Kongsberg XE-10, Kongsberg XL

Kongsberg and Zund make a table size and shape for every need. Mimaki only offers a few models: their new Mimaki CF3 series, CF3-1631 and Mimaki CF3-1610 are the only two sizes in that series. Gerber also has only two sizes in their Gerber M Series cutters, M-3000, M-1200. Zund appears to have the widest range of cutter sizes, followed by Kongsberg. But what counts is the diversity of cutting tools. Here Gerber and Mimaki have only a few.

Trade magazines don’t make comparisons in pro-and-con style, but it’s essential to know the positive features and also which products lack features. Of course if you don’t need that particular feature, then you don’t worry about that absence.

Kongsberg is part of Esko Graphics.

But Esko Graphics now has a different name, Esko Artwork (hard to keep track since DRUPA 2000, probably five or more name changes).

Esko booth in Fespa 2007 showing the Kongsberg iXL24

MGE iCUT software is almost always featured with Kongsberg cutters

It helps to have a good software for creating cut outs for signs and displays.

Cut outs made with a Kongsberg Cutter

Other flatbed cutting plotters

Kongsberg, Zund, Mimaki, and Gerber are die-less digital cutting tables.

Aristo and their Aristomat are mentioned, but I don’t remember ever having noticed them at any trade show even in Germany.

Bedigital has their own products as well as rebranding other products from all over the world.

FLAAR has an inherent long-range interest in flatbed cutters

On our page on our Maya archaeology web site we explain why we are interested in learning about flatbed cutters for materials printed with flatbed UV-cured inkjet printers.

Flatbed cutting plotters are increasingly needed to finish signage produced by UV-curable flatbed inkjet printers

Kongsberg’s brochures feature packaging applications for their larger XL-Series, but at tradeshow booths they are primarily cutting images printed with UV-cured inkjet printers. The Kongsberg DCM cutting tables are used for point-of-purchase displays. Unfortunately their brochure, when printed in B&W, is partially illegible (one key page has a dark background).

Now that Gerber has come out with a new Solara ion dedicated flatbed UV printer, at a price lower than the Oce Arizona 250 GT, the increased sales of specifically dedicated flatbed printers will cause a rise in need for flatbed cutters for signage.

First posted October 8, 2007.