View Full Version : ColorSpan or Gerber Solara?
FLSignMan
10-14-2007, 08:10 PM
Hi guys.
I'm new to the signage world, but have been tasked to research our company's entry in the UV world. Does anyone have any thoughts on the ColorSpan 5465 or Gerber Solara? I've also seen the preview on the Gerber Solara Ion, which also looks pretty interesting, albeit unproven.
Any thoughts would be most appreciated.
ScottyDoo
10-14-2007, 08:50 PM
I don't have any knowledge on the Gerber, but the ColorSpan's are actually quite nice. I run their big brother the 9840uv, but I know these are modeled after it on a smaller scale. Great machines. ColorSpan machines can be a headache, but if you really spend your time getting to know the ins and outs of each machine they can really work well for you.
KR3signguy
10-14-2007, 11:28 PM
The Solara, made by Fisher Price not Gerber.
I know someone who had a ColorSpan for a short period of time.
They needed something that could handle heavy production & this wasn't it. I would't consider any without a vacuum table. Wait to see what HP does with them.
All in all, you get what you pay for.
Good luck
Flame
10-14-2007, 11:30 PM
I don't own one, but talked to a dealer who sold both. They were really pushing the Solara. Saw prints from them both, and the Solara had some really nice looking prints.
If their price is similiar (can't remember pricing), I'd go with the Solara.
darinbushman
10-14-2007, 11:39 PM
Well, I was talking with my rep last week, he has a brand new solara that he would give away as the new Ion is going to come out 20k cheaper than the solara... Gerber is advising them to discount the crap out of any models they have in inventory... I would guess the ion is going to be better faster etc.. but now might be the time to get a great buy on a solara...
ScottyDoo
10-15-2007, 12:20 AM
I would't consider any without a vacuum table.
That's what is nice about the 9840.
Steve Prince
10-15-2007, 12:56 AM
I've had a Colorspan 5445 since April and there were some bugs, but I expected that since it was one of the first that shipped out. Colorspan stuck with it until it was good.
After 15 years of plotting vinyl and the Edge, we were maxed out as far as production speed and what we could offer.
The 5445 has opened up new markets for us in regards to lrg format graphics and speed. Now we take jobs we had to turn away for screen printers. A re-order we took in for 20 coro signs used to take about 14 minutes each to plot, weed and apply. Now it takes 18 minutes to complete all 20.
The Solara is cheaper but I was concerened with the speed.
KR3signguy
10-15-2007, 10:57 AM
That's what is nice about the 9840.
Maybe so but the machine is under engineered.
If your going to spend the money,
you gotta go with Gandi, Vutek, Nur, Inca
SignManiac
10-15-2007, 11:26 AM
I've been running the 5465 for the past four months now. A few initial bugs to work out but ours has been printing everyday that we've had it. I know I've done $80k in printing already in those four months if not more.
I just got a call from Carol a sales rep fro Freddies Plastics in Plant City Florida. She called to ask me if I knew of anybody looking to buy a used Solara. You might give her a call and get the info. It might be going for a cheap price given they have a new machine coming out which is news to me. I'm not a Gerber fan so I don't follow any news about them.
MobileImpact
10-15-2007, 11:26 AM
Solara-Great UV Printer Slow as hell and a bargain at the price now!
Colorspan- Good machine, overpriced-Wait to see what HP is going to do.
ION- wait 6 months until the bugs are worked out.
GXSignCo
10-15-2007, 11:30 AM
What are the Solara's going for NOW then? Anybody know?
ScottyDoo
10-15-2007, 01:18 PM
Maybe so but the machine is under engineered.
If your going to spend the money,
you gotta go with Gandi, Vutek, Nur, Inca
Won't argue there...I didn't have a say in it. Owners came back from a show in Vegas as said "hey, we just bought the new 9840uv." The thing that was the clincher for them was that we can put in our precut 12x18 and 18x24, etc and run them like that rather than loading a sheet and cutting it down afterwards. Such a huge timesaver.
KR3signguy
10-15-2007, 02:12 PM
does it have multiple vac zones?
signguy
10-15-2007, 03:04 PM
we have a solara uv2,, 1 yr old in may 07
the only 2 real issues that bugs me is MDO has to be flatter than humanly possible...
the registration on double sided is usually off by 1/8'' to 1/4''
as for speed...it takes about 45 mins to an hour on 3 pass for a 4x8
so it is slower than most.
we go to orlando soon...new toys yay!
