new laser engraver RAYJET

[Michael Lang]

Hi,

has anybody seen the new compact laser engraver RAYJET from trotec?

this machine looks amazing to me. look at the videos on their website.


this could be my first trotec machine!

anybody seen the machine in action jet?

thankx for any info

Mike

[Dan Hintz]

Uh, why? Every time I try to get into the shop it assumes I'm in the UK and won't let me in. I see no video other than the half computer-generated set of images on the front page.

So far, I see no overwhelming reason to choose this one over others except for the pretty exterior.

[Bill Cunningham]

When I first saw the picture next to the usb plug, I thought it was a tiny little thing that sat on the corner of your desk and pumped out 1-at-a-time name badges or something, but the specs say it has a 12 x 18 bed.. pretty case though... All Plastic?

[Rodne Gold]

Sheesh , another "make a $100000 per day in your spare time with a laser" type entry level unit. Nothing special as far as I can see , unless its the same price as a desktop printer.
Problem is , the proliferation of such units , their aggresive marketing messes it up for the rest of us , diluting our markets and promoting major competition for the same slice of the pie by those with no overheads.
Ah well.......

[Dan Hintz]

Problem is , the proliferation of such units , their aggresive marketing messes it up for the rest of us , diluting our markets and promoting major competition for the same slice of the pie by those with no overheads.
I'm not sure I agree with you there, Rodne... I feel it gives people a way to differentiate themselves with good customer service. Sure, you may have 50 people in the same city purchasing these machines, but you'll see them quickly close up shop as the dream is more difficult to realize than they first imagined. If you provide a good end-product with good customer service, your business shouldn't hurt in the end.

[Rodne Gold]

Those newly entering the market have not got the experience to give good service , considering they still learning their tools etc. So what happens is they try get some market share to pay off their machine and make some tom
The only short term effective tool they really have right then is price...and they are generally more agressive in marketing being lean and hungry.
Most customers will be prepared to accept a slight drop in quality or service delivery for a substantial price drop especially when times get tough.

[Mark Winlund]

Sheesh , another "make a $100000 per day in your spare time with a laser" type entry level unit. Nothing special as far as I can see , unless its the same price as a desktop printer.
Problem is , the proliferation of such units , their aggresive marketing messes it up for the rest of us , diluting our markets and promoting major competition for the same slice of the pie by those with no overheads.
Ah well.......

Right on the money, Rodney. This happens with all technologies... remember when a vinyl cutter made big money? How about rotary engraving? When I started in this business, a pantograph was a very profitable machine. Now they are relegated to trinket work in malls.

As long as there is no faster, competing technology, lasers will still make us money. As usual, the winners will be the people that give great service... not the lowest price. Just this weekend, I finished up a bunch of perpetuals with the rotary engraver. As a freebie, I also replaced the scratched plates that these awards invariably collect. Then delivered them. By hand. In person by our best salesman. (Which is not me!)

Mark

[Jack Harper]

Don't forget about the customer buying one themselves to take the work in house. As the cost becomes low and the technology easy to use, our corporate customers, schools and other lucrative organizations will just add one themselves. This is no different than color copiers and laser printers they now have but once sent out for.

[Zac Altman]

This is no different than color copiers and laser printers they now have but once sent out for.

Haha. Looks like a printer as well. I just wonder how the software included compares to others such as the versalaser software or whether you could operate it like the epilog works (with just the printer drivers).

[Michael Lang]

i had a chance to get a demo of the software. it is a printer driver and very easy to handle.

it also has a material database. very neat!

cheers

mike

[Bill Cunningham]

Don't forget about the customer buying one themselves to take the work in house. As the cost becomes low and the technology easy to use, our corporate customers, schools and other lucrative organizations will just add one themselves. This is no different than color copiers and laser printers they now have but once sent out for.

I bought my first fax machine used for $700.00 and used to make $2500.00 a year running a fax service for locals (it paid my entire phone bill).. Still run a fax service but it's dropped to maybe 50 bucks a month if I'm lucky.. I wonder why? Could it be that you can buy a new fax machine for 50 bucks, or use your scanner and computer.. I used to do a lot of colour copies. Now, any customer I had, can buy a inkjet photo quality colour copier for less than I pay for a set of cartridges for mine.. Yup, sooner or later it's going to affect everything..

[Larry Bratton]

How much does that little "do-hickey" cost? It does resemble a printer for sure.

[Zvi Grinberg]

At least the X-Axis mechanizm within the arm, looks very similar to the VersaLASER.

I did not see the software in action, but from the few pictures and little description, there seems to be a tight correlation as well.

[Michael Lang]

you are right! but it looks very "sexy" for a laser engraver / cutter. not like the versa. :)

You can see the software and workflow in this video:

http://www.rayjetlaser.com/en-US/your_succes_with_rayjet/applications/Pages/Cutting_Acrylic.aspx

very easy to handle.

i'll become a fan of the machine. maybe i'll go to a show to see the machine.

