GO UV-m Digital UV Ink for F-24 Small Format UV Printer--Six Questions

Does GO's UV-m Ink contain HAPs or VOCs? 

No. UV-m does not use solvent for viscosity reduction so we do not have any HAPs or VOCs. 

Does UV-m Ink meet US Consumer Product Safety Commission requirements for children's products? 

Yes. GO's UV-m Ink meets the requirements of the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA)  for lead and phthalates for children's products. This is an important standard and In our market segment we are not aware of any other company having this certification. 

What is the expectation for outdoor UV stability for UV-m? 

We have a very specific statement about the outdoor UV stability of UV-m Ink, but generally one can say the ink will last for two years outdoors without seeing any degradation. This is of course dependent upon the conditions and the imaged substrate. 

How well does GO UV-m ink adhere to uncoated substrates? 

With few exceptions the adherence to uncoated substrates is very strong and generally no primer of any type is needed. Additionally with the GO F-24's two UV lamps, UV-m cures much faster and offers much better adhesion. Our suggestion is prior to purchasing a printer is to forward any substrates to Graphics One for testing.  

Does GO offer a primer? 

Yes. GO will offer primer specifically for specialty non-porous substrates such as glass or specialty metals, but generally no primer is needed.

How do the GO's UV-m costs compare to competitive UV ink prices? 

For more information on the GO F-24 please click: GO F-24 Info

For Further information please click on: GO F-24 Info

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Mutoh Launches New VJ-628 Eco-solvent Printer at ISA--$6,495

During the ISA show in Orlando, Florida in April, 2014, Mutoh announced the release of its new VJ-628 24-inch eco-solvent printer. Priced at $6,495 this new unit offers an aggressive price point which should be of great interest to the targeted markets. In fact, we are not aware of another 24-inch printer like this in the market.  (In the past GO's Eco-max 24-inch printer and cutter using SEPIAX ink was offered in this market segment, but has been discontinued and replaced by the GO X-24.)

The Offering
The VJ-628 includes a special version of FlexiSign and features the ability to use eco-solvent ink in 4, 6 or 8 color configuration. The stand is optional and it is unclear as to whether the ink will be included with the unit. Mutoh's 220 ml Eco-ultra ink is about $70 each and 8 of these will cost an added $560. Other Mutoh VJ printers do not include ink with their shipments so it is safe to assume the VJ-628 will not include the ink (we will come back on this question).  It is expected Mutoh or Sign Warehouse will offer cutter bundles with this unit to make it a print and cut bundle. The ValueCut 24-inch unit lists for $2,495 in the U.S. and when ink is added the list price could be as high $9,550 (does not include stand) . We doubt the price will be this high as we know that Sign Warehouse, the master distributor for this unit in the US, offer very aggressive print and cut bundles and we would expect them to do the same with this unit. 

Competition
Roland's BN-20 is the prime competitor with their combo printer/cutter unit listing at $8,495, but it is only 20-inches wide. Like Mutoh, Roland does not include ink nor a stand. As an 8 color unit, the standard 220 ml eco-solvent inks total approximately $560 and the stand is $305 for a total of $9,321 for the Roland BN-20. Mimaki's CJV30-60 lists at $12,995 including ink, stand and a take-up system and is a full 24-inch width. GO's X-24 Printer/Cutter is also 24-inches wide and now lists for $8,795 including ink, stand and software.

Our overall impression is the VJ-628 is well positioned and should do very well in the targeted markets. 

GO X-24 Integrated 24-inch Printer / Cutter
For more information about GO's X-24 please go to: More Info GO X-24

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GO Metalnox Calandra CMD 1800 Rotary Calendar Video Now Showing on YouTube

Graphics One is pleased to advise we have a new YouTube video in the Graphics One section of YouTube. The video is located at: http://goo.gl/0cXeYR

This new video provides an overview of the Metalnox CMD 1800 Calandra Calendar roll-to-roll rotary system. The CMD 1800 is a 71-inch 3-in-1 professional and industrial grade calendar heat transfer system offering dye sublimation, direct-to-transfer and cut sheet transferring capabilities. Additionally, this unit is the first to address the use of old transfer paper instead of tissue paper and does not need an air compressor to operate. 

