What Plotter would you recommend?

[Applied Graphics WY]

My Gerber plotter died on me the other day. (24 years is a heck of a run). I’ve decided it’s time to move up to a 64” as we are now also doing wraps, Ppf, & window tint along with our regular sign, decal, and banner business.
Right now I’m torn between Roland & Mutoh. Any input would be greatly appreciated.

 

[signheremd]

For plotters, Graphtec and Summa. We have a Roland Printer (XR640) and it is a solid piece of equipment, but as a plotter not in the same class with the Graphtec (FC9000). We print on the Roland and do must cuts on the Graphtec. We also have an old 30" Graphtec that replaced the Roland plotter that replaced it... that thing is ancient but is a favorite here.

 

[Applied Graphics WY]

I have a roland printer as well which is one of the reasons I was leaning toward roland plotter. what are you using for rip software? I take it the registration marks are compatible with both brands?
I'm currently using Versa Works.

 

[Boudica]

I have a roland printer as well which is one of the reasons I was leaning toward roland plotter. what are you using for rip software? I take it the registration marks are compatible with both brands?
I'm currently using Versa Works.

What Roland plotter? We have a Roland GR - its a POS. I would advise against that machine! Um, unless you want to buy ours LOL
We replaced it with a Summa S2-Class T and I LOVE the Summa.

 

[signheremd]

Flexi Production Manager for the cut, Versa Works for print. The FC9000 has an electric eye that reads cropmarks (You use the Contour Cut Marks tool from the Effects Tool Bar, choose Graphtec 4 Points Type 1, and to cut you choose the Cut Contour symbol - which looks like the Cut symbol but with red shape under it). You position the plotter inside the right front crop mark and then send the cut. Easy once you get used to it.

 

[signheremd]

What Roland plotter? We have a Roland GR - its a POS. I would advise against that machine! Um, unless you want to buy ours LOL
We replaced it with a Summa S2-Class T and I LOVE the Summa.

Summa is a good choice too. Our Roland XR640 has been bullet proof for years. We do set a clean cycle each morning and we don't turn it off - it sprays the jets every few hours to keep them free of clogs - might be why ours is trouble free.

 

[Boudica]

We have an XR640 too, it's a champ. But for a standalone plotter the Roland GR is a piece of crap. It had issues right out of the gate, there were like 4 firmware updates in the first few weeks of getting it. I think it's already been outmoded.

 

[signheremd]

We have an XR640 too, it's a champ. But for a standalone plotter the Roland GR is a piece of crap. It had issues right out of the gate, there were like 4 firmware updates in the first few weeks of getting it. I think it's already been outmoded.

We used to have a Roland Plotter and it was good - but not great. The XR640 is decent at plotting, though you need to adjust the offset per job if you want excellent cutting. The Graphtec is much better at plotting. We went and looked at a Summa and a Graphtec and ran them through their paces for half a day. The Summa seemed a touch nicer but is more $$$. But pulling the ancient Graphtec out of storage and getting it running to last us a year really sold us on durability - the thing has never had an issue and right now is everyone's favorite plotter - which led us to buying the New Graphtec FC9000. The Graphtec has a better price, but I would not hesitate to recommend it or the Summa as stand alone plotters. And one last thing, We have found that printing on one machine and plotting on the other is the way to go - you can push through a lot more work in a day since your printer doesn't have to stop printing to cut. When we are busy we hardly ever use the Roland to cut its own jobs.

 

[signheremd]

I may have muddled one thing - The Roland can cut, but the Graphtec can handle small stuff much better and large stuff has fewer places where the cut did not close. The Graphtec with a new bland can cut tiny stuff.

 

[Applied Graphics WY]

We have an XR640 too, it's a champ. But for a standalone plotter the Roland GR is a piece of crap. It had issues right out of the gate, there were like 4 firmware updates in the first few weeks of getting it. I think it's already been outmoded.

Thanks for the warning.

 

[Applied Graphics WY]

What Roland plotter? We have a Roland GR - its a POS. I would advise against that machine! Um, unless you want to buy ours LOL
We replaced it with a Summa S2-Class T and I LOVE the Summa.

I think I will pass on the Roland, thanks. I may look into Summa as well.

 

[Precision]

We have the 64" Graphtec, forgot the model number. It's a solid machine. Most problems are lack of experience in the operator. Great machine.

 

[Lucan]

Having 4 Mimaki CG-FXII plus plotters without once an issue I would suggest mimaki as a great option, vinyl cutting is perfect and their ID Auto registration has never failed.

 

[Joseph44708]

I'm running two Seiko W-64 and two Roland XR-640, followed up with seven Graftec cutters, five 8600's and a 9000.
Graftecs are bullet proof.
Like Precision said Most problems are lack of experience in the operator.
One of my Roland's runs about 18 hours per day and has 15 jobs in holding so there is only five minutes down time when changing a roll of vinyl.
I print everything roll to roll.
So print today and cut tomorrow.
Everyday.

 

[Boudica]

I'm running two Seiko W-64 and two Roland XR-640, followed up with seven Graftec cutters, five 8600's and a 9000.
Graftecs are bullet proof.
Like Precision said Most problems are lack of experience in the operator.
One of my Roland's runs about 18 hours per day and has 15 jobs in holding so there is only five minutes down time when changing a roll of vinyl.
I print everything roll to roll.
So print today and cut tomorrow.
Everyday.

Dang, that's a lot of machines!

 

[Dale D]

I love both my Summa T2s ....a T75 for die cut and my T160 tangential with opos cam for the print/ cut stuff up to 64 inch. I like having printer separate from plotter.

 

[Joseph44708]

Dang, that's a lot of machines!

It's impressove too.
Especially when a supplier's sales person stops in and everything is running at the same time and I'm going from cutter to cutter and sending jobs to each of them and they say WTF.
1200 to 1500 linier feet of 54" vinyl weekly.

 

[JuliaSS]

I work for a printing house and, as I know, one of the plotters used in our production department is HP DesignJet T2530. You can see some examples on the site of a flexible packaging supplier Uniflex.

 

[FrankW]

Asking here will lead to a lot of confusion . I think there are three main plotter manufacturers worldwide: Mimaki, Graphtec and Summa. Summa told us at a sales meeting, that they only consider Mimaki and Graphtec as competitors. I have sold cutting plotters for more than 20 years, 10 of them I could sell roland and summa: have sold nearly none of roland cutters.

The printers are cool ... except such samples like BN-20 :-( .

 

[greysquirrel]

Graphtec is west coast company and phone support does not exist. You send an email the translate and send you an email back. Summa east coast with live technicians that actually speak English. Plus the added bonus they allow dealers to service on-site.