Where going to take a look at a few good printers to get started printing digital signage and car wraps. All three of these printers come in under the $20,000 price point, offer 54″ media handling (a standard roll size), and each has custom RIP software. Let’s take a look.
Mutoh ValueJet 1304 is a four-color (CMYK) that uses Mutoh’s Eco-Ultra inks and has a maximum print speed of 145 sq.ft. an hour. As with the three other printers featured, the Mutoh ValueJet 1304 will print on uncoated media and maximum print resolution of 1440 dpi. A nice feature that comes standard, is the built-in takeup roller for unattended roll-to-roll operation. This is especially helpful if you’d like to queue multiple prints to run overnight. To reduce horizontal banding, Mutoh incorporates their proprietary Intelligent Interweaving Print Technology which prints a series of waves as opposed to straight lines for each pass of the head. For more information on Mutoh’s products visit www.mutoh.com .
Roland VersaCAMM SP-540V is also a four color machine with a maximum print speed of 114 sq.ft or (3.5) 4′ x 8′ sheets an hour. A takeup roller is optional ($1,995), but one of the big advantages of the VersaCAMM series is the built-in cutter for simple contour cutting operations. The VersaCAMM SP-540V includes VersaWorks™ RIP software which uses the Roland Color System and Swatches for fast and accurate color matches. This is really helpful to produce graphics fast without the hassle of trying to test and match CMYK colors. For more information on Roland products visit www.rolanddga.com .
Mimaki JV3-130SPII is the fastest of the three printers with up to 478 sq.ft. an hour at 360 x 360 dpi. The JV3-130SPII can be set to use 4 (CMYK), 6 (CMYKcm), and 7 (CMYKcm+W) color modes with Mimaki’s standard inks SS-2, ES-2, or HS-1. Printing white can be a define bonus, but it does require the operator to flush out the inks with wash cartridges before switching from 4 and 6 color modes. The printer comes standard with a takeup roller, an enhanced intelligent heater, drying fan, Mimaki’s RIP software, and Mimaki’s profiling software for making custom profiles of your inhouse media. For more information on Mimaki products www.mimaki.co.jp/english/ .
If you’re planning to mainly do vehicle wraps the Roland VersaCAMM SP-540V is a strong contender with it’s built-in cutter, potentially saving you $5,000 - $6,000 by buying a separate machine. The color matching system is also a great feature, but it does require you to use OEM inks and not a bulk ink system. Roland has positioned itself as a standard in the sign graphics community and with the lion’s share of users, information, advise, and service is widely available.
