# Shanghai APPPO Print exhibition



## Stuart21 (Mar 9, 2011)

I will be in Shanghai for the APPPO Exhibition till Saturday 9th. I am looking for a flatbed printer, not for T shirts, but for plastic items like credit card USB sticks - 4 mm thick. 

I cannot understand why, when all the privateers (diyers) build flatbed printers that are simply a tray that fits under the printer, all the commercial manufacturers (bar one which I saw online yesterday) mount the printer on a huge chassis with about 200 mm (8 ") of vertical travel, so you can print items up to that thickness.

I imagine that T Shirt printers only need the thickness of the T shirt - say 2 mm - I need 4 mm plus tolerance - anybody know why those printer manufacturers insist on only providing these huge machines (shipping weight in crates is over 120 kg, based on a machine initially less than 10 kg)? It means they are no longer airfreightable, to start with. And unnecessarily complicated.

I would be grateful for any advice as to A3 flatbed machines / companies to look for, and those 'otherwise'. ;-) 

As I said, our product is hard plastic (ABS) so I am looking for a solution which provides a quality print from an A3 machine, as simple as possible. I would like to not require pre or post coating, & to get a durable finish that will not stick to the plastic wallet (currently PVC - but also looking for alternatives to that)

Eco solvent, solvent & UV ink are possibilites. I will need a few machines later on (all the same if possible) so looking for an economical A3. I presume that Epson machines and or print heads (peizo rather that thermal) are the only options? 

As I said, grateful for any advice, & also I will have a bit of time, so if anybody needs me to keep an eye out for anything at the show, let me know. Reply to thread, also email to Stuart21 at mac.com.

Stuart.


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## sunoracle (Jul 1, 2010)

Me too, I will be there...


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## renbis (Dec 15, 2010)

i bought dtg printer based on espon 1390 from Qingdao Magnetic Digital Co., Ltd. 

not cheap but adjustable height 20cm to less, could print with ecosolvent without treatment, they got white ink too, good service after sell 

but the weight is about 100kg, your print head need to work every days cause eco solvent dry fast, and you need to have some spare of waste ink pump to change it in any case.


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## khakmn (Feb 23, 2011)

I'm interesting that could be print by eco-solvent inks by epson 1390. Can anyone help me pls?


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