Digital Printer Recommendation

[M@CK]

Hey guys, new member here.
I'd like to start by saying thanks to the administrator and users for this beautiful forum.

I'd like to get some advice on the purchase of a new or used digital Copier/Printer.
I run a Trade-shop thats converting to digital printing.
We have an existing customer that already buys a lot of 13" x 19" digital prints elsewhere.
So basically to do this business I need a printer that prints 14" x 20" right ?

In the basic research I did, I only found two printers that print this size: the IGen3 or IGen4.
My first question is there any other printer available that prints this size ?
If not, since this is a very expensive piece of equipment should I consider buying used ?
Or is Xerox going to kill me on the service contract if I buy used ?

Thank you all for your time reading my post.

Regards
Matt

 

[Jeff]

A NexPress 2500 would be one alternative to an iGen --

Base configuration

* 4-color print engine
* Up to 4 feeders with a total capacity of 11,000 sheets
* 1 high-capacity delivery with a total capacity of 5000 sheets
* Choice of Front Ends: KODAK NEXPRESS V, NEXPRESS Vcs and NEXPRESS Vp Front Ends

Printing speed

* 5000 A4/letter single-sided sheets per hour (83.3 pages per minute)
* 2500 A3/tabloid single-sided sheets per hour
* 4/0 and 5/0 print at same speed (no slowdown when printing 5 colors)
* Double-sided printing speed is half of single-sided speed (no slowdown when perfecting)

Imaging technology

* Dry electrophotography
* 600 dpi, multi-bit (up to 8 bits)
* Choice of five different screening algorithms

Substrate format

* Maximum sheet size: 356 x 520 mm (14 x 20.47 in.)
* Minimum sheet size: 279 x 200 mm (11 x 7.9 in.)

Maximum imageable area

* 340 x 510 mm (13.4 x 20 in.)

Paper weight

* 60 g/m2 up to 350 g/m2 (16# bond to 130# cover) uncoated
* 80 g/m2 up to 350 g/m2 (20# bond to 130# cover) coated

http://graphics.kodak.com/US/Product/Printers_Presses/Digital_Color/Kodak_Nexpress_S2500/default.htm

 

[digital-labels]

Check out the Konica Minolta 351- it has a banner mode and is quite reasonable to operate-many are coming off lease now- ebay has them quite often

 

[Jeff]

What is the widest the 351 can print though?

 

[digital-labels]

In the banner mode it can print 11-3/4 X 47-1/4

 

[sallak]

price of machine Konica Minolta 351?
NexPress 2500?

 

[archipelago]

price of machine Konica Minolta 351?
NexPress 2500?

These are in a totally different ballpark. The KM is a small multifunction. The other a true digital press - 5x the machine. Interestingly there are some older nexpresses coming up for sale used at quite low prices. Is there a reason for the low price now (are they spent? something else like parts availability? I'm not sure.) Interesting though...