There are many small-format UV LED flatbed printer options on the market today. So, to make sure you get the right equipment, it’s essential to determine what you need in a printer.
You’ll need to consider the print area of the printer, not just the size in square inches but also the maximum dimensions in each direction. Also, consider the maximum size item it will hold. Another consideration is the depth of the printer – how “tall” of an object can you print on. Finally, the total weight that the bed can handle can be of concern as well.
On top of that, there are the traditional concerns of:
- how fast does it print (print speed)
- how much do prints cost (ink costs)
- what is included
- what is not included, that is needed
- what options are available
- warranty and ongoing expenses (if any) for support.
Here we will compare two popular entry-level UV printers (Roland VersaUV LEF2-200 and the Mutoh XpertJet 461UF). We’ll do this by showing how well each of these small-format UV printers matches the criteria above. We will also consider things most people don’t usually think of.
The Roland VersaUV LEF2-200 was released in March 2019, replacing the VersaUV LEF-200, and the Mutoh XpertJet 461UF was released in December 2019, replacing the Mutoh ValueJet 426UF. Both machines tout improvements on their predecessors while maintaining many proven features as well. Below we will address the comparison criteria for these machines.
PRINT AREA:
The Roland VersaUV LEF2-200 has a print area of 20” x 13” for a total of 260 square inches and will accept materials up to 21.2” x 14.2” – the maximum print height is 3.94”.
By comparison, the Mutoh XpertJet 461UF has a print area of 19.02” x 12.95” for a total of 246.31 square inches and will accept materials up to 20.625” x 14” – with a maximum print height of 5.91”.
The print areas of these machines are very similar, with the Roland having a slight advantage in the total print area. However, the Roland printer concedes the advantage in the maximum material handling capability to the Mutoh.
The big difference comes when considering maximum print height – the Mutoh is a HUGE winner here with nearly 2 additional inches of print height over the Roland (5.91” vs. 3.94”)
PRINT SPEEDS:
Comparing UV print speeds can be confusing – not all printers have the same resolutions nor the same modes. Typically the rates advertised are a simple division of a full bed bed print time into an hour.
For instance, a printer that prints a full bed that is 2 square feet in 10 minutes at a given print resolution and mode would be rated at 12 square feet per hour, even though that would be impossible to achieve as it takes time to unload and reload the bed and start the print.
However, all manufacturers use the same criteria here, so their numbers give a fair comparison of relative speeds. Below are the manufacturers reported square feet per hour speeds for each of the machines:
Roland VersaUV LEF2-200
- Quality mode (1440 x 720) – 10.55 square feet per hour (Unidirectional)
- Standard mode (720 x 720) – 14.75 square feet per hour (Unidirectional)
Mutoh XpertJet 461UF
- Fine mode (720 x 1440) – 9.69/16.99 square feet per hour (Unidirectional/Bidirectional)
- Production (720 x 1080) – 13.61/23.75 square feet per hour (Unidirectional/Bidirectional)
- Fast mode (720 x 720) – 20.20/34.99 square feet per hour (Unidirectional/Bidirectional)
The Roland is slightly faster in Quality/Fine mode than the Mutoh, but the Mutoh greatly exceeds the Roland in Standard mode. Based on this (and the fact that the Mutoh has a mode between Fine and Fast, which gives excellent print quality and speed), the edge goes to the Mutoh for speed.
INK COSTS:
The cost to print a given file is based on the cost of the ink and the actual amount of ink laid down. Both printers will use a similar amount of ink given the same graphic and resolution used to print, especially with standard color prints (CMYK).
Quite often, the Roland will require more white ink than the Mutoh for coverage as an underbase. That’s because the Roland white ink is not as opaque as the Mutoh white ink. We will assume that the exact same amount of ink is used on both machines to print a given image for this comparison.
Roland VersaUV LEF2-200
- 220 ml ink cartridge - $95 = $432 per liter
Mutoh XpertJet 461UF
- 220 ml ink cartridge - $90 = $409.09 per liter (ink purchases through Colman and Company over $250 receive free shipping as well)
MAXIMUM MATERIAL HANDLING WEIGHT:
This is a very straightforward comparison – the Mutoh XpertJet 461UF can handle items up to 17.64 lbs, while the Roland VersaUV LEF2-200 can only take objects up to 11 lbs. Thus, the Mutoh boasts over 6 ½ pounds more than the Roland or more than 60% additional weight handling ability.
WHAT IS INCLUDED:
Roland VersaUV LEF2-200
- Printer
- Software
- Startup Inks
Mutoh XpertJet 461UF
- Printer
- Software
- Startup Inks
- Seklema sticky mat for holding down items while printing ($400 value)
OPTIONS:
Roland VersaUV LEF2-200
- Vacuum Table - $1,995
- Rotary attachment – RotaPrint - $3,195
Mutoh XpertJet 461UF
- Vacuum Table - $1,595
WARRANTY:
Roland VersaUV LEF2-200
- Two year “Trouble Free” warranty
- Return to service center for repair
- Covers print head up to 6 billion shots from any section of head
Mutoh XpertJet 461UF
- One Year On-Site warranty
- Covers print head
With extended warranty to 2 years:
PRICE:
Roland VersaUV LEF2-200
- $25,995 + 3,599 (BOFA Filter system) = $29,594
Mutoh XpertJet 461UF
- $20,995 (with standard 1 year onsite warranty)
- $20,995 + 3,125 (extra year warranty) = $24,120
Conclusion
Both of these printers will do a very good job printing all kinds of items that will help you grow your business. But, it’s pretty evident that the Mutoh XpertJet 461UF is a better value, offers more print depth. It’s also faster and less expensive to operate.
When it comes to investing in your business, it is always a good idea to get as much as you can for every dollar you spend. So it makes sense to pick the machine that works best for your needs.