For added information about the GO Metalnox CMD 1800 Calandra Calendar rotary system, please go to: http://goo.gl/5ieYQb. 

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New GO QuickLook Book Released Featuring 48 Pages of Product Info

Graphics One is pleased to release its latest QuickLook Book 2014 Spring in time for the upcoming ISA 2014 show in Orlando, Florida. Featuring 48 pages of product information, readers will find a review of:

• New 24-inch Integrated Printer/Cutter
• New Roll-to-roll UV 64-inch Printer
• Information and Comparison of 7 Different 24-inch UV Printers
• 12 Reasons to Consider GO Large Format Dye Sublimation Systems
• Comparison of DTG, Dye Sub and Transfer Solutions
• New Large Format Dye Sublimation Bundles 
• Desktop Heat Presses to 71-inch Calendars All Made in the Americas
• Information Covering the Hotronix Fusion Heat Press
• Pricing on NeoPro Dye Sub Paper

A copy of the QuickLook Book in PDF format is at: http://goo.gl/Kb7iO2 and a copy in magazine format is at: http://goo.gl/02BgL5. 

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New GO X-24 Integrated Desktop Printer/Cutter Launched at ISA

During the upcoming ISA show in Orlando, Florida Graphics One will launch its X-24 print and cut unit. Small enough to be on a desktop, or mounted on the floor stand, the feature set of the X-24 is robust and offers the best operating value with our GO EcoColor eco-solvent ink at $45 per 220cc cartridge. 

An overview of the features is as follows:

• Integrated 24-inch eco-solvent printer/cutter device
• Uses standard sized off-the-shelf media
• Integrated and accurate automated contour cutter
• High resolution imaging up to 1440 dpi
• Fast printing speeds up to 60 sq ft per hour
• Available in 4-colors with DX5 piezo printheads
• Cutting speed up to 12-inches per second with cutting force up to 800 GF
• Uses GO EcoColor ink--offers brilliant, saturated colors with pricing 50% less than competitor
• Connects using Hi-USB 2.0/3.0 for fast and reliable data transmission
• Perfect for print and cut applications such as garment transfers, stickers, vinyl lettering, POP, posters and more
• Includes FlexiSign 10.5 software

The list price for the GO X-24 is $7,995 and the cost for the eco-solvent ink is $45 per 220cc cartridge. 

For further information please go to: http://www.graphicsone.com/go-x-24.html

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GO F-24 UV Ink Costs--How does GO's UV-m Compare to Others?

The most important factor for any digital printer is its overall running costs. Of course the main factors for measuring costs when using digital printing equipment, assuming that normal overhead costs are not included, are the ink and the substrates.

With substrates, UV printers offer a tremendous operational advantage over other inks such as eco-solvent, latex and pigment because UV ink generally does not need a pre-coating on the substrate. This means all types of material can be imaged on without any special coating. This is not the case with other inks.

With UV ink, the ink composition means the amount of UV ink used is less than other types of ink, such as eco-solvent. Since there is less ink used, and the cost of GO's UV ink low, the value proposition for GO's F-24 is one of the best in the industry. For a comparison of GO's UV-m ink costs, please review the comparison chart where you will note GO's actual ink costs are the lowest of any of the major providers of small format UV flatbed providers.

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GO F-24 Small Format UV Flatbed Inkjet Comparison

How does the GO F-24 Small Format UV Flatbed Inkjet Compare to units manufactured by DCS, Inkcups, Mimaki and Roland? 

As we say with the F-24, GO Wide, GO Deep and GO Fast:

• GO Wide--24-inches by 18-inches
• GO Deep--Material height of up to 10-inches
• GO Fast--Up to 100 sq ft / hour

For more info check out: http://goo.gl/6uPB9o

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GO Deep: F-24 UV Flatbed Inkjet Material Height Ten Inches

The application possibilities with the GO F-24 UV Flatbed Inkjet printer are virtually unlimited. One of the questions which comes often is what about thicker materials or substrates? This is a great question and the F-24 offers a great answer. 

