Looking at the Jetrix 3015.

[synergy_jim]

We are looking at the Jetrix 3015. test prints have been great and the 4" height clearance is a +++.

I already have some crazy ideas for this thing...

Any thoughts?

 

[bossprint]

Interested as well

Just received some of my samples today. I am really interested in this machine and the 2513. Have you seen it print in person?

 

[10sacer]

Good luck...

 

[CS-SignSupply-TT]

"...good luck..."???

Good luck...

When you make a simple comment like this, it leads to many questions. In general, your thoughts on the JETRIX?

 

[10sacer]

This printer has been out for almost 3 years and they don't even have 20 installed in the US. Their distribution channel is all wrong and the service and support is sparse due to the lack of installed units. The machine itself is very nice, but its overpriced for the market segment it resides in.

Anytime someone comes on here and asks about a second tier printer I will wish them good luck because they are stepping out on an unsupported ledge and taking a chance on something. There is only one other person on here that has a Jetrix so how much help are these guys gonna get if they start looking for answers?

 

[CS-SignSupply-TT]

Thank you!

This printer has been out for almost 3 years and they don't even have 20 installed in the US. Their distribution channel is all wrong and the service and support is sparse due to the lack of installed units. The machine itself is very nice, but its overpriced for the market segment it resides in.

Anytime someone comes on here and asks about a second tier printer I will wish them good luck because they are stepping out on an unsupported ledge and taking a chance on something. There is only one other person on here that has a Jetrix so how much help are these guys gonna get if they start looking for answers?

Thank you for taking the time to respond, while adding your knowledge, wisdom, and experience to the conversation.

 

[jhanson]

Jetrix is actually selling a new model with a 10' by 5.7' bed; the clearance is lower (2.x inches) but uses Konica heads instead of the older Spectra heads. The quality looks great so far, and I'm waiting to see some more test results (as well as feedback from the installation of the first model here in the US).

As far as the comments about distribution channel, it's difficult for anyone to introduce any new UV printers to the market because of the high price and the fact that the current players are so entrenched in the market. Good luck to ANYONE who tries to get around HP/EFI/Agfa. That's why companies like Jetrix are being pushed to distributors like the Oldham Group -- none of the big guys will pick them up since they're ALREADY selling competing products, and why would you pick up something that will cannibalize your existing business?

 

[10sacer]

If I were Jetrix - I would have gone after the smaller regional dealers - much like CET has done... and gained wider coverage for my product.

Tim can probably speak better of this than me.

When DuPont launched the Cromaprint line - we decided to remain loyal to our main channel partner (Pitman) for several reasons that include the Cyrel relationship, but they had overwhelming nationwide coverage in the most key wide format areas that had the greatest potential for growth, had a built-in service group and had color profiling guys that were already trained with the DuPont proofing software.

As far as the new model migrating to KM heads... welcome to the party... finally. Everyone else in this market segment has moved to KM heads 2 or 3 years ago. Now we are looking at the newer Ricoh heads being introduced into these printers. Jetrix screwed up by initially wasting 2 years trying to get Memjet heads to be reliable jetting UV ink consistently.

 

[ezposter]

Jetrix Purchase

The reasons I bought a Jetrix:

1) Support from a family owned distributor whom I can call "anytime" if I have a problem - 24/7 and get immediate support. I just made a Saturday call a couple weeks ago and reached my Oldham support tech.

2) Looked at everything else at the 2010 Las Vegas show and nothing was built as solidly as this machine with the quality output / price combination.

3) Only other grey scale machine other than OCE or FUJI that was affordable in the market - which means less print heads and less ink cost. No Lc or Lm.

4) Large 2 liter ink paks that are competively priced for the price range of the machine. Each color supply holds 4 liters in the printer.

5) Only affordable machine I found in the 5 x 10 size which sets us apart in the market.

