Flatbed Printers

[nastewart0521]

We are looking at getting a new flatbed printer sometime soon. Our next printer has to be 5' x 10' in size and have the ability to do braille. This is not an easy decision to make as some people might know. We already have a Canon Arizona 2280 gt (4' x 8') and have mixed feelings about it. The printer itself has excellent print quality but we have struggled with ink adhesion on acrylic and acm. When we wipe down material with a cleaner before printing a lot of times you can see wipe marks in the print. In our experience just because you buy a big name product doesn't really mean anything. We have bought HP hybrid printers and had manufacturer defects right out of the box. Same with our multicam cnc we bought a couple years ago. The machine was assembled incorrectly and it took at least 4 techs to come in over the span of a year to come in and figure that out.

With all of this being said, we are trying to decide which route to go. I know people are human and mistakes happen but are the big names really worth the price? People commonly refer to some machines as Chinese junk, but aren't a lot of parts on machines outsourced to places like China to make the profit margin higher? Our Canon tech has told us in the past that Canon uses the cheapest parts possible. In my research, it seems like the most common heads on these flatbeds are Kyocera, Ricoh, Toshiba and Epson. If I buy a Xante with Ricoh heads how much worse can it be than a EFI with Ricoh heads?

Any feedback is much appreciated!

 

[ProColorGraphics]

I have been impressed by the samples I have got from Stratojet. The reps I have talked to are super helpful too. I would check them out.

 

[MarkSnelling]

I sell the Fluid Color flatbed and hybrid units. They are 'empty frames' brought in from China and then Fluid Color in Cincinnati customizes the machine to your needs. You choose the size (4x8, 5x10, 6.5x10), the print head (Ricoh Gen 6 or Kyrocera) and whether your want white or varnish...lastly - they have up to three rows of heads available so you can do some very cool things. You can go for straight out production and load up with three rows of CMYK+W and crank product out....or you can run it with our new configuration meant for raised printing where we put 3 varnish heads in the 1st row, 2 white heads in the 2nd row, and then CMYK in the 3rd row. This will allow you to build you layers with varnish (no pigments means it layers, cures, and bonds better) and then you cover the raised areas with white then CMYK all in one pass.

We did a virtual demo with a group recently where we printed a 4x8 with raised ink in about 30 minutes. I can arrange for a virtual demo for you, but would much rather you come to Cincinnati to press the buttons yourself and get a full grasp of everything you need to know before buying. They are directly adjacent to the Cincinnati airport and you can easily be in and out in the same day.

 

[nastewart0521]

I sell the Fluid Color flatbed and hybrid units. They are 'empty frames' brought in from China and then Fluid Color in Cincinnati customizes the machine to your needs. You choose the size (4x8, 5x10, 6.5x10), the print head (Ricoh Gen 6 or Kyrocera) and whether your want white or varnish...lastly - they have up to three rows of heads available so you can do some very cool things. You can go for straight out production and load up with three rows of CMYK+W and crank product out....or you can run it with our new configuration meant for raised printing where we put 3 varnish heads in the 1st row, 2 white heads in the 2nd row, and then CMYK in the 3rd row. This will allow you to build you layers with varnish (no pigments means it layers, cures, and bonds better) and then you cover the raised areas with white then CMYK all in one pass.

We did a virtual demo with a group recently where we printed a 4x8 with raised ink in about 30 minutes. I can arrange for a virtual demo for you, but would much rather you come to Cincinnati to press the buttons yourself and get a full grasp of everything you need to know before buying. They are directly adjacent to the Cincinnati airport and you can easily be in and out in the same day.

Will you guys be at the printing united expo?

 

[Smoke_Jaguar]

I would avoid anything Xante like the plague, their prices are insane for what you get and their support borders on incompetent in my experience. Just buy the Chinese unit they're going to sell you and figure it out yourself, basically the same experience at half the cost.

 

[nastewart0521]

I have been impressed by the samples I have got from Stratojet. The reps I have talked to are super helpful too. I would check them out.

I talked to Stratojet yesterday and am definitely interested. I'll be visiting their booth at the printing united expo for sure.

 

[nastewart0521]

I would avoid anything Xante like the plague, their prices are insane for what you get and their support borders on incompetent in my experience. Just buy the Chinese unit they're going to sell you and figure it out yourself, basically the same experience at half the cost.

What specifically is cheap about them? From what I've seen they don't have a varnish available so we wouldn't be interested in xante but I'm just curious.

 

[Smoke_Jaguar]

Basically a poorly supported kit printer. Kit frame, electronics/control kit and generic heads. Their mark-up on parts is also quite nuts, bad documentation and generally nothing to speak of for their asking price. Their stuff is just generic rebadged Chinese printers you can find on AliExpress. Not a bad starting point, but for what they want, they could at least do some upgrades. Hell, better tubing, quieter/nicer fans, something...

 

[MarkSnelling]

Will you guys be at the printing united expo?

Absolutely. They are going to be showing off a 4x8 flatbed with a "high gantry" allowing people to print on substrates damn near 20" thick. they'll also have a roll printer and a 126" hybrid on display. Booth 4042 I believe.

 

[4cpro]

I have an EFI 16h and the quality is good but it's slow. It's also not great with the transport belt and the material walking one way or the other when printing 2 sides. I'm interested in taking a look at the Vanguard line of printers at Printing United. I don't know if they have the option for multi level "braille" printing.

 

[MarkSnelling]

I have an EFI 16h and the quality is good but it's slow. It's also not great with the transport belt and the material walking one way or the other when printing 2 sides. I'm interested in taking a look at the Vanguard line of printers at Printing United. I don't know if they have the option for multi level "braille" printing.

Check out Fluid Color while you are there.

 

[CC-CMYK]

What specifically is cheap about them? From what I've seen they don't have a varnish available so we wouldn't be interested in xante but I'm just curious.

Every print sample ive gotten from them are bad. I looked at them for a wile and saw them at printing united. I wish they sold good printers because i have a narrow shop entry.

 

[Smoke_Jaguar]

Downside of trade shows is most exhibitors get mad when you pull out the screwdriver and start poking around under the hoods of the printers.