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Opus Advice Please
Hi
I’m still considering a lot of options for adding on to my existing graphic design business. Dye-sub has been a consideration having once worked for Recognition Express producing a lot of dye-sub badges.
Whilst I have no interest in getting involved with a franchise I am still drawn to this area as it would suit my way of doing things (ie. not having to travel anywhere!)
To the point. I have looked at a system from Xpress involving dye-sub onto various materials, flock being one, and then contour cut with a re-badged Roland camm1 (I think). It says it uses the Opus system for alignment with registration marks to accurately contour cut previously dye-sub’d material. Firstly can you tell how it works. Secondly is it absolutely necessary for this type of work. Is it not possible to contour cut first and then align the dye-sub transfer after to transfer the image.
Any advice would greatly help my decision making.
Thanks
Paul -
8 Replies
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What printer was you going to use to produce the prints.
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The xpres system does indeed use a roland camm 1 fitted with an optical eye. they supply you with a template in corel draw which basically has 3 black blocks for alignement/registration.
I’m pretty sure you could cut the flock then transfer the sublimation after cutting.
The xpres system i think your talking about is print and cut, obviously this saves labour as you print direct to the flock, cut then transfer to garment, as opposed to cut, print transfer apply to flock then transfer to garment.
If your a little clever you can align your plotter to contour without an optical eye, the acuracy is not perfect but it does for the stuff i need to do.
Effectively very small run one offs on transfers and stickers are printed on the laser then cut via my summacut D500. (fine until i can invest in print and cut) -
OPOS is a Summa optical device, and as far as I know nothing to do with Roland
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Henry,
It might not be actually called OPOS but the roland camm 1 has been used by people like xpres and target, they have attached and optiacl eye to it that detects solid dark dots/squares as registration marks and stuck their stickers on them
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Hi
Thanks Lorraine. I’ve read a lot of your posts and you always give detailed and clear advice. Exactly what I needed to know.
What printer and press do you use? I was considering Epson 1290, which I believe can use continuous ink systems. Any thoughts.
Thanks again
Paul -
I hope I wasn’t misunderstood, I just pointed that out as I think entering a new area of this market, you can easily be bombarded by salesmen and product names etc, and I think its important that if a company has a product name its linked with their product and not a competitor.
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Hi Paul,
Thank you for your kind comments.
I don’t print using sublimation as of yet but it’s in the pipe line. The things you need to consider are the sizes you will be requiring to print, A4 is suitable for most applications but you may want to go for A3.
Most of the new epson models have a bulk ink system available, but if you don’t go for bulk make sure you get a printer with seperate CMYK carts.
Advice on heat press: go for the ADKINS swinger type press (sold by The Magic Touch & Xpres) this alows you more scope to print thicker substrates like award plaques.
Heat presses are very robust and generally you can pick the up for around 1/3 of the price 2nd hand, keep your eyes peeled on Loot.com and ebay.co.uk
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Hi
Thanks Lorraine for the advice, your comments are very helpful.
Henry – I understand your point, but I have checked the Xpres literature today and they do refer to the device as Opus (with a U not an O) fitted to the camm 1.
Many thanks
Paul
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