Look what just hit the dock!!!

[ScreenPrinter123]

The Epson based i-Image is not as polished a unit as the complete M&R Machines are. It's a Epson printer at the end of the day that's been worked around to make it do what it is doing, but we all know what type of stuff these Epsons do from time to time.

We are having a great year and at the end of the day id rather have the better unit.  The Epson based i-Image gave me a taste of that and ill say that no way would I return to film even if I stuck with this one. I will report back how much better it is as we will get ours tomorrow.

Thanks for the info Brandt.  I think this will be helpful for people trying to decide between the various options, unless it is the Epson based i-Image that is being discontinued (in which case this discussion will have no bearing once current stock is depleted).  I look forward to hearing the difference once you receive the upgrade, and congrats on the continued success!

[screenprintguy]

I can tell you from using the Epson based I-Image for 2 years, there is really no way I would go back to film at all. This first unit gave me 2 years of screen production. It has had a few quirks, but that was my unit, and like anything out there, mine could have been a little more quirky than others. There are manufacturers that are still using the Epson printer, but M&R decided to move away from that and develop a machine from the ground up with an industrial print head that they have full control over, no work arounds. Faster, and higher quality, it was time for us to upgrade and M&R really took care of us to get us in the transitioning. Even with some of the quirks our original unit had, we were still able to image screens at the end of the day. I look at it like this, had my first option only been to have gone into the ST model. I may have not done that since the price tag was higher than the original I-Image. Now having the experience of efficiency and precision with CTS over film, we can justify the upgrade. Over these past 2 years, I have networked with several shops using CTS, and a high percentage of them are using other brands. The lack of after purchase support that some of these guys have told me about really was scary. We I finally made contact about the upgrade we needed to make, it was a matter of a couple hours to hear something back, and within 24 hours the deal was done and delivery date set 36 hours from contact. Here we are a little over a week later and the upgrade is on the premisses, and I already have an install date for DEC1st. I really don't think many other manufactures would have been able to move so fast, especially knowing how many units M&R is shipping right now, and having a few of these specifically done for a few of us board members so fast speaks miles. I can't wait to see how this one will do. I'm being told it's miles above what we've been using and I have to say the imaging from our original model was several times better than film. Big thanks out to 244 and the M&R group for working with us!!

[jvanick]

I'm pretty sure that I got one of the last if not THE last Epson-based I-Images to be built by M&R.  So the differences are probably pretty non-issue for most.

We've already seen such an improvement in the screen room that we too will never go back to film.

[Admiral]

The ScreenJet we have has served us well, a couple short periods of down time due to the cap not creating a good enough seal for the ink.  Fixed with a metal cap now.

It's Epson based, only does up to 23x31 screens.  We upgraded to a 2 head I-Image ST.  Mainly because we use 25x36 screens as well now and wanted higher throughput in the screen room. 

The Rip Software for the ScreenJet is good though, integrated with the CTS workflow.

[dirkdiggler]

install is finished, and the screens this thing makes are FAR superior to the old slant.  Really not even on the same level.  Dots and tones I only dreamed about on the old unit.  Not sure if it has anything to do with it, but the ink that goes in the ST compared to what goes in the slant just makes better screens.  I can't explain it, but my screens prove it.  And the speed is at least 5 or 6 times faster even at the highest resolution.  Happy I made the upgrade and would do it again in a second!  Special thanks to 244, wouldnt have been possible without your help.

[GraphicDisorder]

Echoing that here.  We had some issues with the curves this machine/software uses compared to what we were used to with the Epson based unit, we are dialing it closer each day.  Other than that machine is much better. Its a complete machine and feels like it rather than 2 technologies trying to compete for a result like the Epson based unit.  MUCH faster as well!

[bimmridder]

I'm glad to hear you both are digging the new machines. I know a few more are being placed soon too. Takes a little time and tweaking, but it's all worth it. Now go make some screens!!!

[bimmridder]

I'm glad to hear you both are digging the new machines. I know a few more are being placed soon too. Takes a little time and tweaking, but it's all worth it. Now go make some screens!!!