Does anyone own the new Summa 30" Thermal Printer yet?

[ImageFx]

Need feedback if anyone owns one and running it.

[GXSignCo]

No, but I sure am interested in it. I got some samples from them, which I also got some of the same ones from the DC3. One is a Coca-Cola can on reflective...very nice Coke red IMHO. I know these are more $$ to operate than inkjets, but I still like 'em...this and the Edge.

[DanStriker]

private message sent

[Geiger Racing]

I am going to take a hard look at them next week at the USSC show. Any info on the DC4 in general should be some help. The biggest concern that I have is what you can print on. I called them last week and what I got out of it is they will print on what they sell and thats it. I am sure someone has tried other media and how did it work?
Thanks
Jimmy

[Billct2]

Real interested too, in the DC4.

[WVB]

Summa states it will only print on the material it sells. (Made by 3M) not the case. It will print perfectly onto Oracal series of films without any problems. I sent them some artwork that they printed for me including some chrome mirror gold. It looks awesome! I will post a email pertaining to the DC4 when I get a chance.

[Ruddbow]

Any additional info out there yet?

[WVB]

Edit: this is for the 54" model.

Things that were asked was price per square foot, materials able to print on, and importantly if we can print on perforated materials. Also if lamination was required for installation on things such as vehicle graphics etc. These are the answers I received from one dist.


Thermal Resin has far and away the longest outdoor life of any technology currently available.
You raise a good point. The fact that DC4 does not need any lamination does not get it on the vehicle.
In our experience you can mask the output of DC4 to aid in application, or why not laminate it. Of course the cost is higher for the laminate, but you should be getting a premium for any kind of wrap, partial or full. In this case the lam is giving the stiffness needed for application AND abrasion resistance.
The scratch guard ribbon provides abrasion resistance and is best used on graphics for the front of a vehicle. It does not change the color. I don't think the scratch guard is to increase longivity. Scratch guard would NOT aid in installation.
The unit comes with 3M material ($1.00 sq ft)and it prints beautifully on that. In addition, we have found some other materials that perform wonderfully. They are Oracal 751C ($.56 sq ft), which we use in place of the 3M, and a material called Shinerite ($.26 sq ft)that we use for 1 year or less. We are also printing Static Cling Clear.
The main thing one must keep in mind is the cost of printing on DC4. Bear with me a moment and I will impart some very important information.
For any job printing on DC4 you have the cost of the material you are printing on PLUS the cost of the ribbons you are using. For every square foot of every ribbon you use you pay 41 cents. Remember this figure or write it down. Suppose you are printing a beautiful womans face for a vehicle graphic. This is done using CMY ribbons, you will not use black. There is in the software a choice of 3 color or 4 color printing and we never use 4 color. The DC4 can make the most impressive black you have seen using CMY ribbons. So back to our calculations. You image is 36" x 36" so that is 9 square feet. Three ribbons at .41 is $1.23 per square times our 9 sq. ft.= $11.07. Add to this the cost of the material you have chosen. In this case Oracal 751C. Nine square feet of the Oracal is .56 x 9 = $5.04 Before lamination or masking this image has cost you.....................$16.11. The selling price should be $12 x 9 = $108. Even if the customer orders the moon, keep the selling price at or above $10 a square foot. By doing this you can bless the customer with a bargain on the installation if you need to. Also, what if you need to do a reprint?
Finally, I asked before becoming a reseller of Summa if the Printer (then DC3) could print perf film. Perf film is very expensive, more than $1-2 a square foot. An unnecessary expense. In addition, did you know you must laminate perf film? Why? Because dirt collects in the "holes" and makes the film of no use. By purchasing a white ribbon (who else can print white?) you can print beautiful "one-way" vision graphics using a function of the software for this purpose. The media you use is Oracal 751C CLEAR (.56 per square). The printer, through the included software is able to prints the "dots" and give you the product you want at a reduced cost to you.
I hope I have not taken too much of your time. Feel free to forward any other questions.

[fatpinfield]

I have also been looking into the DC4 ans so far have been most impressed. I've been told it can print on just about anything without the need for lamination. Combine that with the built in cutter and you're saving yourself a lot of time.

[Geiger Racing]

I bought one at the USSC show and should get it just after the first of the year. They have setups in there rip for the vinyl they sell and it is all 3M. The differance is that they clean the surface an package it to keep it clean. The summa rep gave me the 3M part numbers while I was there and I shopped the 3M vinyl at a couple of the venders including Fellers and Summa is cheaper than them for the same product. They also told me they have printed on several of the R-tape products with good results. There are times when you should laminate and added UV protection for some areas is an example. All in all a nice printer and I can't wait to get mine.
Jimmy

[cajun312]

I'm very interested in this printer also, did you get a good deal by buying at the show or was it still list price?

Mark

[Poconopete]

I bought one at the USSC show and should get it just after the first of the year. ................
Jimmy
So how is this printer? Any problems? Cost per sf work out close to the #'s stated in the reply above?
Thanks

[Geiger Racing]

Overall it has been good for what I got it for. The more I print and learn the rip settings the better the out put looks. As for material I have printed on the R-tape vinyl EFX specialty stuff with very good results. I have gotten some vinyl from Summa in 50 yard rolls and the price is as good as I can get anytwhere. For 10 yard rolls I have been getting the 3M 180 C from FDC through Grimco. FDC will clean the vinyl for thermal printing at no charge and drop ship it direct to me. The contour cutting is dead on. I never thought that as fast as this thing can cut it would be so perfect. I do not run it at full speed, its to scarry to watch.
Jimmy

[signguy95]

Does this hold all the ribbons at once? I have never owned a gerber or thermal printer and was just wondering how you know what ribbons to put in? Any info on this would be appreciated!

