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Roland Flatbed Printer
- Thread starter Signscorp
- Start date
CanuckSigns
Active Member
Everything I've ever read about roland flatbed printers says they are slow, unreliable and expensive, I'm sure the new ones are similar.
rjssigns
Active Member
For an entry level printer I'd look at a Mimaki JFX200-2513EX. 8 grand less MSRP than the Roland and most likely worlds ahead in quality and reliability. I run the previous version 2513 in the lab and it's been a workhorse. Albeit a slow workhorse but it hasn't required anything other than normal maintenance since installation. Heads were replaced about a year ago. They flat wore out from running so much. Yes, heads are considered a consumable item.
The "EX" version is supposed to be faster but I don't have first hand experience.
Jay Grooms
Printing, Printing, Printing......
as someone who's had the pleasure to use the previous iteration of the Roland flatbeds, get a Vanguard.
Zach Starr
Head of Printing Operations
Roland printers a very slow. Have a look at the Stratojet flatbeds its great for printing ACM and has a good white parking feature if you won't be running white every single day. And if you have the budget check out swissq nyala
Another vote looking into the Mimaki 2513-ex. We actually bought that machine then cancelled it because shipping kept getting pushed back. We should have waited. We then decided to spend a bit more and thought what we would a better machine with Vanguard vr6d-e. Have had a few problems already and while tech has been awesome helping us, it still doesn't fix the machines other drawbacks. We print mostly 3a foamcore and sometimes want to just print a few cut offs here and there. Well, the vacuum pretty much doesn't work on the right front quadrant, foam core easily moves over it, so it's either one or two cut offs to keep on the left side of the machine, or a full 4x8 sheet. Also the lamps heat up the foamcore to the point it makes the foam core warp while it's printing, causing head strikes. I asked what the return policy was and am still waiting for an answer. I told the sales rep we print on foam core 99.9% of the time, and he sold us a machine that sucks doing it. Their higher end machines might be better but this has been the worst investment ever so far for us and truly wish we went with the Mimaki, it could suck too but at least it was cheaper. Didn't hear many good things about Roland during my research. Also look into the Epson, we just didn't have any nearby reps to talk to about that one.