[Joe Pelonio]

Don't forget about the customer buying one themselves to take the work in house. As the cost becomes low and the technology easy to use, our corporate customers, schools and other lucrative organizations will just add one themselves. This is no different than color copiers and laser printers they now have but once sent out for.
Bingo!

I already have two customers that have bought their own lasers.
Fortunately for me, for various reasons not the least of which is lack of expertise I still get some work from them, but as the prices drop and if the imports eventually manage to build them with better quality, there
could be more of that. The same thing is happening with large format
printers. While the vinyl plotter prices have dropped drastically, for some reason customers are not buying those so far.

[Mike Null]

The cost of the machine has rarely been a problem so lower prices on equipment will not have a major impact with customers who prefer to outsource.

Keep in mind outsourcing has major benefits in terms of reduced inventories, reduced labor costs and no equipment investment.

[Frank Corker]

you are right! but it looks very "sexy" for a laser engraver / cutter. not like the versa. :)

You can see the software and workflow in this video:

http://www.rayjetlaser.com/en-US/your_succes_with_rayjet/applications/Pages/Cutting_Acrylic.aspx

very easy to handle.

i'll become a fan of the machine. maybe i'll go to a show to see the machine.


Did you look closely at the end of that video clip. The piece moves, not a tight fit, plus it made me laugh.

[Dan Hintz]

The local Ritz Camera shop has installed a VersaLaser for doing tiles, awards, etc. It sits in the middle of the shop, not hiding in the back... they don't even have a full price list yet, but I know they've been advertising it for several months now.

[Zac Altman]

Anyone have a clue what this is going to cost? I can only guess that it is going to be priced around that of the Versalaser models. Is it going to be cheaper?

[Andy Wingfield]

Hello gentleman,

My name is Andy Wingfield and I am a Trotec representative in the central US.

I am not answering most of your question directly on the forum because I just joined and I an not sure what is proper for a manufacturers rep to say and do in regards to the forum.

I will have some pictures of the inside of the Rayjet and I will guarantee you much like the various Trotec lasers in their category it is on the high end of well built quality laser. The Rayjets market segment is less expensive entry level lasers.
If you have any questions in regards to the Rayjet or Trotec you can email or call me.

Regards,
Andy Wingfield

[Zvi Grinberg]

you are right! but it looks very "sexy" for a laser engraver / cutter. not like the versa. :)

You can see the software and workflow in this video:
...

The video shows how easy is to go from Corel, through Print command to the laser "Commander". You don't really see how the user controls the parameters.

This is how ULS users work everyday, BTW.

I don't know what you refer by "sexy". The woman obviously looks great.
The machine itself is designed nicely, some others would say too plastic.

However the window is made of bent acrylic. The first Versa's came like this, and experience tells it has potential to wear and could crack. The current VLS has a robust top door made of metal and scratchless glass, with pressure cylinders that make sure it would last long.

From my (biased) point of view - it follows the early Versalaser principles, it looks similar mechanically and operates probably the same.

[Mark Venema]

I just spoke with a sales rep from Trotec and they are sending me info on this machine. The cost starts at $11K, so they are not as cheap as they look. I will know more once I get the info pack.

[Bruce Volden]

The Trotec and Raylet Laser mini-show will be Tuesday November 11th in Overland Park Kansas at the Courtyard by Marriott. KC metro area.
Time 8.00 till 5.30




Bruce

[Michael Lang]

this show special is good. 9500 $ i will go to one of there shows. probably the will come to ny.

[Dan Hintz]

this show special is good. 9500 $ i will go to one of there shows. probably the will come to ny.
I suppose that depends on how good the system truly is. Universal just ran a special with the VLS3.50 with a 30W for $10,995, and except for the more powerful laser has roughly similar specs on bed size, etc. That said, I feel that ULS has the edge when it comes to the print drivers and the like. YMMV...

[Mike Null]

While there is interest in this new product, some of the posts are getting near to advertising or promotion.

I have edited some to remove part of the promotional info.

I am not trying to be a censor but just to be fair and stay within our TOS.

Andy Wingfield, a new member, coincidentally happens to be my Trotec rep.

[Keith Outten]

Hello gentleman,

My name is Andy Wingfield and I am a Trotec representative in the central US.

I am not answering most of your question directly on the forum because I just joined and I an not sure what is proper for a manufacturers rep to say and do in regards to the forum.

I will have some pictures of the inside of the Rayjet and I will guarantee you much like the various Trotec lasers in their category it is on the high end of well built quality laser. The Rayjets market segment is less expensive entry level lasers.
If you have any questions in regards to the Rayjet or Trotec you can email or call me.

Regards,
Andy Wingfield


Andy,

Welcome to The Creek.

You can't sell or promote any products in this forum but you can and we would appreciate your answering any questions that are asked concerning Trotec.

I would like to know what power supply options are available in the Rayjet machine?

.

