoinitiators in the ink.

You may end up needing a far more expensive machine to do this than what you thought.

 

[oldgoatroper]

Aaron... you said your application is backlit signs? I'm not sure any UV ink system is going to be as durable and/or brilliant as a solvent-based system.

 

[SignManiac]

Oldgoat raises some good questions. I don't direct print much on acylic, but I have an HP FB950 that has been a great printer. I think they have upgraded it to a newer model and naming format, but I would think it's even better than the one I have now.

 

[aaron1776]

Aaron... you said your application is backlit signs? I'm not sure any UV ink system is going to be as durable and/or brilliant as a solvent-based system.

In the past solvent inks look washed out. We like the UV ink because of the amount of actual ink that is laid down. Blacks are black when back lit, not wash out to gray, brown, or blue. In all our testing we have never found any other system (other than cut vinyl) where the color pops when lit or unlit.

 

[JasonatIntegra]

Mimaki JFX-1631plus flatbed

The Mimaki JFX-1631plus is an exceptional UV printer that utilizes LED uv lamps, this reduces the risk of warping material. Mimaki also offers 2 ink types, flexible and Hard. The hard ink is quite vivid.

 

[Rooster]

In the past solvent inks look washed out. We like the UV ink because of the amount of actual ink that is laid down. Blacks are black when back lit, not wash out to gray, brown, or blue. In all our testing we have never found any other system (other than cut vinyl) where the color pops when lit or unlit.

Don't mistake the raised texture of UV inks as being more durable when it comes to UV exposure. UV inks are about half the lifespan of solvent. They fade fast and if you expose them to light 24/hrs a day you can expect that lifespan to be even shorter.

 

[CS-SignSupply-TT]

FLATBED for Vaccuum Formed sign faces

Never buy a first generation flatbed. just my opinion

check out the CET Color and the OCE

Since this post was mad about a month ago, you may have already made a decision. But, if not, then you really should contact CET COLOR, Jack Skidmore.