Our Newest Addition
This 30,000 dollar printer is our newest addition to the space. This printer is designed to print vibrant, durable designs onto a variety of materials. Often used for Customized designs with name, initials, logos, etc, it will print onto pens, golf balls, phone cases, even directly onto your laptop. SInce it is designed for production work, the learning curve is a little steep, but once mastered, You can have jigs to hold your items, templates to layout your custom designs into, and saved jobs to make repeating a process quick and simple.
The Hardware
With a bed size of 20x13, you can get a number of items in or one large item in. Increasing production speed and flexibility.
And you can print on items up to 3.94" tall.
4 Color Inks (CYMK) plus White and Gloss, give you many options to make your item special.
The Software
VersaWorks 6
This software that is on a laptop next to the printer. This is the software that queues up your design, lays it out and allows you to select the order of printing. You don't NEED this software on your own computer, but if you have it, it can help you identify if you have the White and UV Layers embedded properly.
Roland Color Palette for Corel Draw
In order to make sure that you have the correct color settings for VersaWorks to identify the White and Gloss layers, add the Roland VersaWorks Color Palette to your Corel Draw. Corel 2021 has it included by default. To find out if you have it, Click on Window/Color Palette/Spot color and see fi there is a Roland group in there. If it is, select the Versa works one. If it is not there like the image below. Then download the palette below and then select Open Palette in the Color Palette menu item.
There are only a few Colors in there and of those, you really only need two, RDG_White and RDG_Gloss
You must put the white and gloss on separate layers from the rest of your colored items. But the order does not matter. And the end is better, since it won't show up on top of the rest of your design.
Roland Color Palettes for Adobe Illustrator
Click the links below to download the swatches for Adobe Illustrator. You will need to place the AI file in the swatch directory. For Illustrator 2023 on Windows that location would be "C:\Program Files\Adobe\Adobe Illustrator 2023\Presets\en_US\Swatches". You can also add these to the swatch palette in Illustrator. The Roland VersaWorks library is the one that includes white and gloss - RDG_White and RDG_Gloss.
Page layout
Maker sure to put your designs in the upper left of your page. When placed in the center, or bottom, there is a significant amount of white space in your design. It can be hard if not impossible to clip your design to the actual printable area and align it in the print window.
Looks like this in your program.
Also, although your are designing with the origin (0,0) in the upper left of your design program.
Prints on the bed like this.
It will print with 0,0 in the front right corner (upside down). If you've ever used the vinyl cutter, this is the same thing, actually the plotter comes out the same way with the top of your design coming out first. It just seems to be more difficult when you are looking at a flat bed. And it is opposite of the laser which many people are familiar with.
Red Tool Training
The Roland requires you to take the Red Tool training. There are a lot of moving parts on this and it is an expensive piece of equipment. We want to make sure that you know the process for using it, have the checklist for operations, and don't make any expensive mistakes.
Advanced Class
While the basic Red Tool class with go through the operation of the unit, safety and maintenance procedures, it will not go into the advanced items like white, gloss, or the rotary tool. There will be a separate class for that.
Cost
The cost to use the printer is based on Time and Ink usage. Time is charged like the laser, it is from the time that you sit down at the laptop that controls the printer and ends when you shut everything down.
- Full Members it is $6.00/hour
- Associate Members it is $20.00/hour.
- Ink is charged at $2.00/Cubic Centimeter (cc). This information is in the Job History log.
Manuals and Documents
Download VersaWorks 6 Software - https://www.rolanddga.com/support/upgrades/versaworks-6
Links to Instructional Videos
- Basic Marketing Video
- Adobe Illustrator Tips
- Corel Draw Tips
- Creating Spot Color Illustrator and Photoshop
- Designing Jigs
- Better adhesion
- Designing for UV Printing
- Intro to VersaWorks 6
- How to print a T-Shirt
- Printing a Braille Sign
Roland Teach Me Series - https://www.rolanddga.com/gallery/roland-tv/webinars/uv-printing
https://www.rolanddga.com/gallery/roland-tv/webinars/uv-printing?wchannelid=g5fc7e8z2b&wmediaid=803ufg7sc5 - This is the video I got much of my information from for the slides. Machine Setup Parameters, RGB vs CMYK, Whole Bed versus origin/Scan&Feed locations. Look though this.
https://www.rolanddga.com/gallery/roland-tv/webinars/uv-printing?wchannelid=g5fc7e8z2b&wmediaid=ated74ejpc - How to Print on Cylindrical Objects - RotoPrint.