Want to make small wraps

[CutRiteFX]

I currently have a Graphtec 3000 and use FlexiSign. We have been doing vinyl for many years and have been trying to look into making small skins for example Drones, Phones ect.
My plotter does not have an optical eye for cutting printed designs.

I have been looking all over to find out what I might need without spending a ton of money.

We want to make small wraps and maybe laminate them if needed (do they need to be?) and cut them out.

What type of printer should we look into to be able to get this done.
Or do we have to purchase another plotter that has an optical eye.

I have attached a sample of what we are trying to do.

Thanks in advance for the help.
Scott

 

[0igo]

I currently have a Graphtec 3000 and use FlexiSign. We have been doing vinyl for many years and have been trying to look into making small skins for example Drones, Phones ect.
My plotter does not have an optical eye for cutting printed designs.

I have been looking all over to find out what I might need without spending a ton of money.

We want to make small wraps and maybe laminate them if needed (do they need to be?) and cut them out.

What type of printer should we look into to be able to get this done.
Or do we have to purchase another plotter that has an optical eye.

I have attached a sample of what we are trying to do.

Thanks in advance for the help.
Scott

you can either purchase a new plotter, something like a graphtec, mutoh cutter etc or if you plan on only doing print and cuts i would just go with a small roland that can do both and save you tons of headaches. cutters with the eye are not always a breeze. my graphtec sucks a**

 

[b2413]

Yes you are going to have to laminate most types of skins you are planning to make phones, drones ect.

As far as equipment, you are going to have to spend some money either on a new plotter with contour cut features or spend money on a print cut machine. You also would be wise to look at a laminator.

The other option you have it to just outsource the print cut file to a merchant member and avoid all the other costs.

 

[T_K]

If people are going to be handling these items, you definitely want them laminated.

Can't offer anything about equipment. I've always had Roland print/cut machines, so I'm not sure what to suggest for your situation.

Our creative director has gotten into flying drones, and we're looking at doing wraps for these in the future. Good luck to you!

 

[Dennis422]

You will need printer and laminator for sure.
You will need a new cutter to (If you do not get the print cut combo which has its own setbacks). You can do contour cutting with that one, but you have to be very precise with loading the printed material in the cutter and designs can not have a tight registration and white outlines (Must bleed). You just print out a starting point for your cutter in one corner of the print and mark that as your Origin point for your cutter. Very tedious and very accurate.
If you buy new cutter with eye you will have all 3 separate machines, you can go directly from one to another, if you have a print cut combo, you will need to take out print material from the printer to put back laminated material for cutting. No need for that with separate cutter.

I have used latex printer for sale now if interested, it prints good. I would suggest latex even if you do not buy mine or used. Not sure how much would you print, but latex does not have to be used every day, it can sit for a while without printhead issues or need for cleaning of printheads. Also, no need to wait for prints to outgas before laminating, you can laminate straight from the printer.

Other than that, if you are only to print smaller stuff, you can get away with used Roland BN20, which is a small format solvent printer/cutter. Or get 48" Mutoh.

Good luck.