Graphix Plus Ink
10-15-2007, 10:11 PM
The ION is supposed to be $79,995 and the Dealers I spoke to offered solara UV2's for as low as $34,000 Demo units.
Urban Image
10-16-2007, 01:49 PM
Most UV printers out there are a bit overpriced. If you buy now you'll be missing out. Wait 6 months. Some really cool machines are going to be coming out and others will have their prices absolutely slashed to hell.
Merritt Graphics
10-16-2007, 04:32 PM
http://www.gspinc.com/downloads/video/Solara_ION/ion_video.html
Pretty impressive for an entry level machine.
365 s/f/h in production mode.
$80k.
Nice way to get in the game both flat and r/r.
Robert M
10-16-2007, 05:54 PM
Mutoh has a unit available come Jan 2008. Specs say 140 sf/hr
nice thing is it will use bio inks that will be less cost and there will be no need for the expensive UV bulbs
petepaz
10-16-2007, 06:02 PM
that ion video looks good
the idea of sheets/flatbed and roll format is great
the other thing that would top it off would be mastering the white ink
i know mimaki has it but their machine cost as much as my house
FLSignMan
10-16-2007, 09:49 PM
Thank you very much for the comments guys.
I'm trying to do as much homework as possible before SGIA. If anyone can think of any other resources that they feel would be helpful I'd greatly appreciate it.
How difficult is it to print full bleed on flatbeds?
KR3signguy
10-16-2007, 10:02 PM
Mutoh has a unit available come Jan 2008. Specs say 140 sf/hr
nice thing is it will use bio inks that will be less cost and there will be no need for the expensive UV bulbs
When they say,
140 sf/hr
then cut that in half because you'll really be running it at the best quality mode/passes.
That's slow as shiat.
ScottyDoo
10-17-2007, 01:26 AM
Thank you very much for the comments guys.
I'm trying to do as much homework as possible before SGIA. If anyone can think of any other resources that they feel would be helpful I'd greatly appreciate it.
How difficult is it to print full bleed on flatbeds?
I can only speak for the 9840, but about 90% of my prints are full bleed. Easy as can be, just make sure the designers have the bleed added into the file and set how much you need the overprint to be, and that's it. It will overprint past the edges of the material and you're done. All you have to do is stay on top of cleaning up your belt so you don't get buildup. Not hard at all.
ScottyDoo
10-17-2007, 01:28 AM
then cut that in half because you'll really be running it at the best quality mode/passes.
That is slow, but why would you have to be running it at best mode/passes all the time. I always run mine bidi in production mode, for almost all jobs. Looks beautiful. Had some problems in the beginning, but after those were solved and everything was nice and calibrated, it's nice.
FLSignMan
10-24-2007, 10:04 PM
http://www.gspinc.com/downloads/video/Solara_ION/ion_video.html
Pretty impressive for an entry level machine.
365 s/f/h in production mode.
$80k.
Nice way to get in the game both flat and r/r.
Hey guys,
Just an update on the Ion...
I just got back from the first day of the SGIA show in Orlando and spent a solid 45 minutes speaking with the Gerber reps about the Ion. My biggest concern with it is reliability. In fact, the machine was down all day today (some kind of problem with the user interface). Needless to say, it wasn't comforting to see the machine down and none of their 10 techs they had on site could get it up and running. Currently, they have only built 7 machines so it is still very early on in the testing. They hope to begin getting it out in the field for beta users by December and shipping to customers late February of 2008.
That being said, the machine looks very robust and quality of samples was impressive. The low cure feature also was very interesting given the extended life benefits it provides to the lamps. An innovative machine to say the least, but definitely needs some time to work the kinks out....
Simon Belmont
10-28-2007, 11:21 PM
I'm also located in orlando FLSignMan, and I operate a 9840. Great printer, dont waste your time with the Gerber or the ColorSpan 5400 series, I can generate a long list of reasons why. Talk to Robert at Grimco for pricing on that machine.
