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Zund G3 XY contour cutters launched at DRUPA 2008

At DRUPA 2008, Zund exhibited their G3 digital cutters, which comes in many models: G3 XL-1600, G3 M-2500, and many more G3 series XY flatbed cutters. G3 stands for Generation 3.

The Zund G3 cutters were exhibited at VISCOM Germany 2008.

Zund G3 L2500 cutter at DRUPA 2008.

Zund is a premier brand name in the XY flatbed cutting business

Any time I hear people speaking about flatbed cutters then mention Zund and Kongsberg. But during an economic recession printshop owners and managers also wish to learn about equipment that does not cost as much. So in order to be fair to all brands, we will study all five (Zund, Kongsberg, DYSS, Gerber, and Mimaki), but we started with Zund because this is the best known brand. Besides, I lived in Switzerland for three years and my brother studied at the ETH in Zurich (their equivalent to MIT). So I have a high respect for things Swiss.

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Since trade shows are too hectic to really inspect a machine, FLAAR prefers to visit the factory and demo room of each brand. We appreciate Zund making it possible for two of us from FLAAR to visit their facilities in Switzerland in 2007. It is obviously more realistic to write comments about a product when we have tested it in person. But these were the old cutters; I have not been able to test the newer G3 Zund cutters.

Subsequently it was possible to visit the factory of Gerber Scientific so now we know a bit more about their M Class cutters but on that trip we were mainly testing the cationic UV ink flatbed printers so did not yet fully test the Gerber M Class cutters. Our next factory inspection will be to DYSS in Korea.

Nicholas shows the results of the cutting obtained on Maya figures.

Zund has been in the cutter business for over 20 years

Zund was originally a dealer for the Wild (Leica) plotter system, and outgrew that and bought Mechatron (Veriotron). Zund also inherited the PerfectaPrint flatbed inkjet printers from Mechatron, which it turned into the Zund 215 UV-curable combo style flatbed printer.

Zund cutters are for contour cutting, creasing, perforating, routing, packaging, for cut outs, mock-ups, using MDF, cardboard, polycarbonate, foamboard, foamex, vinyl, and other materials.

FLAAR Project to demonstrate benefits for museums in acquiring flatbed cutter capabilities, for cutting images printed with flatbed UV-cured printers.

We study digital imaging hardware and software from the point of view of a non-profit research institute. FLAAR does not buy or sell printers or cutters. We are interested in learning about this hardware for cutting images printed with flatbed UV-cured printers.

Once we learn about these digital machines, we publish the results so that others can share our acquired knowledge.

Cutters are sufficiently important that two of us from FLAAR visited the Zund headquarters in Switzerland as their guest. We have a long range interest in continuing to learn about flatbed cutters and in developing a better understanding of the many applications for this kind of equipment.

Market for flatbed cutters expected to rise every year

With over 400 Zund model 215 flatbed UV-curing printers sold, and with many of the newer Zund 250 hybrid UV flatbed in use, there is always a market for Zund cutters. Now that the Oce Arizona 250 is a successful flatbed printer (with over 800 units sold by summer 2008, a world record), there is even more demand for flatbed cutters.

But what will really spur sales of all brands of UV-cutters is the new Gerber Solara ion flatbed UV-curing printer. If the cationic inks actually functions and if its unusual UV lamp system actually cures the ink, this printer will likely outsell the Oce and the ColorSpan as well. Gerber itself now offers its own flatbed cutter, it's M-series. Thus many of the printshops that buy a budget-based Gerber flatbed printer will also be looking at a budget XY contour cutter: namely Gerber M-series or DYSS.

For further information on flatbed cutters for foam material and other rigid materials

If you have questions about flatbed cutters, you ought to contact individuals who have experience both with flatbed cutters AND with UV-curable flatbed printers. After all, it's foam boards, Coroplast, Sintra, Styrene, plexiglas and many other materials you will need to understand how to cut.

One place that where we know the people personally, is Global Imaging Inc. (toll free 800 787-9801). They know about the reality of UV-curable flatbed printers, and know XY cutters.

They also know image capture (medium  format digital cameras, as an example). In other words, they are at a professional level. This is not a low-bid box pusher where they don't know the difference between UV and solvent ink.

If you are accustomed to priority treatment relative to UV printers, and have a printshop that needs to learn at a high level, might as well start at the top (the CEO of Global Imaging): Greg Lamb, glamb@globalimaginginc.com.

Zund G3 cutters also was exhibited at VISCOM Italy 2008.

Zund Cutter LX1200 demonstration on Mayan figures