Wide format printers are similar to standard width printers in many respects. Like traditional models, wide format printers use inkjet technology to print an image or text onto flat materials like paper. However, wide format printers can work with much larger and heavier materials. The width used varies, but many of these printers can print 10 to 100 inch-wide sheets.
Wide format printers can be used to create a variety of promotional and commercial products, including CAD drawings, posters, banners, and more. Many businesses rely on third-party printer services to produce these extra-wide final renderings. However, in many cases, an in-house wide format printer may be the smarter choice for your business. Consider the following benefits your business can reap by adding one of these modern devices to your office technology fleet.
Wide Format Printers Reduce Costs
There are two significant expenses involved in third-party print services: initial fees and waste costs. On the front end, you’ll need to pay the outside service to produce what you need. You’ll likely pay for these printing services multiple times a year as your business grows, partners and sponsors change, and services, products, or solutions are added to your business’s lineup. Moreover, brand slogans evolve, legal fine print can change, and new promotional ideas pop up throughout the year. For those in the Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) field, blueprints and renderings are continuously updated, affecting your final products. All of this can leave you with antiquated collateral after your initial print. When working with a print shop, you’ll need to pay to have new pieces created and possibly to dispose of any outdated materials.
Printing on demand and in-house lets you avoid overpaying for your large-sized materials. Your company will be able to print what you need when you need it in the required size. An in-house wide format printer has a significantly lower cost per page compared to the labor fees and profit margin increase you’ll incur at your local print shop. Lower costs and reduced waste mean that your in-house wide format printer will pay for itself over time.
Wide Format Printers Provide On-Demand Printing
It can be time-consuming to find and work with a third-party print service. You will need to research what services are in our area, select several, vet them by reviewing testimonials, and ask for quotes based on your unique needs. Once you’ve heard back from them, you may have to wait for samples to be produced and approved. Then you’ll need to wait for the job to be completed and shipped.
This process is inherently slow and can be delayed even more. For instance, if the print shop receives a surge of large orders, yours may be de-prioritized. The delivery service used may get behind or cost extra for expedited shipping. If you notice an error in the printing, expect even more time to restart the process over again and receive the final product. All of this wastes time and distracts your employees from other critical tasks. Slow print services may also make it challenging to meet last-minute client requests or take advantage of time-sensitive business opportunities.
In-house print services are far more efficient. In many cases, you send the file over to your wide format printer and collect the print job. You can also print a limited run of samples to check for errors or print more on the fly if there is unexpected demand. An in-house wide format printer is on your team’s schedule, allowing for last-minute edits, new renderings, updated language or logos, and more. You can print on-demand to ensure you have the large-scale renderings when you need them.
Wide Format Printers Enhance Security
Security is a primary concern for today’s businesses. Your confidential blueprints, future marketing campaigns, and other information are all vulnerable to data breaches. Third-party print services take measures to protect the information you send them. However, there’s a lot you don’t know about those measures. How often does the service update their security software? (Note that modern printers of all sizes are comparable to computers, storing confidential business data on hard drives that is vulnerable to attack.) What security procedures do they have in place? How carefully are these procedures followed? Is your data protected when it leaves your network?
Keeping your print jobs in-house eliminates a lot of this uncertainty, particularly if your business values maintaining modern best practices when it comes to printer security. Your data never leaves the safety of your network. You know your software is up-to-date, and you can check that employees are following data security procedures.
Many wide format printers have built-in features that add another layer of protection. Some of these include:
- PIN codes for print jobs, allowing you to track who used the machine, when, and what they did with it
- User-level access control, including logins and passwords, letting you filter which employees can use the printer
- The ability to disable USB ports, preventing anyone from accessing your network by plugging a USB into the printer
- Daily secure disc erasure procedures
- The ability to remove the hard drive and take it off-site
These features greatly enhance your data protection. They could also be necessary if you are or work with certain industries, such as federal agencies, healthcare organizations, or financial institutions, in maintaining regulatory compliance requirements.
Wide Format Printers Output Brilliant Quality
A wide format printer facilitates print jobs that are up to 100 inches wide and nearly as long as you need. However, quality matters as much as size. A poorly printed image may affect customer perception and the credibility of your business. Meanwhile, mistakes in a blueprint or schematic for AEC firms could be incredibly costly for your company.
Wide format printers offer excellent print quality. One of the reasons why these machines are pricey compared to their standard-sized counterparts is the build quality. Wide format printers go through rigorous testing and development to make sure that they can handle heavy materials and high volume print tasks. The advanced technology they use allows printing without errors like distortion, inaccurate colors, and patchy blacks. Your first printed poster will look as good as the thousandth.
Save Your Business Time and Money with Wide Format Printers
In-house wide format printers offer a business reduced costs while maintaining the excellent print quality that one expects from a third-party printing service. Investing in an in-house machine gives the company the convenience of printing both small and large-scale jobs on demand. It also brings a number of enhanced security options. These make the business more agile and more competitive in its field.
Are you in the Sacramento area and interested in an in-house wide format printer for your business? Contact Buckmaster Office Solutions today to learn more about your options, including a 0% financing for 36 months option valid through December 31, 2020 on Canon’s TM series of wide format devices!