What is the "right' Envelope color printer for a 300-600k a month volume.

[swaggen]

What is the "right' Envelope color printer for a 300-600k a month volume. The color jets are a few 100k . Is there no in between? memjet seem to get hammered after 200-400 k prints. Any suggestions?

 

[Risu]

Heidelberg DI offset, 10-20k $

 

[swaggen]

I think those only do single color and no variable correct? I need both. Variable and multi color.

 

[MailGuru]

At that volume, I would recommend either a Xerox Versant 180, or 3100

 

[kslight]

I tested a KM 6100 last week. It performed very well, especially for envelopes...can load up the big trays with #10s and it runs at rated speed. Has a dedicated fuser just envelopes. That is only a *demo* experience as we have not purchased the machine yet, so take that FWIW. Worth checking out for yourself though.

I have heard the Versant is improved over the J75 for envelopes, but the J75s we have do not run envelopes well, wouldn't recommend for that kind of volume.

 

[MailGuru]

We're running a Versant 2100. Load up big trays for #10's (window or regular), 6 x 9's, A7's, A6's, 9 x 12's, 10 x 13's runs all very well with no jams. Full variable, full color, runs at rated speed. Only gripe I have (if I had to have one) is that the only output option is the top output tray, which only holds about 100 envelopes, so, if you're doing a sizable run, you have to have an operator continually pull from the output tray

 

[JustinB]

For that volume you either need to a few envelope printers or you need to be printing on flat sheets and having them converted into envelopes post printing. Maybe a combination of both?

 

[Shawnd]

Will your customers want full bleed?

 

[swaggen]

We run a 1070 with an envelope fuser.. that's not going to cut it.

Flat sheets and converting them to envelopes? what machine would that be? Wouldn't we need a die cutting machine for the paper cutting as well?

 

[bill kahny]

Wouldn't 7.2 million envelopes a year justify a jet press? At 100k price that's near 1/2 penny each in just 2 years.

 

[AP90]

Wouldn't 7.2 million envelopes a year justify a jet press? At 100k price that's near 1/2 penny each in just 2 years.

Agreed. If your doing that kind of volume, I'm surprised you don't already have one. Id love the problem of having to buy a $100k machine and doing 7.2 million of anything lol.

 

[MailGuru]

Wouldn't 7.2 million envelopes a year justify a jet press? At 100k price that's near 1/2 penny each in just 2 years.

Jet press would be great, but, the OP stated that they need to print variable. A jet press won't print variable.

 

[PrintIT]

Jet press would be great, but, the OP stated that they need to print variable. A jet press won't print variable.

lol sure it will - haven't you ever done a 100,000 plate print run before?

 

[JustinB]

We run a 1070 with an envelope fuser.. that's not going to cut it.

Flat sheets and converting them to envelopes? what machine would that be? Wouldn't we need a die cutting machine for the paper cutting as well?

You print on regular 60lb - 70lb paper on anywhere from 11x17 up to 13x19 sheets (usually 2-3 envelopes up on a sheet) and send them to someone who has the equipment to die cut and fold/glue them together. You get back finished envelopes.

For variable data runs, you could print the color/non-variable parts on a digital machine and convert them, then go back with something like an okidata c9xx and print the b/w variable data (We use an okidata C931.) The Oki printers are cheap enough (under 10k for a printer and envelope feeder) but they're mad expensive to run lots of color on. And, you can't do full bleed on them. You CAN full bleed envelopes with converting (because you're just printing a flat sheet) so you can get the best of both worlds this way.

We convert anything with full bleed and almost every run that's over 1,000 pieces. For our volume (admittedly quite small) it's a great blend. (Converting + Oki C931 w/envelope feeder)

 

[bill kahny]

I would be buying this for that volume

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AraJjw-dPFU

 

[joshlindsay]

We're running a Versant 2100. Load up big trays for #10's (window or regular), 6 x 9's, A7's, A6's, 9 x 12's, 10 x 13's runs all very well with no jams. Full variable, full color, runs at rated speed. Only gripe I have (if I had to have one) is that the only output option is the top output tray, which only holds about 100 envelopes, so, if you're doing a sizable run, you have to have an operator continually pull from the output tray

I found this feeder and output for the Versant on YouTube the other week. Asked about it in NZ but they won't be bringing it in unfortunately.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pq4dJFxHG2Y

 

[blkraven66]

Did you check out a Memjet Mach 5 or Mach 6 ?

 

[printing656]

What is the price range for the equipment? The need would justify mid-production or heavy production. You have very few options between a tiny Mach 5/6 and Halm Jet/Memjet.