5 minute read
The Shop: Choosing the Right Printer For Your Shop
Choosing the Right Printer For Your Shop
Navigating the Every-Evolving Printer Market
By Adam Sumner
With countless options to choose from, the daunting task of selecting a printer can leave you with a bit of buyer’s remorse. With printer technology these days, it’s hard to decide what will be the best investment. So, I break down the purchase of a printer into a few categories, and the first is service.
The machine that is right for you is the one that you can get serviced quickly to get you back up and running because it will break, and most of the time it breaks at the worst possible moment. You may have just landed the job you’ve been working months to get, and now, with a ridiculous turnaround, your machine is going to go down. If you can’t get service quickly to get the printer up and running, I recommend asking your supplier the first question: What is your service time when I have an issue? Also, look around and see if there are any other third-party technicians that can work on your equipment in your area. If you’re in a remote location or a small town and service could be days away, I tend to steer people towards the HP Latex machines. Those machines have many parts that are user-replaceable with little to no skill involved.
Another option is to attend trainings from the printer manufacturer. Most manufacturers offer technical service training that you can take to learn how to diagnose and fix things like replacing printheads, motors, and boards.
The next question to ask is whether or not to buy used equipment. Buying used machines is never a bad option, but it’s not always the best option. I have purchased many used pieces of equipment over the years, with both positive and negative experiences. My recommendation for someone starting out is to always buy new. Yes, the upfront cost is much larger. However, when starting out, it’s hard to look at a print and know if gradient banding is due to a file issue, incorrect ripping, or file format choices. Starting with a new machine when you’re getting into the business is a good way to rule out a printer malfunction. Although just because it’s new doesn’t mean it’s working flawlessly, at least you will have a warranty to be able to make a call to have them come and take a look at the printer and diagnose the issue without having to pay service fees, which can add up quickly.
The next question is workflow. Speed is king when it comes to printing, and I always like to compare the SF/Hr (Square foot per hour) of the machines I’m looking at. This way, I can figure out which machine is going to work best for me. Typically, the more color options a printer has, the slower the speed; the fewer color options,
the faster the machine. That is not always the case, but it’s a good rule of thumb. For example, if there is a 4-color option vs. 6-8-10 color options, the 4-color will be faster, as in the case of the Epson 60600 and 80600. With the 80600, you will get a massive color gamut with 10 colors and spot colors like red and white. Your eyes will be blown away by the color, that is if they can stay open long enough to watch the print finish. With the 60600, you’re going to get almost 2x the speed but will sacrifice the spectrum of colors you are able to hit. We are currently running the 80600L and love that machine. In my opinion, it’s one of the best machines I have ever owned. The color blows me away, and it’s so quiet I forget it’s even running, which can make getting to the take-up roll in time an Olympic sport when you
step away and realize it to sprint back in time to make sure it doesn’t touch the floor. I have never been a fan of the Print and cut options. I ran a Roland for years and loved the printer but very quickly added in a Graphtec plotter so that I could keep the printer doing its main job while the Graphtec did the finishing.
The debate between solvent and latex will be the one that lasts a lifetime. I currently run both ink sets and could go on about the advantages and disadvantages of each. HINT HINT, there is an article coming about that very topic soon. However, choosing a printer is more than just what ink set is the best. Service is the most important, so when looking for a printer, whether it’s a first purchase or the 10th, make sure to keep in mind, when the inevitable strikes, how fast can you get back to full operating speed.
