What to consider when choosing a wide-format printer

Five key factors to consider when choosing your next wide-format printer

Having worked with Canon Canada for the last 14 years as National Manager, Large Format Printers, I’ve had the privilege to work with some of the largest and smallest print shops in Canada. Each segment is different and has its own needs. Over the past 20 years, large-format printing has developed into a very profitable sector for many of the shops that have carefully monitored their customers’ needs.

There’s no denying that the printing industry has suffered during the 2020 pandemic, but the good news is that, according to KeyPoint Intelligence reports, the outlook is expected to improve soon. Having the right equipment and workflow, and offering customers the ability to place, approve and track their orders online, will greatly help print companies survive.

So, when considering to add or upgrade a large-format printer to your printing operation, here are some key factors to consider. I want to thank Grimco and Epson for allowing me to interview them to better understand the needs of their customers. Questions may be different for someone looking to upgrade a large-format printer, as opposed to someone just starting off with a new large-format printer – but you can use this article as a checklist. Here are the five factors I believe you should consider:

Applications

• Will this new large-format printer meet my current needs? • What type of jobs do I expect to be running? • What is your target market or area of focus for your business? • Do I need print for indoor or outdoor applications – or both? • Will the printer handle all of my current applications in regards to print quality and speed, and do it economically? • Are there jobs you currently turn away or need to outsource? • Can the printer hit all the colours you need it to achieve, such as specific

Pantone colours? • Does the printer print white or silver, and will this be a future requirement? • Does the new printer allow me to grow my business? • Is the new printer versatile enough to allow me to evolve into new applications beyond my current core business? • Can the printer handle the volume of work if I increase my business?

• Does the printer give me an advantage over my current competitors?

Cost of ownership

• How much will this printer cost to operate? • Calculate the total cost per square foot of printed media: • Ink cost per square foot • Consumables costs (print heads, cleaning products, etc.) • Electricity consumption • Periodic manufacturer maintenance • Daily maintenance time required

Productivity

• How fast can the printer print at reasonable quality? • What does your expected print volume look like? • How long do you need to wait before laminating and how will that affect your production workflow? • Does the printer have an integrated cutting solution or is the cutter sold separately? (Print and cut integrated solutions are great, but they’re not made for high productivity. They’re made for smaller shops that don’t have space for two separate pieces of equipment. Having a printer and a separate cutter allows for a faster production workflow. The cutter can cut while the printer prints. • Is this printer compatible with my current workflow and software? • How much time will be required to retrain staff, etc.? • If there’s a change with the front-end software, what advantages are there – and are the advantages worth the learning curve?

Service and support

• How capable is the dealer to support me during and after the sale of the equipment? • How fast can I get my printer serviced when it needs repairs? • How many dealers support this printer and how many experienced technicians does each have so that I’m not locked into only one dealer for ongoing support. • How much does it cost to repair this printer on an hourly basis? • How reliable is this printer and are referrals available? • Does the dealer offer new materials and applications training to support growth? • Do the manufacturer and dealer offer a tech-support helpline? • Do the manufacturer and dealer offer colour-management support?

Price

• Price is important when considering the purchase of a new printer, but it should

never be your main concern. • It’s important to buy the right printer for the right application that gives you room to grow your print volumes and different application types. • Service is also critical. How quickly will your new printer be up and running after it goes down? • Does the printer come with all the software it needs, or is there an extra charge? • Should I lease or should I buy? These are just some of the questions that I would ask a customer, as we start a discussion of a new wide-format printer. The key is to understand your business, your customers and your needs. You need to find a printer that’ll handle your largeformat print needs now, but also give you plenty of room to grow. I hope this helps as you seek to grow your business in 2021.

Peter Dulis is a large-format printing executive who’s worked with Canon Canada for the past 14 years as National Manager, Large Format Printers. He’s a frequent contributor to Graphic Arts Magazine, Luminous Landscape, Photo News, Visual Wilderness, and his photography and articles can be found on his websites: https://www.peterdulisphotography.com/, https://photographyadventures.ca/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/peterdulis/. Dulis is available for consultation or keynote speaking related to photography and large-format printing: pdulis@rogers.com.