Questions to ask of any new UV-curable flatbed printer such as the HP Scitex FB950 are:

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The HP Scitex FB950 combo flatbed UV-curable printer offers improved features to overcome problems in the earlier model HP Scitex FB910 (the ColorSpan 9840uv). So the new printer shares most features with the ColorSpan 9840uv but has more precise engineering to rectify a few issues with the earlier model.

But how does the HP Scitex FB950 compare with the more sophisticated combo printers that already have a good track record?

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The combo printers that already exist in this price range are the IP&I Cube 260, GCC StellarJet 250uv, and some of the Agfa Anapurna X series printers. Combo means that a UV printer has a moving transport belt.

The HP Scitex FB950 is an improved version of the ColorSpan 9840uv which was rebranded as the HP Scitex FB910 for the last year or so.

It will also be interesting to see how the HP Scitex FB950 fairs compared with the VUTEk QS2000 or QS3200? These printers outsold the original HP Scitex FB910 two to one.

This HP Scitex FB950 is a combo printer with moving transport belt. It is not a hybrid like the Keundo UV or the Milano / Neolt UV printers.

The HP Scitex FB950 combo flatbed UV-curable printer offers improved features, but I am surprised it lacks white ink. The HP Scitex FB950 offers six colors (C, M, Y, K, Lc, Lm), but no white or varnish.

For the other features, I will need to find it somewhere in a printshop and undertake a site-visit case study. After being disappointed with flaws in the other ColorSpan model, H45500, it is imperative to check a printer in an actual printshop.

HP Scitex FB950 printer at SGIA 2008. This printer is an improved version of the ColorSpan 9840uv.

HP still using Ricoh printheads in the HP Scitex FB950

ColorSpan and Matan are among the few manufactures using Ricoh printheads. The Ricoh printheads are not well identified in the HP literature as to model or anything. I need to check to see if my original notes are correct that this Ricoh printhead offers v ariable drop 15 picoliter to 35 picoliter

I most recently saw the HP Scitex FB950 at the FastSigns convention trade show for two days in Orlando, in mid-January 2009. It was nowhere near as popular as the Oce Arizona 350, the EFI Rastek H700, and the Gerber ion V. Of these the EFI Rastek H700 is a combo at about half the cost of the HP-ColorSpan FB950. I count popularity by counting the number of printshop owners and managers who are standing around the printer in the booth.

There is a full FLAAR Report on the Raster Printers Daytona H700 predecessor of the identical but simply rebranded EFI Rastek H700. This FLAAR Report also includes a site-visit case study: an inspection of how the EFI Rastek actually functions in real life (both the printer operator and the owner of the FastSigns store who uses the H700 says it works fine).

So it is not surprising that at least four of this EFI Rastek printer were sold during the two days of the FastSigns convention.

With scores of models of UV printers and dozens of brands, there is time to inspect those printers where access is easiest (finding them in a city near me, or having funding to fly to another city). Plus we tend to inspect those printers about which we get the most questions from our readers.

The HP Scitex FB950 printer showing some samples at SGIA 2008.

 

 

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Most recently updated Jan. 12, 2009.

First posted September 9, 2008.