WTF is Roland Thinking.

[MikePatterson]

We bought our SP540 about a year and a half ago. Now we need a matching cutter to up production so I start researching and low and behold Roland doesn't make a cutter to match their 54 inch printers. You have to step up to the GX-640. The GX-500 only cuts 47 inches. IMO Roland dropped the ball on their thinking that because the printer also cuts, no one will ever want a cutter that will match it.

We have a job that is going to take a week and a half to run "if" we are printing and cutting. Probably take us two and a half weeks to run if we use the printer only.

It is my fault for not researching our purchase beforehand. It just chaps my azz to pony up the extra 2 grand on a cutter that is way larger than I have printer. My solution is to get the VS-640 but I am going to loose my shirt trading in this printer on one.

So for those about to buy a Roland 54 inch printer you might want to step up to a 64 instead.

 

[Letterbox Mike]

Why not get a plotter from another manufacturer?

 

[jmb474]

I dont see why it is a big deal. Never hurts to have a cutter larger than your print capabilities.

 

[AnotherSignManiac]

Why not get a plotter from another manufacturer?

thats what I was thinking as well... that's my set up Mimaki printer, Graphtec Plotter and I love it!

 

[signage]

Why not get a plotter from another manufacturer?

because Roland users are like Mac people

 

[Signed Out]

we have an xj 540 and gx 500... we didnt do enough homework but it hasn't been much of a problem so far but like you we have only had them for a year and a half

 

[StarSign]

Does anyone even make a printer over 54" that cuts?

 

[P Wagner]

Why not get a plotter from another manufacturer?

Just a guess, but if he is looking to drive the dedicated cutter from Versaworks (Roland's RIP) for print-cut, it is a non-starter unless you use Roland hardware. He would need a different RIP to do this.

 

[P Wagner]

Does anyone even make a printer over 54" that cuts?

Roland (VS640) and Mimaki do.

 

[MikePatterson]

To answer some of your statements.
1: I like the print and cut feature for a lot of my customers.
2: I like Versaworks and want to run both machines from one software. When needed.
3: Some times you need to be printing and cutting at the same time, on the same job.
4: A large cutter would replace 2 of our other cutters.
5: I can get rid of our edge stuff if I get the VS-640. The edge doesn't run much anymore.
6: I would rather have the same brand equipment in my shop. I am not partial what brand.
7: I like using Roland's spot color library. It saves time on color matches. Only works in Versaworks.

I can drive the printer and cutters with other software but like the prints from Versaworks a little better. Probably need to tweak our other rip a bit.

Ya'll seem to be missing my point. I could just buy another plotter. Graphtech makes a 54 in. cutter, but you would think Roland would build matching equipment. You can't tell me that it is so hard and expensive to build a cutter 7 inches longer. Drop the GX-500 line and make it a GX-540 and IMO they would not miss one single sale.

 

[MikePatterson]

You would seriously buy a 64" printer just to justify having a 64" plotter?

Seems a** backwards if you ask me.

Buy a different brand 54" plotter and move on with your life!

Pat,
You damn right, I would. I regret not buying it to begin with. I might just keep the 540 and buy the 640 too. We do enough wholesale around here that I almost need another one just for our jobs.

 

[petepaz]

if you feel you have to buy a plotter buy the roland 64" so you have the same brand(seems that's what you want) and just wait till the 64" print/cut goes on sale and then trade in your 54". why would it matter if you go a couple of years with the 64" plotter instead of 54"(if you get the bigger plotter it will still cut your 54' material and added bonus you can also cut bigger material if need be...???)

 

[jmb474]

Thats what im thinking. You already regret not getting the 64" printer which means in the future when you do end up getting a new printer that is what you will probably get. Why not already have the bigger cutter ready to go since you are looking to invest in the cutter right now?

 

[MikePatterson]

Y'all are right. I will have to get the 64" cutter. I guess I just got bent about having to pony up the extra 2 grand for a cutter I don't need right now.

 

[Gene@mpls]

We bought our SP540 about a year and a half ago. Now we need a matching cutter to up production so I start researching and low and behold Roland doesn't make a cutter to match their 54 inch printers. You have to step up to the GX-640. The GX-500 only cuts 47 inches. IMO Roland dropped the ball on their thinking that because the printer also cuts, no one will ever want a cutter that will match it.

I too am bumping up against this- once you are entrenched with Vworks
and their spot colors it is hard to switch- we have a *lot* of repeat orders
that would be a pain to have to figure out new colors on. And I do not need or have room for a 64" plotter (or printer). The workarounds are not pretty and time consuming from what I have tried. BTW we do no whole-
sale printing- only our own. I don't think any other plotters will read Roland reg marks? Gene

 

[JAMEY]

Yeah. Roland dropped the ball on that one.

 

[Kevin-shopVOX]

For those that want a graphtec and still want to use versaworks it can definitely be done and not really all that different. Use Graphtec Cutting Pro plugin for Illustrator (I think they have it for Corel but I'm not a corel guy) which is free. Set you documents up in illustrator like this. 3 layers. 1 for printing, 1 for contour cutting and the 3rd with the registration marks created by graphtec cutting pro. Since the graphtec can't read the traditional Roland print/cut marks you have to print these graphtec marks with the print layer. Print then load into the graphtec and then send the cut layer to read the registration marks directly from Illy. Works great. You can still you use your versaworks color library.

 

[royster13]

I do not understand why you think Roland is at fault here....They probably sell so few 54" cutters compared to printers that is not practical and/or economical to make a matching cutter....Like most of us in business do, they just followed the market....

 

[phototec]

For those that want a graphtec and still want to use versaworks it can definitely be done and not really all that different. Use Graphtec Cutting Pro plugin for Illustrator (I think they have it for Corel but I'm not a corel guy) which is free. Set you documents up in illustrator like this. 3 layers. 1 for printing, 1 for contour cutting and the 3rd with the registration marks created by graphtec cutting pro. Since the graphtec can't read the traditional Roland print/cut marks you have to print these graphtec marks with the print layer. Print then load into the graphtec and then send the cut layer to read the registration marks directly from Illy. Works great. You can still you use your versaworks color library.

This sounds like the way to go!