Do not !purchase a hp / colors pan flatbed uv printer i have had mine for about 11 months with only 60 hrs on it The printer has had over 60 in shop man hours on it (warranty repair time) and is not fixed yet....the printer was purchased 1/07 i am having my lawyer return it for me....... call me 360-479-9200
some one else having the same problems>>>>
Kitsap SignCo has been dealing with colorspan for a 11 + months now, my 98 uvx has been basically been all most non functional. Media feed grit rollers have been replaced 3 times bearings 4 times they even broke some of the new grit roller bearing and super glued them back together o ya color spans own tech. did not know how to install them it took over 5 days plus a late evening shift
to reinstall the 3rd grit roller ...my lcd screen blinks / freezes up thay replaced the lcd screen and 2 control boxs ( screen is not fixed yet. ))
vacuum pump was replaced twice,,, 4 media drive motors replaced, Almost all the parts have been replaced 2-4 times everything except the print head... Printer has ink drop out problems, media feed on most slippery substrates dibond etc .... Three weeks before Thanksgiving through christmas o yaa new years
colorspan has over 80 tech man hours trying to fix the printer (a grand total of 160 hours of repair and testing time lots of ink and media lost)
over a eleven month period So buyer beware
Dennis kitsapsignco@bigstring.com
cartoad
02-26-2008, 02:21 AM
Hey KSC, did you get a replacement yet? Trying to decide what we want to purchase.
Hal in Kennewick
GXSignCo
02-26-2008, 02:37 AM
He'd probably sell ya his for a song...and a grenade!
as of 3/08 no.............ksc Hey KSC, did you get a replacement yet? Trying to decide what we want to purchase.
Hal in Kennewick
Fuzzbuster
03-31-2008, 09:07 PM
Better to look into jeti or agfa anapurna $ .10 or > sq ink costs
just my 2 cents for any kinda production
The problem with LESS expensive systems is the media handling system
Do some more reasearch and talk with owners of the printer your looking at
Good luck
Finally my lawyer got a response today from hp colorspan they want to give me a new printer in place of the existing 98uvx.....does any one know if hp makes a 8' (non colorspan) hybrid type uv flat bed printer that functions correctly.....????? ideas any one.....???????:Coffee:
Its a new Gerber ion baby...........Boy !!!!!! The ultra sound says it's due the end of Aug. LOL
ya!!!!! A New Baby ion it will be delivered sept.the :thumb:26th
Typestries
07-10-2008, 08:34 AM
ya!!!!! A New Baby ion it will be delivered sept.the :thumb:26th
of what year???? lol!!!!!
SignManiac
07-10-2008, 01:13 PM
I hope the ION will be dependable. Considering how long Gerber has delayed shipping production units, I would hopefully assume they have done a good job of debugging it for release. I am not at all happy with our HP/Colorspan 5465 printer. The one we are running now is a brand new replacement to the first one and it too is not reliable. They print okay when they're working but they are not at all reliable.
I'm going to look into making them take it back and hopefully find a replacement that I can depend on. Keep us posted on the new ION.
klmiller611
07-14-2008, 04:33 PM
KSC, if you will share, when did you place your order for the Ion? We ordered one on April 18, and with Gerber's lack of communication, I got an initial ship date of later August. Only through bugging our salesperson, did I get an updated ship date of later September, now, as of Friday, it is now pushed back to October 17. Of course, we assume, and we all know what to assume means, that it is to be in 2008.
yes the new ion is du next week 9/18/08 lol
cartoad
09-14-2008, 10:42 PM
Great, let us know how it perfoms!
Browner
09-24-2008, 12:48 AM
yes the new ion is du next week 9/18/08 lol
Has it come in yet?
We have had our new ion about 2 months now, it seems to work vary well... The ink useage is higher then the colorspan.... But we waste less materials on re-printing or not printing at all etc..
yes.....The ion printer is cool .........It does all that they say it will do...it uses more ink thin my old UV printer did But the work actually gets done....short learning curve....Prints on almost every Thing......self adjusting highth sensor for materials works flawlessly...
yes...The ion printer is cool .........It does all that they say it will do...it uses more ink thin my old UV printer did But the work actually gets done....short learning curve....Prints on almost every Thing......self adjusting highth sensor for materials works flawlessly...
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