FLATBEDS
FOREVER
Specs on more than 90 flatbed and hybrid printers.
For many shops, the flatbed has become the go-to device of our industry for a variety of applications. Yes, the rollfed printer still has its place at the output table – and some would argue it still sits at the head of that table – but the flatbed and its hybrid cousin have been slowly but surely elbowing their way to more and more of the meal’s prime cuts in recent years. The flatbed’s popularity has surged because manufacturers have bolstered the machines with additional capabilities – increased speed, broader color gamuts, and improved ink technologies, superior resolutions, and so on. As a result, more can be done with flatbeds and hybrids than ever before. To help you in selecting your next flatbed or hybrid printer, we’ve collected comprehensive specifications on more than 90 machines from nearly 30 printer manufacturers, and present them here. Consider these specs a good starting point in your hardware quest. Some notes on the data: • Company: We’ve listed the manufacturer; if a company has an exclusive US distributor, we’ve listed that information in the Notes section. • Printer model: Models are often combined if the only difference between them is media width or colors. • Maximum media width (in inches): Media width, not image width; minimum is 24 inches. • Maximum media thickness: In millimeters or inches. • Media: What kind of media will the printer handle – is there a roll option? • Printhead technology: Most machines are inkjet piezo. • Colors: What inksets are supported?
• Ink types accepted: Most flatbeds/hybrids are UVcurable, some indicated aqueous or solvent. • Minimum/maximum resolution (true/apparent): What is the minimum/maximum true/apparent resolution? We asked for both true and apparent resolution specs; if a company provided both, we’ve listed as true/apparent in that order. If only one spec is listed, it’s typically true resolution. • Maximum speed at a specific resolution: What’s the printer’s fastest speed (sq ft/hr) and resolution (dpi)? • High-quality speed at a specific resolution: What is the speed (sq ft/hr) and resolution (dpi) for high-quality printing? • RIP: What RIP comes standard? • Year Intro’d: What year was the model introduced? • Price: What’s the selling price? • Warranty: How long is the printer warranted for? • On-site service contract: What’s the cost? • Training: Is training standard? • Notes: Additional information not included elsewhere. Keep in mind that all information was provided by the manufacturers/suppliers; you can often find additional specs on their websites. We asked for specs only on currently available flatbeds and hybrids; see our July issue for our coverage of rollfed machines. Some manufacturers chose not to include models that seemed to still be on the market and we honored these requests. Finally, keep in mind that these specs will be “re-issued” in digital form via our next Printer Sourcebook, which appears online on bigpicture.net in late autumn. www.bigpicture.net