6) Prints fast enough to allow for a reasonable ROI and quick customer turnaround

7) Includes a primer channel for difficult to stick to substrates without using caustic adhesion promoters - can print to glass, bare metal and acrylic

8) Was willing to learn to do my own basic part replacement with free phone support to save on maintenace service contracts after the initial warranty period. Most service contracts are 10% of the machine's cost.

9) Quality "non Chinese" made parts throughout the machine - Mitsubishi controllers, Schneider electrical components, Image Technologies UV componenets, etc.

10) The reason they use the Spectra Q Class printheads is because of the excellent jetting accuracy and smaller droplet size. Multiple passes have uncanny droplet placement accuracy.

11) Strong three zone separate ring blower suction system all operated from the operator control PC. No knobs or valves to operate.

12) Separate operator control PC which separates the job setup and ripping from the print operator. One person can be prepping and ripping files while another person operates the printer from the control PC.

 

[10sacer]

Oooo-Kaaayy.

All legitimate reasons to buy most any printer.

Good luck.

 

[synergy_jim]

getting closer to making a decision.... still liking Jetrix though.... thanks for the input guys.

 

[10sacer]

What printer are you leaning towards?
How pissed would you be if you settled on the Jetrix and found out they are leaving the US market?

 

[Donny7833]

What's the price on the Jetrix?

 

[10sacer]

$140K - $160K, but I bet you could get them down to $120K

 

[jhanson]

The rough price I got from Todd at Oldham was approximately 185k for a fully equipped 2030FRK including the roll to roll option, CMYK, white, varnish and primer heads.

Output quality I'd describe as equal or superior to most products on the market today. The ink interestingly enough has almost a non-slip texture to it, so it's not glossy (that may be why the varnish option is available).

 

[Donny7833]

Hhmm.... Seems a bit rich. Granted I haven't seen samples from the Jetrix...

I've been looking at CET, not as sexy looking as the Jetrix, but for the money I think the CET is a better buy.

 

[jhanson]

Don't forget that the 2030FRK has a Euro-sized flatbed (6x10), while the CET only does 4x8. For shops that run a lot of 5x10 materials, that is a must-have and a reason why my shop can't even consider a CET.

 

[artbot]

CET, AO-Jet, and Flora all make a 6x10 "CET" flatbed.

AO-Jet currently has two 6x10 konica flatbeds in stock/ready to ship. i recieved AO-Jet samples the other week and the samples look spectacular. contact nicky for further questions/pricing about AO-Jet (the prices are compelling).

aa

 

[jhanson]

Well, I was more specifically comparing apples to apples. CET's true flatbed offering is only 4x8, as is Flora's. I see that CET is now offering the X-Press 1000HL, but that's a belt drive hybrid... and it's using Spectra Polaris 512-15 heads, which range from 15 to 50 picoliter drops. Compared to our current Vutek QS3200, that means that it's going to be just as grainy -- the Seiko 512 heads also have a 15pl (binary) drop.

AOjet has the AJ-1832UV which looks like the one you showed in the attachment. However, their maximum print speed is almost half that of the Jetrix, which makes me believe they're using the KM512 heads rather than the KM1024 heads.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to put the Chinese manufacturers down. It's just that the quality of samples I've seen from Chinese machines so far, including Teckwin's current offerings, either isn't as good as it could be, or the machines run too slowly for our production needs.

 

[artbot]

none of those OEM's ever made a 5x10 (as far as i know). it goes from 4x8 straight to 6x10 nothing in between. it's a very standardized build.

it is the km 512, AO-Jet has a staggered three head head carriage (3x cmyk, then the balance of the 15-16 heads depending for white and varnish. that would go pretty fast.

a loaded AO-Jet 6x12 cost probably half as much as a 1024 based machine so there's really no comparison.

the samples of the AO-Jet were easily the best print quality that can be achieved from km512 and the color was electric for the bright and very smooth for the neutrals (also my samples were CMYK no lmlc 720x720 4pass)