Rick, That was a very good recommendation from Phil. I had one such story to tell when I was picking my nose for a used Fuji chipshooter two years ago. I knew my used broker more than 10 years and he found one machine under my budget in Puerto Rico. (It is everyone's guess how that machine got to Puerto Rico from Japan. Later, I found out that machine was sold in Japan, not in USA.) I obtained the serial number and other info from him. The machine was in transit to US main land at that time. I and my broker did not have a complete picture. He was getting the info from one broker and that one broker was getting it from another broker. I was doing the machine's background check thru my local Fuji rep, but he was slow to respond. My broker kept informed me the machine did not arrived at his place few times when I was making all travel arrangements to inspect it. There was no such record of the machie sold in USA from Fuji Americal in Chicago. So I was forced to send a fax requesting the background info to Fuji HQ in Japan. With the proper info in my hand, I was ready to inform my broker, but he was telling me the machine was already sold by the other and another broker. So the machine wasn't sold to the big OEM in USA as I was informed by my broker. The story didn't end there. My broker got into a lot of trouble/shit, and ending up making no profit at all when he found a better machine for me. Hey I was in a bigger mess with my management. Anyway a happy ending for the story! Not sure about my broker's one. regards Matthew Park NII-Norsat International Inc. >>> <[log in to unmask]> August 14, 1998 8:49 am >>> Rick - It depends upon what kind of "technology" your firm will be getting into as well as volumes. Likely, though either unit will do okay. One recommendation when buying used equipment from someone other than the equipment manufacturer: Ask for the serial number of the unit you are considering purchasing. Then call up the machine manufacturer and ask for Field Service. Ask the Field Service people about the history of that particular machine. Equipment manufacturers Customer Service departments keep a file on each machine they sell. And Field Service people are not salesmen, either, so they will be very candid. They can tell you whether the machine was taken care of (or beaten to death), how well it was maintained, and what options and features are on it (that a broker or used equipment salesman may not be aware of). They can also tell you what new features and software may be retrofitted on it. I strongly recommend you do this. When I was Product Manager for Reflow at Vitronics, I would gladly help prospective buyers learn the history of a machine they are considering. And a good used equipment salesman will let you have that serial number. If he won't, it is because he does not have actual possession of the machine (it's on someones factory floor or storeroom) and he's afraid you'll backdoor him. In these cases, there is a strong question about what "refurbished" means. Beware! A good used equipment sales organization, and there are a few out there that I've worked with, will have no qualms about disclosing to you the serial number of the machine. Also, check with the equipment manufacturers, in this case DEK and MPM. They may have used, refurbished equipment or demo equipment for sale with a great warranty. Good luck! Phil Zarrow ITM, Inc. 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