Indigo to Laser...

kdw75

Well-known member
We were having our digital press serviced today, and the repairman was telling me he had spent the previous day helping dismantle an Indigo with wire cutters, and saws, and he was saying how it was really well made, and huge, but the ink lines they were cutting made a huge mess. During this I was wishing we could have taken the old machine off their hands. :)

Apparently they had talked the customer into buying a 1000i Color Press to replace their 2009 Indigo, which they said had been very reliable, but had trouble with ink sticking, and cost too much per click, so they were trashing it, literally, to make room for the Color Press.

It got me wondering if anyone could share the lease price for an Indigo, similar to the Versant 2100 in capability. It sounded like the Indigo has a far superior paper feed system, and I really envy the ability to print with ink, instead of toner, so I wondered about the cost of the system, as I have never inquired.
 
When we were inquiring about buying a press, we looked at the Indigo's. I can't remember exactly off the top of my head but I believe we were looking at somewhere around $4,000 a month or so lease. And you were required to do most of your own maintainence. I even think there was something in there about only getting so many maintainence visits a quarter on your contract. Then there was a charge for more. Then each "color" click was $.015. Basically K was $.015, CK would be $.03, cmy .045, and cmyk $.06. This was for a 3550.
 
The Indigo does have an issue with ink sticking to substrate. Really only a issue for book covers or postcards. It would be recommended to UV coat those items. The pricing AP90 gave is pretty similar to current pricing on their 5 or 7 series presses.
 
We recently switched from 2 - Indigo 3050 to Xerox ColorPress'. In fact, my very low mileage indigo is for sale, I'll make you such a great deal, you won't want to lease one. Yes, definitely a fact that the indigos are much better built than the toner based machines. And yes, it is totally the case that they produce a sheet that is much more representative of litho printing.

If you are having issues with indigo ink sticking to the substrate, you either have bad ink conductivity or the incorrect blanket temperature. When everything is right, adhesion is very good.

We switched mainly because we live in the peoples republic of California and the regulations have reached a point to where it's easier just to not have wet inks in our shop. Second, local customers are becoming more and more accepting of toner based printing. And third, sadly because it takes less skill to run a Xerox than it does and Indigo.

We always run off contract, so lease and click rates I'm not versed in. There are definitely Indigo people and Xerox people who will advocate on both sides.

And seriously, if you're interested on a super low cost indigo 3050, send me a pm.
 
I am not sure if the Indigo would be any better, but we are constantly having issues with static when running jobs printed with toner on our folder. They won't always go straight down the feed board, and will then crease, and fold slightly off, leaving hang out top and bottom. Jobs run on offset, never seem to have that problem. I can't tell you how many wasted hours we spend each month getting digitally printed jobs to fold properly. I really don't understand why the digital machines don't use feeders, and register boards like an offset press. I hate not being able to see the sheet as it is fed, and wish they would use a side guide for registration.
 
If you are having issues with indigo ink sticking to the substrate, you either have bad ink conductivity or the incorrect blanket temperature. When everything is right, adhesion is very good.

Samples straight from the HP demo center fail a hatch test, this is with yellow as the last color. Postcards ran through the USPS system without coating do not standup well either. For what it is worth the Xerox iGen has the same problem however the Xerox 1000 fairs much better the both printers.

I really like the indigo but it does have an issue with keeping ink on paper, a simple fingernail can get you right back to paper white.
 
We started with Indigo in 2001 and stuck with them till 2-010 then went to a Xerox 770 and have never looked back. IMHO our Indigo (the model 10000 printed a wonderful image but between the high click charges and the absurd maintenance schedule we just could not justify it any longer. the Xeros givs us adequate quality - virtually no maintenance, runs without an operator in the room 80% of the time and if theres trouble we cal Xerox and they are usually there the same day . . .. its just a matter of in 2001 the indigo was just about the only quality machine out there but in these days, fortunately, you have many more choices to get into the digital print world.
 
I am not sure if the Indigo would be any better, but we are constantly having issues with static when running jobs printed with toner on our folder. They won't always go straight down the feed board, and will then crease, and fold slightly off, leaving hang out top and bottom. Jobs run on offset, never seem to have that problem. I can't tell you how many wasted hours we spend each month getting digitally printed jobs to fold properly. I really don't understand why the digital machines don't use feeders, and register boards like an offset press. I hate not being able to see the sheet as it is fed, and wish they would use a side guide for registration.

Not in the case of the indigo but with most digital machines they are also sold to office type places who want more trays and have unskilled operators who wouldn't want it to be all open. I would like to see a 3rd party like lasermax or hunkeler make a offset like feed system that could be put on digital machines.
 

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