VUTEk PressVu UV 200/600 UV-curable inkjet flatbed printer reviews

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Vutek makes a variety of different UV-cured inkjet flatbed printers: Vutek PressVu UV 180 series, their Vutek PressVu UV 200 series flatbed printers, and now their PressVu UV 320/400.

The UV glass primer system sounds like a good idea. We like it because at last a printer company admits that you have to pre-coat glass for the ink to really adhere. But what the brochure does not reveal is what kind of heating unit is required to heat-treat the glass.

Most print shops don’t exactly have glass heating machines readily available.

The other issue we would raise is how you define “stunning photographic color reproduction.” Yes, at 20 ft tall at the trade show the VUTEkk prints do look nice. But what about close up? At smaller sizes?

We showed samples of several brands of UV-curable output to a printing company in Tennessee, who wanted to buy a UV printer, and they said their clients wanted closer to continuous tone. The Tennessee company ended up buying an Oce LightJet that we had recommended. This was the quality their clients wanted, and were ready to pay for.

There are also questions about color gamut, and longevity on Lexan and other materials.

VUTEk PressVu UV 200/600

All these are reasons that our university is interested in doing research. We now have over 57 reports on UV-cured inkjet printers. We are an institute dedicated to excellence in digital imaging. We have a 48-megapixel camera, so do understand photographic quality. We also have an 80-megapixel digital camera (from Germany, the Cruse). Yes, cameras of this quality do exist.

We also use 22-megapixel Imacon, Hasselblad, and Leaf digital cameras. So when we see an advertising claim that offers “stunning photographic color reproduction” we have years of background to judge whether what you see is acceptable to a client who also has high standards.

The VUTEk PressVu UV 200/600 was exhibited at ISA trade show 2007.

Samples printed by the VUTEk PressVu UV 200/600.

Site-Visit Case Study of print shops that use VUTEk printers

Recently we visited a large successful print shop that had just bought a Vutek PressVu UV 200/600 printer. This was a significant move upscale for them, and they were unsure whether they could or should spend this much money for a UV-flatbed printer. We now have a new FLAAR Report site-visit case study in progress on this installation.

You learn so much more from a site-visit case study; for example, you really find out what it's like to have a dedicated flatbed compared with a combo or hybrid style UV printer. If you are unsure of the differences, you can download our report on the Zund 250. Because nowadays, for any UV printer, especially one that costs more than $150,000, it is absolutely essential to understand what are the pros and cons of a combo style, what are the benefits and downsides of a hybrid UV printer, and how these compare with a dedicated flatbed machine.

To become a savvy buyer, get your hands on the FLAAR Reports on the Vutek, Durst Rho, Gandinnovations, DuPont, Inca, Zund, and other printers: all are available from www.wide-format-printers.NET.

The Vutek QS2000 is the most recent model.

Vutek PressVu UV 200/600 printer at site visit case in Meredith, NH.

If you seek a used VUTEk UV200/600

Used VUTEk printers (all models) are available from Global Imaging Inc.

Most recently updated August 6, 2007.

First posted May 18, 2005. Previously updated Jan. 5, 2005, May 11, 2006 and Sept. 25, 2006.