Duplo DC-616 v DC-646

[BigSi]

Hi there. Seems to be a huge difference in cost between these two machines. Apart from speed what are the differences?.

With the 616 being that much slower! would there be much of a difference in the trimming time in say x21up bcards with a guillotine. I can trim x500 cards in under 15mins on my relatively moden guillotine. Would the 616 be able to do this in 1/2 this time?. (including set up time). I know one of the selling points with these machines is once it is set it up you can walk away, but with bulk of my runs quite small I dont think this would be as much of an advantage as it appears.

Your input is appreciated. Thanks Simon

 

[Wheate]

We have all our jobs stored within our Duplo 616. After selecting the correct template and running one sheet, make minor adjustment and run the full order (500 cards 25 sheets 21up) I would estimate 3-4 minutes till the job is complete. Total for 500 BC from first button press to in a box I would say 6-7 minutes. Perfect registration, our guillotine does not see BC anymore, waste of time for anything under 3k total pieces.

 

[jwheeler]

@BigSi , The 646 is 3x faster than the 616. Apart from speed, the 646 offers perfing in both horizontal and vertical directions, along with the ability to do "T" or "L" shaped perfs (meaning it doesn't have to go all the way from one edge of the sheet to the other...it can stop part ways through). The 616 only offers perfing in the feed direction along the whole sheet. Additionally, the 646 can do 8 slits, vs the 616 maxes at 6 slits. Lastly, the 646 is rated up to 400gsm, the 616 is rated up to 350gsm. For a small to mid-sized shop the 616 is more that sufficient and it will be a huge time saver for business cards. We have an MBM AeroCut Prime at our shop which is in-line with the Duplo 646. Like @Wheate , we have not cut business cards on our guillotine since acquiring it. One thing to keep in mind, is the time it takes on the Duplo isn't even manned time. You can load it and walk away to do other things, and come back to a completely cut job that's ready to box. You have to stand at the guillotine the entire time.

 

[ReproElectroProspero]

[Deleted because I was talking about a DC-618 not a 616, therefore not a useful contribution to the discussion]

 

[jwheeler]

You can do T and L shaped perfs on the 616 (strike-perfing), you just have to spring for the most expensive perf module, the RTM-08, and run the job in two passes. (Since you are limited to perfing parallel to the feed direction).

@brandon.fifer , the strike perf module came out with the 618 and wasn't available for the 616.

 

[BigSi]

Thanks guys. All very useful information. Just need to work out the ROI. I think it would be a no brainer if I had the volume???. I'm not so worried about the perfing options between the 616 and 646 (I have other machines to do that on) In a nutshell the two main differences between the two machines seem to be speed and 400gsm against 350gsm! any thing else I should be aware off ?
thanks.

 

[ReproElectroProspero]

@brandon.fifer , the strike perf module came out with the 618 and wasn't available for the 616.

I stand corrected, I didn't have my coffee when I made that post. You are very much correct.