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Help Required on Gerber Edge Upgrade , Summa DC4sx Option?
HI Folks not posted in a while but have been keeping an eye on things , Looking some Machine advice before we invest or not invest .
we currently have a Gerber edge 1 and 2 and are looking at upgrading to the FX or the summa DC4 sx – Can anyone help us with our next investment and there thoughts on the machines , We print motocross/quad / go kart graphics as our main business , The kids are always looking for there bike / quad etc to have some kind of bling the next guy doesn’t meaning there looking for chromes / flo colours crazy colours , stuff the Inkjet machine can’t produce really. Our options1. We currently have been running our edge 2 for these needs but the head has blown again. This head only lasted exactly 2 years of little use . Love the machine and we have approx 50 rolls of foils for this machine in stock . It runs on Old omega software which also needs upgrading – Approx cost to get new head and new software 3500 ish plus vat .
2. Selling or trade in the Edge 2 ( will be fitted with new head ) and Edge 1 requires Head and Power supply and purchasing the new FX model – Approx 12000/13000 with New software. Will require all new stock of foils and new PC to run the software adding more to the initial cost, It is good to stay up to-date with software and machinery and I hope to be in this business for a long time so is it a good upgrade or will i just have identical results over the edge 2 that i have been running. Limiting factor is the 300mm print width
3. Outside Option- Being at SIgn and digital UK this week and talking to the summa guys – A DC4sx can produce the same spot colours I require for my business and has the Extra width I would require and comes in around the same money as the Edge FX, I know loads of people work with the Edge printers in my primary business but don’t know many or any that have a DC4, Is it easy to run operate / Running costs etc
Should I stay stay with what i know and used for past 8 years in the gerber family , is it best to just fix up the Edge 2 and hopefully get another 2 years from the head – 2300 to change compared to 1600 2 years ago ! , Do we invest in a fx ( will it have the same head problems in 2 years also ? is it more reliable / faster ? or sell all gerber stuff and install the DC4sx , Im torn as I have never seen the fx or the DC4 in operation
Many thanks for your thoughts Tim
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7 Replies
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Tim,
If it helps, you can convert the old edge foils to fit the new fx, all you need to do is unwide all the old foils and then rewind them onto the fx spent foil cores.
I did this with all of mine, using a cordless drill to speed things up (but not too much otherwise you’ll melt the plastic!).
Ah, I’d go for the fx, I’ve got one myself together with and old Edge 1.
Regards,
George -
tim
when you see the output of the summa your mind will be made up.
for the same use as you i went after one last year and was so disappointed the edge is the best thermal printer i have seen to date, its problem for me is the way spandex deal.
also with a print area only 300 wide i could not fit some panels in the area no matter which way i rotated them.i ended up with a roland vs540 with white and silver very pleased with it but would still like a edge as well.
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Sorry forgot to say in reply to your last question, the fx is indeed faster than the older versions, and can run in two higher resolution modes (600×300 and 1200x300dpi), only trade-off in high res is a lower printing speed.
Other good points are that the fx uses a network connection rather than parallel so it’s more future proof as you don’t need special cables or legacy lpt/com ports.
Also, the loading mechanism is much faster and easier using drop-in cassettes than can even be loaded whilst the edge rewinds the previous pass.
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Thanks for the help guys ! I have a vs540 also but opted for the double cmyk as we have the edge 2 if I get white / chrome jobs ! Will look into the new fx ! Is there any other foil manufactures out there , looking for flo yellow , Zeronine , sign foils , duracoat , renown , original , is there any others we could look at ? Keeping my foils would make the changeover slightly easier to swallow !
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Does anyone have an Edge FX that they want to offload ? thanks Tim
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Hi Tim, the FX is only £7K from spandex new, I’d convert the existing foils. When I enquired I think they had a few refurb ones knocking about at £5K.
I wouldn’t bother with the Summa, we looked at that as well, pretty poor all round.
Good luck and by new at least you’ll have peace of mind for 12 months.
Jason
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Thanks for the Info jason _ As were based in Northern Ireland we cannot get a price from Spandex and must go through the dealer here , I purchased one and paid over 2k more that the 7k , Not going to get annoyed about it as I have the deal done and deposit(50%) paid till its installed all be it with new software and Delivery / installation, Do you know the easiest way to convert the foils as i think i have approx 100 to do over time, and anyone that sells the refil cartridge ?
Thanks Tim
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