Key factors to consider when buying a wide format printer – Part 2

Ease of Use

Here is a question for you. Who taught you how to get money out of the ATM at the bank?

The answer for most everybody is “No one”, you just figured it out. The interface & directions on the screen led you to make the right logical choices for your particular transaction.

Well, that is the direction that a number of wide format printers have gone recently.  While it was KIP who led the way about 5 years ago, since then other companies have followed suit, (Xerox, Ricoh). By putting an intuative touchscreen interface onto their multifunction printer,copier scanners, manufacturers have removed the need for specialist or key operators. Allowing anyone with a need to easily make a wide format scan or copy

In addition to the touchscreen functionality, most wide format printer manufacturers have been adding the ability to print directly from a USB drive or device at the printers touchscreen.

This accommodates walk-up printing at the printer,however,  the ability to preview the files before printing, and build a collated set of prints for multiple sets, or printed in set order, it is still limited to only a couple of manufacturers at the time of this posting.

Software/Utilities

All manufactures offer a range productivity tools, with a broad range of features. If you need specific functionality make sure that you understand what, if any, additional cost those features will add to the purchase of the equipment. The price for some features or functions can be quite substantial, especially if that feature/function comes with a recurring monthly maintenance cost.

The next generation of convenience printing to wide format printers is the addition of Cloud Printing and Scanning.

Most require registration with a 3^rd party website, which then allows you to “print ” to the website from selected  web connected devices ,and or applications, the website then provides a file processing service, converting your file into a print ready file, before passing the file to your printer for output.

Currently these Cloud print service websites are been offered free. This type service is useful for those who do not have any concerns about document security or privacy

The newest cloud print functionality is one that enables the printer itself to receive print jobs from any web-connected device directly. Eliminating the need to register with 3^rd party websites, leaving the security of the printing infrastructure to the owner of the printer, and the processing of the file to the printers controller, which is optimized to process the complex data that often makes up wide format print files.