. ))I have noticed that ROLAND is dropping the ball. The newer machines they have out now are slower than the the earlier versions. I have tried to get info on print speed, they have no answer, they keep pushing color gamut.The most difficult problem to overcome with flatbed UV FB printers for me are inks. If you have good ink, you can build a printer around it relatively easily.
The price of inks I don't think is that important and I find the use of non-original inks a mistake, no matter how cheaper they are.
Everything becomes more expensive when the machine is under repair and does not produce.
The second most important problem for me is the vacuum of the tables.
It must be able to be controlled in very small areas and be able to be very strong when necessary and without affecting the print heads.
But this is not easy to construct. All manufacturers work in the direction of speed, ink price, resolution, etc. and seem to underestimate the loading time of the machine and the vacuum that will keep the various materials stable on the tables.
The temperature of the lamps
The high temperature of the lamps (whether mercury or LED) strongly affects most of the materials and imposes a stronger vacuum of the tables.
I can't stop writing for a few more hours.
The speed
Speed is important, but it's when only you have a fast machine. When your competitors also start to have fast machines, the speed becomes slow again. When the print speed significantly outstrips the other processes after printing, this speed becomes completely meaningless.
Machine control software.
It should be stable, look tidy, give wide control over the machine, but not excessive.
Carriage height.
Now I remember how with some cutting machines, the curves on the table can be traced and recorded. I haven't heard of this option for printers. This will slow down the print, but will guarantee it without a hitch. And this can shorten the printing time on some materials. Option, when needed
... and the printer start to be expensive
The most difficult problem to overcome with flatbed UV FB printers for me are inks. If you have good ink, you can build a printer around it relatively easily.
The price of inks I don't think is that important and I find the use of non-original inks a mistake, no matter how cheaper they are.
Everything becomes more expensive when the machine is under repair and does not produce.
The second most important problem for me is the vacuum of the tables.
It must be able to be controlled in very small areas and be able to be very strong when necessary and without affecting the print heads.
But this is not easy to construct. All manufacturers work in the direction of speed, ink price, resolution, etc. and seem to underestimate the loading time of the machine and the vacuum that will keep the various materials stable on the tables.
The temperature of the lamps
The high temperature of the lamps (whether mercury or LED) strongly affects most of the materials and imposes a stronger vacuum of the tables.
I can't stop writing for a few more hours.
The speed
Speed is important, but it's when only you have a fast machine. When your competitors also start to have fast machines, the speed becomes slow again. When the print speed significantly outstrips the other processes after printing, this speed becomes completely meaningless.
Machine control software.
It should be stable, look tidy, give wide control over the machine, but not excessive.
Carriage height.
Now I remember how with some cutting machines, the curves on the table can be traced and recorded. I haven't heard of this option for printers. This will slow down the print, but will guarantee it without a hitch. And this can shorten the printing time on some materials. Option, when needed
... and the printer start to be expensive
Good machines are expensive. It all depends on what you will produce and which part of the market you intend to attack.
))).
Good machines are expensive. It all depends on what you will produce and which part of the market you intend to attack.
If you are printing shelves or cartons where quality is not in demand, there is no reason to spend money for Oce or SwissQ.
But if your goal is products with great added value, you will not succeed with some low cost Chinese machine or 15 years old Canon Oce Arizona.
If you want really good printing, but can't afford an expensive, new machine, just use the services of someone who can afford it. You will earn less, but will sleep peacefully.
If something seems too good to be true, it usually isn't
We have a Mimaki JFX200-2513. It was not properly assembled or maintained. Color head started to go out. When genuine techs came in, they had a huge mess getting it going again. They were extremely professional and knew their stuff, but it still took almost a month. The biggest problem since then is that fact that Mimaki makes the ink expire, with no workaround.
I have the same situaton for several years I use to own oce arizona 660XT, OCE ARIZONA 2300 XTF, and oce arizona 1360, the inks is difficult to work you have fingerprints evryware I also endong to put paper liner between prints because ink stik with toguether with the oter prints change to DIgitech about 6 months ago and we are very happy the ink bond well in different substrate and cover the fingers well, printer is extrmely fast is like have 4 oce printers or more, do your reserch you are losing time and oney with this printers