With UV printers at 24-inch width and under, the F-24 offers the deepest material height at 10-inches. In fact, the F-24 offers 4-inches more height than its nearest competitor. How do competitive printers fair against the F-24's 10-inch material height, here's an overview from lowest to highest:

Mimaki UJF-3042--1.8 inch
Roland LEF 12/20--4-inches
Direct Color Systems 1014--4-inches
Mimaki UJF-6042--5.9-inches
Direct Color Systems 1024--6-inches

Graphics One F-24--10-inches

For more information go to: http://goo.gl/Rh7BH4
#gof-24

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Graphics One Shows GO F-24XL UV LED Inkjet Printer for First Time at IPEX London

The first showing of the F-24 XL (extra long) UV inkjet flatbed printer occurred in London during the IPEX 2014 show. Expected to list for less than $45K, the F-24XL offers a bed size of 24"x48" with an optional media / board loading system. Pricing on the loading system has not been established yet. Shipment of the unit is expected in the third quarter of 2014. The target market for this unit is the promotional market and the signage market. 

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Is the EPSON SureColor F2000 Standard CMYK Unit Too Expensive?

With the "Big E" launching their new SureColor F2000 direct-to-garment (DTG) printers earlier this year many in the industry have questioned whether the standard CMYK unit price at $19,995 is a reasonable price. Of course the answer to that question is, "depends." 

Depends

There are a large number of competitive standard CMYK DTG printers in the market. The reliability of these newer units is much higher than users have experienced in the past with other DTG units. The competition is really tight in this market space and for sure the price level is much less than EPSON's $19,995 price.  

Of course there is no doubt first time entrants / users into this market space will pay the added cost for the support and reliability of the "Big E's" Standard DTG unit. If a user has been in the market for some time it is highly likely this user will opt for other less expensive units with less expensive ink. This makes sense. 

GO UNO: a $2,195 Alternative

There is a viable alternative to the "Big E" F2000 Standard CMYK unit. 

Graphics One launched the GO UNO LED Professional Transfer Printer several years ago into the t-shirt transfer market. The UNO has quickly become the most cost effective solution for imaging of garments and t-shirts. The reason? Check out these specifications:

• First Tabloid Color Printer Specifically Made for Transfers for T-shirts and Garments

• Very Easy to Use--Just Like Desktop Printer

• Prints An Image Every Two Seconds

• Virtually No Maintenance--Leave Unit for Several Months and It Works Right Away

• Denser Imaging than Traditional LED Printer - A Perfect Match for Transfers

• Engineered Specifically for Use with GO's UNO Transfer Paper

• Full Transfer and Tabloid Printing—GO Extended Edge Technology Allows for Three More Inches of Printing On Bottom

• GO eColor Transfer Technology; UNO Color Toners Enhanced for Transfer - Sharp Detail and Rich, Dramatic Color

• 1200 x 600 dpi Resolution for Crisp, Clear Output

• Media Handling from 3” x 5” to 11.6” x 52” Transfers and Banners—The Only Tabloid Printer to Handle Sheets of that Length

• Fast Print Speeds: Color Output at up to 30 ppm; Monochrome at up to 32 ppm

• 1 Year Limited Warranty on Printer; 5 Year Limited Warranty on LED Array

EPSON F2000 vs GO UNO Operational Costs

Seems that EPSON has now published North American list pricing for the F2000 Ink and other consumables. The initial indication is the 600 ml ink cartridges are priced $229.50 each (CMYKW). The EPSON Pre-treatment solution has a list price of $679.95 and comes in a 20 liter bottle (mixed 1-1) for a total of 40 liters. A white ink cleaning cartridge is $19.95 and the special Print Head Cleaning Kit is $94.95 and must be used every 1000 images.

How does the list pricing for the GO UNO toner cartridges compare? The GO UNO consumable prices are below (please remember there are no extraneous maintenance costs):

GO UNO--Black $150 CMY $195

On a per copy basis the GO UNO offers much lower costs. 

How Does the UNO Compare to the F2000?

If you seek ease-of-use, low operational cost, speed,  image versatility and the much lower price of $2,195 vs $19,995, then there is no doubt the GO UNO is the preferred choice. (By the way, the F2000 is not shipping yet, so there is no competition.)

For added information on the GO UNO please click: GO UNO Info

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