Anyone using a UV Printer?

[Justin]

I'm very interested to hear from anyone using a UV printer. I'm looking at the Roland LEF UV200, saw these a couple of years back and was very impressed along with the Resolute version at P&P.

Huge investment that needs very careful consideration but wondered if anyone was running one?

[socialgiraffe]

Not one like this although I am currently talking to a supplier about the Mimaki version which I think is the better one at the moment....

[Justin]

What model is that Simon?

[socialgiraffe]

http://www.i-subdigital.com/mimaki-ujf-7151-plus.html

These guys are really decent as well, happy to provide samples and have a demo suite in Kettering (not far from your family I think ). If you want contact details on who to speak to there then let me know.

[Justin]

Good size print area on that monster, how does this compare price wise?

I see their smaller machines have the aptly named 'kebab' option for 360 cylindrical products, can these be done on this machine you're looking at?

[socialgiraffe]

They have two models and the only difference is the depth I think, one is 50mm and the other is 150mm ish

I have not talked about a firm price yet but I did hear of a 50mm A3 one that is either ex-demo or of that ilk which is around the £15,000 plus VAT mark which I think is relatively cheap. Get the right market and advertising at it will pay for itself within a couple of years if not quicker.

Not sure on how that compares to the Roland.

The potential on 150mm one is huge. I have a very specific thing I want to do with it, just got to get the pennies together

My only concern is that these are new. You can bet they will shoot down in price within a couple of years so is it worth taking the gamble now?

[Justin]

Good price. The Roland has 100mm clearance, 500mm length print so the Mimaki sounds interesting. The Roland start around £12k but that's the smaller 12" model, larger 20" model is around £24k by the looks of it, another £3k for the cylindrical attachment.

They do seem to open up a whole new area but at a price.

Scouring the internet Iv'e read that whilst print cost is very low, around 2p for a phone case, the machines waste a lot of ink cleaning etc.

[socialgiraffe]

Yep, these sort of machines need to work to get the money, or you need to have a business idea that no one else has.

Really grates me that they always show pens as the thing to print with them. Why should I spend £20k when I can get a pen printed for 8p INCLUDING the pen!!!!!

Not sure on phone cases either, you could probably convert a flatbed to print them, although why bother when you can do it pretty cheap with sublimation. But obviously its up to you on what you want to do with it

I am very wary of Roland customer service these days. They always come across as really good and no one can fault them, however, I have seen the other side of their business dealings which included their solicitor effectively telling me I can not win as they will burden me with so much legal paper work it will financially ruin me.

Their owners (a Chinese mob) are thugs in my very humble opinion

[ArferMo]

Looked at UV printers for a few jobs I was thinking of but when I did the maths (even ignoring ink maintenance cycle waste) The cost of the unit with maintenance contract and the painfully slow throughput I decided to knock it on the head. The initial price of the printers seems WAY over the top for what you get. I do like the 3D effect you can get with these printers but that's more passes and more time which is even slower throughput.

[froggy]

Justin, if your business can afford it (however you decide to pay) then go for it.

I look at it this way, if I havent got the right kit I cant do the job. If you wait for the prices to drop (as they surely will) you have lost time and the traction that you will gain entering your market before the others. If the machine was £1000 everybody would have one, how would you make it pay then? bit like a mug press set up.

As for pay back, if it takes 2 years to get your money back then the product, or margin or price point isnt right and maybe its the wrong product. I work on the machine bringing in 10x its cost per year (On my printing machines) Plus have a plan B C D E and F if the product you have in mind doesnt work out. These machines are versatile....thats why they are so relatively pricey.

Good luck