Rena Mach5 to replace my offset press?

[csudman]

I've searched and there have been a few threads that mention it but it seems no one has had there hands on it yet. It seems this unit with its inkjet technology might be the game changer that digital printers have been waiting on.

Quick background, (and I'm sure this is a similar story to alot of users on this site).

I work for a quickprint/light commercial printer.
10 years ago, 50/50 - digital/offset
5 years ago, 70/30 - digital/offset
today, 95/5 - digtal/offset

We have an abdick t-head press. Not the greatest machine, but I can do 2 color spot printing on it fine for letterhead and Env.

For the last year I have been putting more and more short run letterhead on my KM c6500 and I've had no complaints about toner peeling/coming off. But when envelopes are needed, we have to bring the press operator in. In a few days I'm getting my km c8000 (Sweet!!) so my quality will only get better.


So...From all the reading I've done, the Mach5 has a decent print. But there is very little first hand knowledge of the machine(It's new). It seems like this could be the machine to replace my press. Most of the press work I do, 90% of it is not "color critical", but I need to be able to hit a pantone when nessiary.

According to Rena's website, running a basic logo style env. consumables are about 2.77 per 1000. (It will run sheets as well) Thats cheaper than running my press. That means I can loose an employee possibly and have what works out to the cheapest production costs I've ever dreamed of for this kind of work.


All that said, has anyone else considered this as an offset replacement? Thoughts?

The machine in question. MACH5 | Rena Systems | Faster Print Lower Cost Full Color Did I mention it will run gloss stocks and is rated to about 20pt cover, prints full bleeds with no trimming and operates at 1' per second.

Thanks
CJ

 

[smatros]

Interresting unit. I've seen Memjet in action and it's impressive. What price tag does this unit have?

 

[csudman]

from what I've seen 13 to 16,000.

Interresting unit. I've seen Memjet in action and it's impressive. What price tag does this unit have?

 

[csudman]

So no one has had any experience with this unit?

 

[JustPrint!]

I had them send me a sample kit... the prints look decent but it looks home inkjet material. Text not crisp, black ink faded. I wasn't impressed about quality, but their price is what got me interested in first place.

 

[csudman]

I had them send me a sample kit... the prints look decent but it looks home inkjet material. Text not crisp, black ink faded. I wasn't impressed about quality, but their price is what got me interested in first place.

What about colors? Was it sellable as offset?

 

[graficworx]

I've seen some samples, and my biggest issue is that the inks are not water safe like offset or laser. Get a drop of water, or sweat, and it runs like a home inkjet. That for me is the nail on the coffin. It's not uncommon for mail to get wet, and if your clients customers get a waterpaint looking mess, they won't be happy, and neither will your clients.

 

[JustPrint!]

What about colors? Was it sellable as offset?

Nope not sellable as offset. Not close

 

[graficworx]

Nope not sellable as offset. Not close

I didn't want to be the one to say it, but I agree, not remotely close. I've seen $50 HP inkjets at Walmart do better. It would be good for addressing, but that's about it. The blacks are faded, text is wavy, colors are off; it's a neat idea, it just needs a lot of work. Some better inks, better registration, and it might work. If you want an envelope press get an Ilumina, it's way better than the Mach0.

 

[csudman]

I didn't want to be the one to say it, but I agree, not remotely close. I've seen $50 HP inkjets at Walmart do better. It would be good for addressing, but that's about it. The blacks are faded, text is wavy, colors are off; it's a neat idea, it just needs a lot of work. Some better inks, better registration, and it might work. If you want an envelope press get an Ilumina, it's way better than the Mach0.

Well, thank you for the honest opinion. That makes a big difference. I know that InkJet is the future of printing, we just have to wait a bit more for it to be affordable and sellable at the same time.

CJ

 

[gutenberg]

The samples they sent me were okay. They called and asked me what I thought..i told them some of the colors were bland etc, like others here. Rena guys asked for vectored artwork from jobs I run and said they just got in custom color profiles from Memjet and that that would help. Big difference, Black was way better, reds deeper. Will replace all of my envelope logo jobs without a doubt. Doing university etc. work in envelopes.

ITS - Neopost here in Philly just got an order from me.

 

[csudman]

Will replace all of my envelope logo jobs without a doubt.

Interesting

 

[kilgore]

We are looking to add a digital envelope machine also.
I was not impressed with the samples I received from the Mach5

I am getting samples/info from an Oki machine that I have heard good things about.

 

[csudman]

We are looking to add a digital envelope machine also.
I was not impressed with the samples I received from the Mach5

I am getting samples/info from an Oki machine that I have heard good things about.

Basied on the responses, I'd say they are still tuning this machine. Some samples are great, some are not up to sellable work. It may work out, but time will tell.

 

[kilgore]

the inkjet was not good enough for our needs

We have decided to go with the OKI DP900 with the Thiele feeder configuration..I'll post how it goes after the install

 

[damfino]

Feeder

Feeder

I believe the Thiele feeder is a bolt-on unit. Not recommended. Consider a Straightshooter or VIP which simply rolls-up. Allows you to use the by-pass tray manually when you need it.

 

[kilgore]

damfino ,
Thanks for the input...I am not too concerned if the Thiele is a bolt on..we plan to use it exclusively for envelopes...

Do you know of any other issues with the Thiele?

I do appreciate your taking the time to post

 

[damfino]

Feeders

Feeders

I have no experience with the Thiele, but in watching the set-up video on You-Tube, it looks overly complicated.

I have a Straightshooter and PSI feeder. The PSI is bolt-on, and the Straightshooter is a roll-up. Because I can not afford downtime, if a Okidata goes down I can simply roll in a back-up printer (I have 5). Can't do that with the PSI system.

BTW, I am using Oki 9800's which afford simple, effective color correction right on the printer console. The 9650 forces you to accept whatever it spits out. The new Oki 910-930 printers do offer better color control, I believe.

 

[Roback]

I have a Rena Mach 5 ordered. I thought the samples were sellable as offset. I already have a OKI 9650 for the highest quality requirements. They haven't given me a date for delivery but the contract is signed. I ordered it in March and they had a deal if you ordered it before Mar 31, it was $13995.

 

[graficworx]

The major problem with inkjet is that the inks are not water stable like laser or offset. If they used a UV curable ink or something similar it would be ok, but it's very common for printed pieces to get wet, although not usually intentionally. Mail gets wet because it's raining. Someone sets a coffee cup on an envelope. If any of these happen the Mach5 ink will run. Imagine how upset a customer will be if you run 1,000 direct mail envelopes for them with VDP addresses and all, only for the postal service to get the pieces wet, then call them undeliverable. It's happened.