i-Image in the house!

[GraphicDisorder]

So a little update...

Been using the i-Image for a few weeks.  If I am being honest I wanted to burn it to the ground at points last week. Had a few odd issues with the machine that one was caused by us...and just some inconsistency from that issue.  Apparently you have to re-home the machine if you ever hit the e-stop and one of our employees did this when it took off printing thin air at one point. Of course M&R has been a big help figuring out why we were having issues. Support remains priceless.

This week so much better and it's certainly changed the flow of our shop already.  So far we are sliding a job forward a day easily and casually able to catch up on sorting/burning the next days jobs in addition to that. Took a 250 pcs job with 1 day turn last week that no way we could have fit it in otherwise that quick without working into the night to get art/screens settled to print it.

If you are on the fence about CTS I feel like I can safely say you should jump in, the water is warm. 

[mk162]

jump in, the water is warm.

that's because you are always peeing in the pool.

[GraphicDisorder]

jump in, the water is warm.

that's because you are always peeing in the pool.

 

[mk162]

haha, i thought it was funny.

[Gilligan]

That's because it was so spot on. :p

Brandt, why would it have taken you into the night to do screens?  I'm assuming art wasn't sped up any by having a new printer, correct me if I'm wrong there.

[GraphicDisorder]

That's because it was so spot on. :p

Brandt, why would it have taken you into the night to do screens?  I'm assuming art wasn't sped up any by having a new printer, correct me if I'm wrong there.

After printing our work for the day we would generally have been doing screens for the next day(s) of printing in addition to any added screens for the rush job (prior to i-Image). So when our little shop doesn't get finished printing until 4-5-6pm on a Thursday we are forced to do screens sometimes at night for Friday.  So with the machine we were already done with all those screens by that stage in the week so it was no big deal in between a setup and break down we imaged the rush job that we sepped up over lunch.  I would have turned the job away under that time line 99% of the time previously as we were almost always behind on screens prior to the i-image.

[Gilligan]

I follow... you are saying the time saved over the day(s) is what allowed the hole in the schedule for the job.  I thought you were just saying for that job alone it was able to allow you to do it.

[GraphicDisorder]

I follow... you are saying the time saved over the day(s) is what allowed the hole in the schedule for the job.  I thought you were just saying for that job alone it was able to allow you to do it.

Yes time saved prior to that day due to that machine/flow allowed us to say yes to that customer in that scenario that GENERALLY would have been a flat no.  250pc job 1 day notice with a full schedule is tough no matter what equipment you have, but as your probably starting to find out the printing is the easy part with a auto, it's the art/seps/screens/etc that will eat you alive if your behind already on those.

[Gilligan]

LOL... if you only knew right now.

CTS wouldn't speed anything up for us at this moment... for that small amount of time our production was down we got WAY behind.

They say when you get an auto, you get busy... well, we got really busy a couple of weeks before it showed up!

[GraphicDisorder]

LOL... if you only knew right now.

CTS wouldn't speed anything up for us at this moment... for that small amount of time our production was down we got WAY behind.

They say when you get an auto, you get busy... well, we got really busy a couple of weeks before it showed up!

Yup it's for sure true, happened to us BOTH times we got a new auto we got a "bump" in our sales volume. 

We had issues with electric recently as well as 2 pregnant girls running our embroidery area so it seems like even when we win one battle a new battle breaks out in a new area of the shop. At least ive had the last 2 weekends off, that's not happened the whole year for me.

[mk162]

brandt if you have kids it's a must to get weekends off.  I will work after they are in bed to make sure of it.

You're right, as soon as you get a piece of equipment that you think will solve you problems, you get more orders...and thus more problems.

[GraphicDisorder]

brandt if you have kids it's a must to get weekends off.  I will work after they are in bed to make sure of it.

You're right, as soon as you get a piece of equipment that you think will solve you problems, you get more orders...and thus more problems.

No kids, it's starting to look like I missed that window in life.  We are getting pretty old to start trying to have kids.

[DannyGruninger]

brandt if you have kids it's a must to get weekends off.  I will work after they are in bed to make sure of it.

You're right, as soon as you get a piece of equipment that you think will solve you problems, you get more orders...and thus more problems.

No kids, it's starting to look like I missed that window in life.  We are getting pretty old to start trying to have kids.

I've got two little gremlins I will send your way...... 1 and 3 year old boys...... I love em to death but damn they are more work then well work....

here's what is hanging above my desk -

[mk162]

kids are work, no doubt, but they are the best part of my day usually.

[gtmfg]

I know this thread is old but.... I just ordered one and I'm fricken excited! Plus shopworks and a starlight gonna be a good year!