What kind of plotter will compliment roland vs 300i the best ?

[Printer101]

Next week, there will be a convention in my town. I'm shopping for a new plotter and planning to get one from there.

I have a Roland 30" print/cut machine VS 300i. I'm not getting any good cuts from it, and it is a pain in the neck all the time.

I want to pair my printer with a good-quality cutter, 48"-52". Or should I go smaller with a 30" ? One day, in two to three years, I dream of replacing my printer with something wider. I also cut sign vinyl time after time, but mostly it is wall decals.

Which one would you guys recommend? There are so many brands and new technologies. My budget is about $5,000 - $6,000. I also plan to score some discounts from the convention.

 

[cornholio]

Try to get a Summa, you won't regret it. I installed/trained/serviced all the major brands in my career since 1988.(Started with Wild flatbeds and Aristo roll/sprocket cutters, later Zund, Roland PNC, then Summa, Mimaki, Graphtek, Kongsberg and GCC. Even some "can't remember the names" chinese trash.)

 

[StephenOrange]

What RIP are you running? Buying anything other that a compatible Roland cutter will likely require you to invest in a stand-alone RIP for simpler print & cut functionaility, so consider the cost of the software too.

 

[Terry01]

Spend more time setting up the cutter on the machine. Don't just do 1 test cut and think everything is ok.