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Flora LJII 1800/UVS-Pro UV-curable flatbed printer

ShenZhen Runtianshi Image Technology Co., Ltd (their brand name is Flora) makes two size-classes of UV-cured ink flatbed printers, the Flora LJII 1800 UV-curable flatbed printer and the Flora 2200 series printers (various numbers, Flora FUV2214 or Flora FUV2200). In 2006, the model designation for the entry-level model was changed to Flora LJII 1800/UVS-Pro

The Flora LJII 1800/UVS Pro UV-curable flatbed printer is the chassis that was turned into the Raster Printers RP-720 UV. But if you read the FLAAR Reports on the RP-720 UV you will learn that the printhead carriage and other crucial parts of the RP-720UVZ and Daytona versions are assembled in California, by Raster Printers. These portions of the printer are not manufactured in China. Indeed the printheads are from Spectra, which are considered to have advantages over the Xaar printheads used in most Chinese printers (and in the Zund 215-C).

Five years from now the Flora UV-cured ink printers will probably be in use all over the world. The question is whether the build quality, spare parts availability, and tech support are up to US and European standards today. We asked an international distributor who sells Flora LJII 1800 UV printers what they were like, and put his frank and knowledgeable answer in our FLAAR Reports. He has direct experience with how printshop owners and printer operators react when faced with an entry level Chinese-made printer.

It is notable that Raster Printers company has spent almost two years retrofitting the Flora printer. However the RP-720 UVZ is now out of beta stage and available. And be sure to recognize that Raster Printers is not an affiliate for Flora; Raster Printers is a US company that is not owned and definitely not operated by any Asian manufacturer. In our FLAAR Reports update we comment on end-user satisfaction with tech support from Raster Printers headquarters (you can obtain the FLAAR Reports on the RP-720UVZ and Daytona now; both are in one report).

Same with the larger Flora UV 2214 FUV inkjet printer. DuPont has spent millions improving first one part, then another part, and then something else. As soon as end-users report something does not function adequately, DuPont works at fixing it. The finished product, the DuPont Cromaprint 22uv was released in December 2005 after a long gestation period in beta stage. FLAAR has the only independent report available on the DuPont Cromaprint 22uv that is available.

Naturally ShenZhen Runtianshi Image Technology Co., Ltd is learning from the millions of dollars of American investment in their printers. ShenZhen Runtianshi Image Technology Co., Ltd will turn around and eventually improve its own printers. However they will always need some form of American distributor.

Flora LJII 1800 UV hybrid flatbed printer.

We hope to visit the ShenZhen Runtianshi Image Technology Co., Ltd factory in China some day so we can clarify the issues of build quality. Their booth personnel in the US and European trade shows, and their equipment, are always of professional class, quite different from lesser companies. In the meantime we have separate FLAAR Reports already on the DuPont Cromaprint 22uv and the Raster Printers RP 720-UV.

We now have additional reports on the two Flora printers also. We updated our report on the Flora LJII 1800 based on inspecting it at the Milan sign trade show in November 2005. So today you can take advantage of all the information in the more than 83 reports by Dr Nicholas Hellmuth on UV-cured ink flatbed printers: which models work, which have glitches, which can’t achieve good colors, which are best with the color gamut for logos (two printers can’t even reproduce the logo colors of their own manufacturer).

The Flora LJII 1800 UV hybrid flatbed printer at ISA trade show 2006.

 

Here the Flora LJII 1800 UV hybrid flatbed printing samples at FESPA trade show 2005.

Other competing Chinese UV hybrid printers

Infiniti Xterius 16UVS (in Europe) and Infiniti UV-1612S in America is a new competitor to the Flora LJII 1800UV.

The Teckwin TeckSmart UV1600 has frequently been shown at trade shows.

GCC StellarJet 183UV (alpha stage at ISA and at FESPA Digital).

Raster Printers (Flora LJ1800 with portions rebuilt and improved in the US)

Entry-level UV printers made in Europe and the USA, with reliable tech support

• ColorSpan 72UVR and UVX (two FLAAR Reports)
• ColorSpan 5440uv series, four related models. (one FLAAR Report)
• Gerber Solara (one FLAAR Report)
• Zund 215-C and 215-Plus  (two FLAAR Reports)

If you buy any five of the above reports you can speak by phone or communicate by e-mail directly with the author, Dr Hellmuth. This consulting is at no additional cost once you have purchased the above reports.

Or if you buy either UV Series 1, or UV Series 2, plus any two individual UV printer reports, you can also ask questions directly and personally with Professor Hellmuth. If you prefer to bring him to your office anywhere in the world, he is available as a consultant for a nominal consulting fee. But just to chat with him on the phone or have him answer your e-mail directly, just buy an appropriate quantity of reports and you get direct access to the author at no cost.