Which
of the new flatbed large format inkjet printers for thick
and rigid materials is best? Mimaki JF 0604, Mimaki JF 1218,
or the sophisticated Durst
Rho or the American machine Vutek?
Flatbed
inkjet printers are becoming very popular. First Durst produced
a flatbed for about $460,000 or more (Durst Rho). Then Vutek
presented the PressVu, which costs comparably. Then Gradco
came out with their Gradco
Mammoth. a completely different class of mid-range flatbed.
Then at ISA trade show ’01 Mimaki comes out with their
two flatbeds, a small 16 x 23 inch model (the Mimaki JF 0604)
and a medium sized 48 x 72 inch model (the Mimaki JF 1218).
Like the Gradco Mammoth the two new Mimaki printers use Epson
piezo printheads, This means acceptable quality but slow printing
and water-based dye or pigmented inks, as with all Rolands,
Mutoh,
other Mimaki models, and the Epson 7000
and Epson 9000 printers.
More
information when we have studied the printers in detail. This
Mimaki flatbed wasn’t available until April 2001 in
any event. In the meantime we have gathered together the key
facts on flatbed printers for rigid and thick material. This
has been substantially updated during three days of analysis
of UV curable and solvent ink flatbed printers at SGIA ‘02.
While
you are at it, you can also ask for the "FLAAR report
on inkjet printers for signs, posters, banners" (specify
whether for indoor signs with normal inks or outdoor signs
in the rain and sun with solvent inks on vinyl). If you
are unsure which, then just tell us what you intend to
print, whether this is your first (or second) printer,
and what kind of help you need.
You
can also ask for the report on "Media and Inks for
Sign Printing with Large Format Inkjet."
If
this will be your first printer, then we have a special
report that holds your hand and leads you through all
the basic questions that will assist a first-time buyer
of a large format printer. Purchase
the FLAAR report on "RIP + Help." This explains
what RIP software is, why this is useful, and includes
tips, warnings, information, and help for a wide range
of matters for a newbie. Here you will really appreciate
that FLAAR is based at a university; Professor Hellmuth
has plenty of experience writing in a manner that explains
what you need, and why.
No, we can't save you from
printer problems that we don't know about, and yes, even
the worst printer has some redeeming usefulness. Thus
you need to make the final decision yourself. But at least
we can provide plenty of helpful tips and warn you about
the more subtle kinds of bait-and-switch advertising.
We have seen printers advertised as "photo realistic"
when in fact a photographer would be embarrassed to see
his or her images on that printer. The slowest printer
of all is flagrantly advertised with hype claiming it
is the absolute fastest. Our tests also demonstrate that
the output is so pathetic that you would throw the prints
in the trash. You would also lose your clients if you
attempted to charge them for such awful output.
On
the subject of unusable output, if you wish to learn which
inkjet printers won "worst in show" category,
ask for the FLAAR evaluations of large format printers
at trade shows: DRUPA, Seybold, Photokina ‘00, PhotoEast+SGIA,
The Big Picture SHOW, and others. Most of these reports
are available at no
cost.
Additional updates from winter 2005 onward are also being put into the FLAAR Report Series in PDF format and are available on www.wide-format-printers.NET.
