Upgrading equipment - advice on equipment

[evoprinting]

Hey everyone! Curious to hear your opinions. I am looking to upgrade and/or add some new equipment. We're a small shop primarily printing displays, wall vinyl and banners. There were 4.5 of us before the pandemic and now we're down to 3 for the time being. We are 60% sheet-fed printing, 40% wide format printing. Over the last year our main production guy quit and we are having a tough time replacing him. Much of the work has fallen back on me. It's given time to see our pain-points. Hoping we can find the right person to add to our team but in the meantime, I'm thinking automation is the key. Currently, we print and mount everything. Mostly in 4x8 sheets, then cut down as needed. We have an Epson S40, Seal Laminator and Summa S140 plotter for vinyl. I see eventually moving to a flatbed (or a hybrid flatbed). The flatbed would solve the mounting issue for the most part but I'm also looking at digital cutters (Summa F1612) to help with cutting and allow us to do custom rigid shapes. Right now we are limited to straight cuts on rigid material using a Festool rail saw. We use this of ACM panels and 6mm and thicker PVC panels.

I don't feel comfortable getting a new printer AND the cutter right now so the decision comes to which one, the printer or the cutter. Thoughts and or opinions are welcome. Thanks!

 

[balstestrat]

Flatbed cutter first, that's my opinion.
First of all it's probably 30-50% cheaper than the flatbed printer. Then you can deal all your rolls and sheets with that.
Only if you really wanted to go with the printer you can't efficiently make custom shapes. Not really a problem if you only make straight cuts but cuts easily get complicated.

 

[FloraUSA]

Hey everyone! Curious to hear your opinions. I am looking to upgrade and/or add some new equipment. We're a small shop primarily printing displays, wall vinyl and banners. There were 4.5 of us before the pandemic and now we're down to 3 for the time being. We are 60% sheet-fed printing, 40% wide format printing. Over the last year our main production guy quit and we are having a tough time replacing him. Much of the work has fallen back on me. It's given time to see our pain-points. Hoping we can find the right person to add to our team but in the meantime, I'm thinking automation is the key. Currently, we print and mount everything. Mostly in 4x8 sheets, then cut down as needed. We have an Epson S40, Seal Laminator and Summa S140 plotter for vinyl. I see eventually moving to a flatbed (or a hybrid flatbed). The flatbed would solve the mounting issue for the most part but I'm also looking at digital cutters (Summa F1612) to help with cutting and allow us to do custom rigid shapes. Right now we are limited to straight cuts on rigid material using a Festool rail saw. We use this of ACM panels and 6mm and thicker PVC panels.

I don't feel comfortable getting a new printer AND the cutter right now so the decision comes to which one, the printer or the cutter. Thoughts and or opinions are welcome. Thanks!

Hi.
This is Donna from FLORA USA. We are the master distributors for Flora UV Printers in the United States. Not only do we offer the new models, but we also offer factory reconditioned machines which are very affordable. Especially when you lease. These machines come in 4x8' and 6.5'x10', and also roll to roll wide & grand format machines. Addressing your need for a cutter, we currently have a Summa F Series 1612 in our showroom with the router assembly, which is a demo unit in excellent condition, very low hours, and priced nicely. You can't beat the quality of Summa cutters. These are offered through our sister company, Graphic Resource Systems (GRS) Please let me know if you would like more information on the printers & cutter and if you would like me to prepare a quote for you! Thanks & have a great day!
Donna A. Herrmann
DonnaH@theaps.net www.theaps.net www.thegrs.com
Sales & Marketing
FLORA USA - (AMERICAN PRINTING SYSTEMS, LLC.)
105 W. Dewey Ave- Bldg C 17 - Wharton, NJ 07885
NEW: 833-FLORA US
862-437-1457 x131
For support issues, address all inquiries to support@theaps.net
www.floraUSA.net
Flora USA - American Printing Systems is the official Master Distributor of Flora UV Printers in the United States.