Wide-format printers (contrast to vector-rendering "plotters") are generally accepted to be any
printerIn computing, a printer is a peripheral which produces a hard copy of documents stored in electronic form, usually on physical print media such as paper or transparencies. Many printers are primarily used as local peripherals, and are attached by a printer cable or, in most newer printers, a USB...
with a print width between 17" and 100". Printers over the 100" mark may be called
Super-Wide or
Grand format. Wide format printers are used to print banners, posters and general signage and in some cases may be more economical than short-run methods such as screenprinting. Wide format printers generally use a roll of print material rather than individual sheets and may incorporate hot-air dryers to prevent prints from sticking to themselves as they are produced.
According to Ink used:
- Aqueous: thermal or Piezo inkjet printers using an ink known as aqueous or water-based.
Wide-format printers (contrast to vector-rendering "plotters") are generally accepted to be any
printerIn computing, a printer is a peripheral which produces a hard copy of documents stored in electronic form, usually on physical print media such as paper or transparencies. Many printers are primarily used as local peripherals, and are attached by a printer cable or, in most newer printers, a USB...
with a print width between 17" and 100". Printers over the 100" mark may be called
Super-Wide or
Grand format. Wide format printers are used to print banners, posters and general signage and in some cases may be more economical than short-run methods such as screenprinting. Wide format printers generally use a roll of print material rather than individual sheets and may incorporate hot-air dryers to prevent prints from sticking to themselves as they are produced.
Technologies
According to Ink used:
- Aqueous: thermal or Piezo inkjet printers using an ink known as aqueous or water-based. The term water base is a generally accepted misnomer. The pigment is held in a non-reactive carrier solution that is sometimes water and other times a substitute liquid, including a soy based liquid used by Kodak. Aqueous ink generally comes in two flavors, Dye and UV (alternatively known as pigment). Dye ink is high color, low UV-resistant variety that offers the widest color gamut. UV ink is generally duller in color but withstands fading from UV rays. Similar in general principle to desktop inkjet printers. Finished prints using dye inks must be laminated to protect them if they are to be used outdoors while prints using UV inks can be used outdoors un-laminated for a limited time. Various materials are available, including canvases, banners, metabolized plastic and cloth. Aqueous technology requires that all materials be properly coated to accept and hold the ink.
- Solvent: Piezo inkjet printers whose inks use petroleum or a petroleum by-product such as acetone as its carrier liquid. The resulting prints are waterproof. May be used to print directly on uncoated vinyl
A vinyl compound is any organic compound that contains a vinyl group , −CH=CH2. These are derivatives of ethene, CH2=CH2, with one hydrogen atom replaced with some other group...
and other media as well as ridged substrates such as Foam Board and PVC.
- Dye sublimation: inks are diffused into the special print media to produce continuous-tone prints of photographic quality.
- UV: Piezo inkjet printers whose inks are UV-curable (Dry when cured with UV light). The resulting prints are waterproof, embossed & vibrant. Any media material can be used in this technology, polymer made media are best. Ceramics, glass, metals, and woods are also used with printing with this technology.
- Pen/plotter: a pen or pens are used to draw on the print substrate. Mainly used for producing CAD drawings. Generally being superseded by digital technologies such as Solvent, Aqueous, and UV.
Manufacturers
The major manufacturers include (in alphabetical order):
Canon Inc., DGI,
Durst, Grapo Technologies a.s,
http://www.grapo.com,
EFI VUTEk,
Encad,
Gandinnovations,
Hewlett-Packard,
Inca Digital Printers,Infinity, Infotech, Keundo,
Kodak,
ColorJet, Leggett and Platt,
MacDermid ColorSpan Inc., Matan Digital Printers,
Mimaki,
Mutoh,
NUR,
Océ, Raster Printers,
Roland DG, HP Scitex (formerly Scitex Vision, joined Hewlett-Packard on 1 November 2005), Seiko I Infotech Inc., Seiko Epson,Screen, VUTEk,
Xerox, and more.
See also
Canon Inc.is a multinational corporation that specialises in the manufacture of imaging and optical products, including cameras, photocopiers, steppers and computer printers. Its headquarters are located in Ōta, Tokyo, Japan.-Company milestones:...
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DurstDurst Phototechnik AG is a manufacturer of photographic and printing equipment, based in Brixen, Italy.-History:Established in 1936 by two brothers, Julius and Gilbert Durst, who were enthusiasts in the field of photography, encouraged by their mother, who was also a keen photographer and had her...
• Grapo Technologies a.s •
Hewlett-PackardHewlett-Packard Company , commonly referred to as HP, is a technology corporation headquartered in Palo Alto, California, United States. HP has its United States offices at the former old Compaq Campus in unincorporated Harris County, Texas, Latin America offices in Miami-Dade County, Florida,...
• Kodak • KVR-pixojet • Mimaki • Mutoh •
NURNUR can refer to:* National University of Rwanda* National Union of Railwaymen...
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OcéOcé NV is a Netherlands-based company that manufactures and sells production printing and copying hardware and related software. Océ N.V. has been a listed company since 1958 and is the holding company for the international Océ Group. This group has operating companies in 25 industrialised countries...
• Roland DG •
Ricohor Ricoh, is a Japanese company that was established on February 6, 1936 as , a company in the RIKEN zaibatsu. It is headquartered in the Ricoh Building in Chūō, Tokyo....
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XeroxXerox Corporation is a fortune 500 global document management company which manufactures and sells a range of color and black-and-white printers, multifunction systems, photo copiers, digital production printing presses, and related consulting services and supplies...
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printerIn computing, a printer is a peripheral which produces a hard copy of documents stored in electronic form, usually on physical print media such as paper or transparencies. Many printers are primarily used as local peripherals, and are attached by a printer cable or, in most newer printers, a USB...
• screenprinting • thermal • piezo • inkjet •
vinylA vinyl compound is any organic compound that contains a vinyl group , −CH=CH2. These are derivatives of ethene, CH2=CH2, with one hydrogen atom replaced with some other group...