Would you buy a used Vutek QS3200 instead of new?

[grouimaging]

I am starting to look at more industrial UV printers. Would you consider buying a used Vutek QS3200 printer as opposed to a new one. Would you carry a service agreement or learn the service and repair yourself?

[Mike LaForest]

Jeff : We have a new GS 3200 and a 3 year old QS3200. I have 1 staff member that is trained and can do most repairs , but there is no way I would want to rely on that as the answer. Also service isn't the only reason for contracts .. we review annually and parts are included in Vutek service contracts as well as some upgrades and if you are in the UV Digital arena equipment is beng improved on almost weekly!

[groupimaging]

Mike,
thanks for the reply. It is just so expensive to keep the service agreements. I never thought about the issue of updates to the UV pritners. Thanks.

[phyne]

We elected not to get a service contract on a new QS2000, and that was over 2 years ago, and I would say we are $50K up. These machines are commercial quality, made for 24 hour duty cycles. We have had very little go wrong with the machine in 3 years of ownership.

I would get a Vutek refurb with their warranty.

[PrimePrinterService]

I worked for Vutek for 10 years. If you have any questions regarding Vutek equipment, please don't hesitate to contact me!

Bob Rafferty

[OzPrint]

I worked for Vutek for 10 years. If you have any questions regarding Vutek equipment, please don't hesitate to contact me!

Bob Rafferty

Hi Bob,

We are thinking that buying a hybrid printer might be too much of a compromise?
How well do you think these belt machines handles banner vinyl and other roll media?
We are worried about tracking and wrinkling issues with a machine that does not have a more advances pinch roller system and without a closed loop feed and take up system?

[PrimePrinterService]

Hi Bob,

We are thinking that buying a hybrid printer might be too much of a compromise?
How well do you think these belt machines handles banner vinyl and other roll media?
We are worried about tracking and wrinkling issues with a machine that does not have a more advances pinch roller system and without a closed loop feed and take up system?

Sorry that I took so long to respond...

I have installed and serviced MANY Vutek flatbed printers. In all of my experience, the Vutek flatbeds rarely print more than 20-25 feet without having to be re-loaded.

10-15 feet is far more common. This is one of the reasons that Vutek created the QSr (Roll-to-Roll, UV curable printer).

Tracking and wrinkling are definitely issues that you will run into if you plan to print a lot of web media on the flatbed printers.

Bob Rafferty

[OzPrint]

Sorry that I took so long to respond...

I have installed and serviced MANY Vutek flatbed printers. In all of my experience, the Vutek flatbeds rarely print more than 20-25 feet without having to be re-loaded.

10-15 feet is far more common. This is one of the reasons that Vutek created the QSr (Roll-to-Roll, UV curable printer).

Tracking and wrinkling are definitely issues that you will run into if you plan to print a lot of web media on the flatbed printers.

Bob Rafferty

No worries Bob and thank you very much for your answer!

We figured as much as all other successful web media machines always work with a multiple set of up and down rollers to minimise wrinkling before hitting the platen.

In other words is it impossible to create a belt fed solution for flexible media without pinch rollers OR a complete web system?

I guess EFI would say that their heavy duty media feed system will do just this?

We still have our doubts...

[Basin View Signs]

Sorry that I took so long to respond...

I have installed and serviced MANY Vutek flatbed printers. In all of my experience, the Vutek flatbeds rarely print more than 20-25 feet without having to be re-loaded.

10-15 feet is far more common. This is one of the reasons that Vutek created the QSr (Roll-to-Roll, UV curable printer).

Tracking and wrinkling are definitely issues that you will run into if you plan to print a lot of web media on the flatbed printers.

Bob Rafferty

Hi Bob,

Vutek offer the Heavy Duty Winder as an option to improve roll to roll media feeding on the flatbed hybrids. Have you had any experience using the HDW unit on Vutek QS3220 printers?

[PrimePrinterService]

Hi Bob,

Vutek offer the Heavy Duty Winder as an option to improve roll to roll media feeding on the flatbed hybrids. Have you had any experience using the HDW unit on Vutek QS3220 printers?

I have not had any experience on the QS3220 specifically. The Heavy Duty Unwinder/winders help. Any of the Vutek printers will track better with a heavy duty winder, than they will without one.

My opinion is that the HDWs don't make a flatbed printer into a roll-to-roll machine. It's still a flatbed printer. The longest run roll-to-roll run that I have ever seen on ANY Vutek flatbed was 25 feet, before having to cut and reload the media. This is after spending hours and hours aligning the unwinder/rewinders. 15-20 feet is more common.

If you are concerned with running LONG runs of rolled media, you are much better off to get a roll-to-roll machine.