Why use Gerber Edge?

[fine point]

Hi Everyone.
I am a newbie when it comes to digital printing. I am still so very confused on differences between inkjet, dye-sub, thermal and all. I thought dye-sub was like Gerber edge and Summa DC4, then there is dye-sub inkjet???


Anyway.

I sub out most of printing jobs since they are not big/frequent enough for my business. Then one client told me that if we get Gerber Edge FX, we will get many orders from them to make it worthwhile.

I knew a little about Edge fx but quickly learned it's a good machine (Thanks Calvin from GMS!).

But my question is why use Edge Fx? To me, it's a small printer with a limited use. I don't know if it's worth dropping 14K. Does it do anything other printers can't? (beside the obvious, "you don't have to laminate" part)

Thanks!

FP

 

[James Burke]

I've been thinking about that also since we don't do any printing either. But here's my guess:

- The system is very versatile for small sized jobs - vinyl only or print and cut.
- Your cost of "entry" is relatively small compared to a larger scale printing setup.
- Media costs will also be relatively smaller. Onesies and twosies are perfect since you won't be wasting large amounts of media from a bigger system.


To me, the obvious drawbacks with a "thermo foil" based color system (as opposed to bulk ink) is having to carry a large inventory of color foils, the room they take up, and constant changeovers since only one color can occupy the machine at time.

Then one client told me that if we get Gerber Edge FX, we will get many orders from them to make it worthwhile.

Beware of customers that say that. That's a decision only you can make, based on the entire volume of work you do...not based solely on a single customer. With that said, however, if you can get several jobs out of them that would pay the thing off, then it might be something to consider.

But even beyond that...if your customer knows about the Edge system, it might mean that they've also been considering getting one.

JB

 

[artofacks1]

I bought and edge fx because it works for the business that I got into. Sports helmet decals. Facebook.com/sportslivedecals .

I barely started this May but now that football season is at its tail end. I'm working on getting ready to promote to winter and spring leagues. Slowly but surely my hopes are to build a client list that I can do work for, for different sports.

 

[iSign]

Long ago I pondered this same question... before large format inkjet printers existed (in the sign industry anyway, with suitable outdoor durable inksets) ...and at that time, my decision was to find a wholesale source for edge prints, to help transition this technology into my products & services list, and into the minds of what my clients would begin to connect with my company...

In my case, I gradually ramped up the volume of edge prints over a couple years, until it became a clear asset to my bottom line even with the $25,000 price I faced with software & cutter...

And so, I would advise the same to you, except you can find a source for wholesale inkjet prints too, and build up a demand for decals & full color prints in your business before pulling the trigger on any machine.

I could go into paragraphs about the various differences, but I'm just typing this out on my phone at Starbucks, and want to wrap it up here for the moment... but if you can find a wholesaler of BOTH technologies, from the same vendor... the. They can advise you of which is better for which job... and you can just let your market dictate when there is enough demand to justify a purchase, as well as which purchase(s) make sense!

The edge can do a few things better than inkjet... & a lot of things comparable, though at a higher material cost... but often at a significantly lower labor cost (in my experience)...

I just sold my EDGE2 6 monthes ago, after 10 or 12 years... and though I don't regret the decision overall, I do miss it, and I have lost some opportunities based on the advantages it offered, that I can no longer capitalize on, in house!

 

[Marlene]

we have an Edge and have since they first hit the market. we used to screen print decals and this replaced that part of the business. so large runs we do use Gill or Stouse. what it is good for is small runs where people don't need or want 100 or more. it's good for offering small runs of different sizes of the same. with screen printing, it required a whole new screen if a customer wanted some at one size and some at another size. it also is good for running decals if there is a need for some to be one color and some another color. for large format, it is not the unit for that as there are seams.