[Peter Meacham]

Has anyone been able to download the various sample projects from the RayJet web site - there seems to be a sample for each type of material (or a teaser icon) but none of the links are active. Are the active links elsewhere on the site?

[Andy Wingfield]

Hi Keith,

The Rayjet utilizes a Synrad tube.

110v or 220v

Regards,

Andy Wingfield
]

[Michael Lang]

what synrad tube is inside the machine? the machine has 30 watt. right?

mike

[Keith Outten]

Thanks Andy,

Is the Rayjet going to be available with larger power supplies, possibly 100 watt?
The reason I ask is that I engrave Corian ADA door signs, they are very small but I prefer a larger power supply to keep the engraving time as low as possible.
.

[Andy Wingfield]

Hi Keith,

The initial Rayjet as you know is going to have a 30 watt Synrad tube.
The Rayjet may be released at a latter date with a slightly higher wattage tube. I would not think it would be a Synrad 100 or 120 watt tube as I don't know where the larger components would be positioned on the Rayjet.

Regards,

Andy Wingfield

[Joseph deCroy]

Don't forget about the customer buying one themselves to take the work in house. As the cost becomes low and the technology easy to use, our corporate customers, schools and other lucrative organizations will just add one themselves. This is no different than color copiers and laser printers they now have but once sent out for.

This has been a very important concern of mine, as one just getting started.

However, after thinking it over, I'm not too sure I completely agree. This same client base could have easily purchased rotary engravers (for various applications) years ago, even today at a much lower cost then a laser engraver.

Part of the reason, I think, these organizations did not purchase rotary engravers and won't purchase the laser engraver is because these larger organizations tend more to stick with their mission statement. Said another way, if engraving/cutting is not part of their core business they have no need for the distraction.

Most successful organizations, I believe, do what they do best and outsource the rest. For instance, a mop, a broom, a vacuum, and a few cleaning supplies only cost a few hundred dollars. However, look at how many companies large and small outsource their cleaning services. How about t-shirts? An ink printer, software, heat press, transfer paper, plain tees and for about a grand or so any organization can make their own promo t-shirts, but not many do.

As for cheap lasers flooding the market with inexperienced competition, I think that it can benefit the more experience engravers who know how to turn out quality work and how to work with customers when there is an issue. What better way to gain credibility and gain a long term customer and their referrals then by cleaning up someone elses mess.

Just my thoughts, as I work through developing my own approach to the industry.

[Rodne Gold]

The point to bear in mind is that lasers are as easy to operate as printers , and most ppl that would get one rather than outsource need em for only a few , easily mastered, applications. Far simpler than a Rotary. We have had quite a few of our big accounts go in house.
The real mission statement of any co is to increase profitabilty and profit and these days , I can assure you, all means will be investigated. With the worldwide turmoil , I have reservations about new start up's potential for sucess.Bottom line..right now , I wouldn't start a laser engraving business from scratch or as a manfgr , launch new cap intensive lines with any huge expectations of sucess.
Who knows where laser prices are going in the next year or so? I think substantial price drops are still to come in the next 6 moths as mnfgrs find themselves under pressure to do the sales and will offer products at great deals to clear stock?
I also think Asian machines will get a lot better offering the same performance at 1/2 the price....
Who knows...... interesting times we live in

[John Barton]

I bought my first fax machine used for $700.00 and used to make $2500.00 a year running a fax service for locals (it paid my entire phone bill).. Still run a fax service but it's dropped to maybe 50 bucks a month if I'm lucky.. I wonder why? Could it be that you can buy a new fax machine for 50 bucks, or use your scanner and computer.. I used to do a lot of colour copies. Now, any customer I had, can buy a inkjet photo quality colour copier for less than I pay for a set of cartridges for mine.. Yup, sooner or later it's going to affect everything..

It's the nature of the game. Technology becomes commonplace and widely available. You had the foresight to get in early and made good money. In all markets revenues decline as availability increases and demand is then satisfied with many sources.

The thing is that it really does come down to sales and service. I can buy a color copier for a couple hundred but when I need a couple hundred color copies I am going to Kinkos.

I wouldn't worry about the small laser engravers. A laser engraver does not make a business.

Every business has the same issues to deal with. If your service is top notch then you will have plenty of business from the people who understand that it's better to pay a little more for experience. The ones that don't are just paying to learn that lesson by going with the cheap newcomer.

Rodne, from looking at your website and what you offer I doubt that there are very many startups with toy lasers who are getting into your pocket very deeply.

[Michael Lang]

something new on this compact laser engraver. the guys from trotec opened thier own rayjet laser blog. you can post on there.

good infos on software there.

let's have a look:
http://mylaserengraver.blogspot.com/

Mike

[Rob Bosworth]

Michael, why does it sound like you have am agenda with this Rayjet machine? What's the deal? I can see someone being impressed with something, but to keep coming back and waving a banner. OK, we get it. Trotec has a little inexpensive machine to compete with everyone else's. And it is much better looking than everyone else's!