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.

 

[M&M Displays]

Jeff
We have had a QS2000 from October 06. It was #7 produced. You get a one year bumper to bumper with all of their printers I believe. We have one very well trained operator running the machine. We have never bought any type of extended warranty. I think we have saved ourselves dam near 100K. With the exception of a few boards that crapped out the machine has preformed flawlessly. I don't even think we have paid for a new print head. We buy our ink thru Nazdar and get a "free head" with every X amount of ink we buy........and we do buy lots of it. Vutek printers are built like tanks and I don't see how you can go wrong with buying a new or used one. Will be buying another one sometime this summer.

They have an excellent basic training program. After 4-6 months you'll want to send your operator up for the extended program (if they still offer it) Don't know where you are located but you might want to find out how many techs are near your location

 

[Mtuck]

Double sided printed

Double sided printed

I have printed on a qs3200 coming up on 5 years now! I very successfully run banners straight and wrinkle free for the entire roll. I even run them double sided and they match up great, might be off by an 1/8" at the most. Any size roll up to 98" is easy, a 126" roll does take experience but I've learned how to even run a 150' roll of it double sided. I can do 2 rolls of 40" x 50' magnet at the same time and from setup to take off be done in 35-40 min. I'm worn out from lifting the 200lbs of magnet but it can be done. The most I've ever been able to handle in a shift before I was to tired to continue was 16 rolls. If you can get real experienced with this machine as far as how to run different materials, repair any printer problems on your own, then this printer is great!

 

[Montrose]

Bob:

Can you tell me what Vutek charges for QS2000 UV Curable Ink?

Thanks

 

[ScotJ]

I have printed on a qs3200 coming up on 5 years now! I very successfully run banners straight and wrinkle free for the entire roll. I even run them double sided and they match up great, might be off by an 1/8" at the most. Any size roll up to 98" is easy, a 126" roll does take experience but I've learned how to even run a 150' roll of it double sided. I can do 2 rolls of 40" x 50' magnet at the same time and from setup to take off be done in 35-40 min. I'm worn out from lifting the 200lbs of magnet but it can be done. The most I've ever been able to handle in a shift before I was to tired to continue was 16 rolls. If you can get real experienced with this machine as far as how to run different materials, repair any printer problems on your own, then this printer is great!

This seems a bit more like it. I've run several roll/hybrid machines, and sure - certain operators couldn't run a roll straight for 10ft; but thats a poor operator. Its all about loading it flush and true, and you'll run dead straight. Load it sloppy, and blame it on the machine - and sure, you'll have all sorts of issues.

We're looking at a qs3200 and are hoping to run 300ft rolls of polyposter (10mil) 2 up. We'll see how it goes.

 

[Montrose]

Scott:

I have some surplus QS2000 UV Curable Ink I wish to sell. It's series I. Let me know if you would like to know more.

 

[ScotJ]

Since my last post, I bought a qs3200. We run the thing with 150 foot + rolls end to end with out issue.

It all depends on how you load it. If you have an inexperienced operator than you will have tracking issues.

 

[Damo007]

Since my last post, I bought a qs3200. We run the thing with 150 foot + rolls end to end with out issue.

It all depends on how you load it. If you have an inexperienced operator than you will have tracking issues.

It might be fine out of the factory, but just wait until you need to replace your belt....

When we first got our QS2000 I could run 50m Rolls of banner vinyl, spin them round and back them up no problems.

The belt was replaced (stupid operator using a knife on the belt). We tried 2 new belts and could never get them to run true, the 3rd one we managed to get to track fairly well, but still not perfect. Since then, I have never been able to run more than a few meters at a time.

We put it down to EFI using the best belts in the factory then shipping the rest to customers.

Damo.

 

[ScotJ]

I ended up getting a QS3200 and have nothing but good things to say about it.

The guys at Prime are an amazing help, but I need to contradict on one thing: Running long rolls.

Maybe our machine is lucky, but we regularly run 150 and 300ft rolls, end to end and they wind up like they came in the box. We even run 2 rolls side by side, which is tricky if you don't load it right, but I REALLY like how this machine runs rolls.

Just my 2 cents.