Jay

[dclet]

Summa Printer and plotter users... ask away! Link below!

http://www.digital-graphica.com (http://www.digital-graphica.com/phpBB)

~

[Mike Paul]

I read in one of the trade magazines that Hyatt's just started carrying the Summa.
http://www.hyatts.com/sign/

[onesource]

I think someone is selling one on signweb dc3 for 9k

[GXSignCo]

I met a guy wanting to get about $6500 for a DC3 in really good condition. Lives in Oregon I believe. I think it's about 4 years old, but it's been sitting for about 1/2 of that now.

[Geiger Racing]

The DC3 firmware can be udated but you are still stuck with the 1 meter material width. With the DC4SX it will print on 24 and 30 inch wide material. This has made finding sources of materials much easier. I run 2 differant combinations of ribons in the machine now depending on what I an doing. CMY plus white and scratch gaurd or CMYK and white. Having the white makes it nice when printing on dark materials or clear.
Jimmy

[Bill Heishman]

I have DC3 and really love it for small and large jobs. Printing with the scratch guard though, has be a bit of a disappointment. It does not look good. Anyone have better luck with it than me?

The new firmware upgrade allows 600 dpi printing just like the DC4, just still limited to the 1 meter wide material. Wow the prints really look great now especially photos. Adjustments for speed and density are supposed to allow printing on many more types of materials than they sell. Summa just doesn't want to get caught up trying to explain, teach, troubleshoot every dang material on the market. That is going to be up to the user.

Bill Heishman

[2NinerNiner2]

To any one who has had their DC3 or DC4 for a while...what kind of real-world maintenance issues are you having, if any. To me, this would seem like one of the major benefits of these machines in the long term over any of the ink jets. Just look at all the posts here with folks having problems with pumps, dampers, wipers, capping stations, lines, etc., etc. Yet another benefit that I see is one that comes from my Gerber Edge experience and that is color matching in regards to reprinting an existing job many months later. This is a snap with thermal technology: load the same ribbons and go :) I ran into this issue a while back with my VersaCAMM; the client wanted some additional items added to the menu they had on their window (which I had produced a few months prior) and I had a heck of a time getting the colors to match, even using the same materials and design and RIP software settings!

[Geiger Racing]

The repeatability on color seems to be good. I can not tell the differance in the decals I printed yesterday and the first set I did for them in Janruary. I am keeping samples from most jobs with the workorders and notes on the rip settings for all jobs. My maintenance so far has been keeping it dust free with a swifter pad and to peel off the sheet on the cleaning roller every couple of days. I am a one man opperation and if I don't have any work for the printer for a few days I don't worry at all about how it will act when I turn it back on. For the small shop this is an advantage I believe. I think the biggest advantage to the DC4 over the DC3 is the ability to use 24 and 30 inch material.
Jimmy

[Ruddbow]

The fellas I bought my DC3 from explained to me a great process. Going in and ripping the file only seems to eliminate a few of my issues. They also suggested I make a shortcut to the SCC folder (which contains the files that have been ripped) Once ripped you simply open the scc file and print (you cannot modify this file) but if documented, simply burn a disk of those files every few months and it's a great way to keep a re-print in a easy place to find. I love mine, but the DC4 with the additional medium sizes sure would be a nice option.

[dclet]

what kind of real-world maintenance issues are you having, if any. To me, this would seem like one of the major benefits of these machines in the long term over any of the ink jets.

I just wipe it down occasionally, clean the print pad nothing major. It's a common mis-conception that it's a expensive machine(dc3) to run, but when your really compare features and time and what YOU SHOULD BE CHARGING per sq ft. it's pretty easy to turn profit.

Summa users ~
www.digital-graphica.com (http://www.digital-graphica.com)

[Todd Jelle]

Ive got the DC4SX
just wondered who else here has one & how you like it?
We like ours,
a few issues.
running out of cyan ...opis color marks
backlit signs, stilll trying to figure out the best line screen, etc...
We frequently print from Flexi, using KF diffussion instead of angled screen
which gives great results for truck door logos with gradients & blends blurs.

Just want some feed back from other DC4 users
as well as specialty medias your trying with results or opinions
or problems warnings or anything related
thanks
Todd

[technowolf]

what kind of printing speed do you get out of the summa dc4? seems to be pretty slow?

[Flame]

What's the retail price on one?

[Geiger Racing]

Mines running right now. Has been good so far. The learning curve was a pain getting the pass overlap right to get rid of the banding but once I got the hang of it the thing runs good. Printing is slow but if you need what these things are good at then the speed does not seem so bad. I have had good luck printing in 3 color mode and it helps with the problem of it burning off the cyan. As far as media the stuff from Summa is priced ok and the consistancy is very good. I have printed on several of the lighter colors of 651 with good results and the R-tape vinyl EFX prints great and looks good.
Jimmy

[PrintMe!]

The DC4 is on my wishlist. With the proliferation of inkjet vinyl and banner wholesalers, I see no need to have an inkjet of my own. However, I'd love to have a Summa thermal, with that incredible cutting accuracy Summa is famous for. Nice to have a printer on hand for customers who can't wait a few days.

Need decals or doorsigns? Print 'em on the DC4. Need banners or a ton of printed vinyl? Outsource.

I also like to idea of a 3-5 year anti-fade warranty. Up here in the north, where we suffer from sun deprivation and alcoholism, I'm guessing we'd be closer to the five year side of that estimate.

JMHO.

Love my D60! Four years of perfect service!