solventprinter555

The FLAAR Reports you see here are the results of Professor Nicholas Hellmuth's quest for what solvent large format printer are optimal for various kinds of signage.

Screen large format printer companies, sign shops, and print shops in over 42 countries come to FLAAR to seek our help in us suggesting what solvent large format printer that they should consider for POP, banners, and other display graphics.

FLAAR solvent large format printer Reports contains over 15 different titles divided in different thematic groups, so you can decide what is best for your needs. Click on each title, listed below (or in the menu at the right) to view the series content.

If you seek solvent printers that are new or still current for 2007, we do have more recent reports coming out on several brands of eco-solvent and mild-solvent large format printers. The other reports that are recent (2006-2007) are reports on the newer UV-curable flatbed printers.

Please realize that many of these large format printers shown on this page are no longer current models. We do not update reports on non-current models. But we do make these reports available because people want to buy older large format printers on eBay or otherwise buy them used. There are not really any other reports on these brands, so we feel proud that at least we have some basic information available.

We tested all multifunction large format printer in the PC World Test Center for printing, scanning, and copying speed and quality.

The solvent printer tests consisted of generating a three-page black-and-white newsletter, a ten-page black-and-white text document, a grayscale photo, a two-page Excel spreadsheet, a three-page PowerPoint presentation, and a color JPEG photo at default settings. Only inkjet MFPs printed in color; laser MFPs converted the color documents to grayscale.

The scanner tests consisted of scanning a 2-by-2-inch color photo at maximum resolution and maximum bit depth; a 2-by-2-inch color photo at 600 dpi and 24-bit depth; a 4-by-5-inch color photo at 100 dpi and 24-bit depth; a one-page, black-and-white text document at 300 dpi and 1-bit depth; and a 7.5-by-10.5-inch black-and-white line-art image at maximum resolution and 1-bit depth.

The copier tests involved copying a single black-and-white page.

A panel of judges rated the quality of each MFP's output, using criteria adapted from PC World's large format printer and scanner tests. We measured large format printer times from the execution of the command until the job was completed. Scanner times covered both the preview time and the scan time, yielding a total time for each job. For printing the image on an inkjet-based MFP, we used vendor-specified optimal-quality settings and vendor-specified paper. On a laser-based MFP, we used vendor-specified settings and then printed the image on stock paper. For black-and-white printing, we put the laser-based MFPs at "best print quality" settings.

To print the text documents, we used Microsoft Word 11 with default settings. To open and print the JPEG image, we used Photoshop CS.

We tested large format printer and scan functions on a pair of identically configured 2.8-GHz MPC Pentium 4 systems with 512MB of RAM. Each multifunction large format printer connected to the PC via a USB 2.0 port. To evaluate each MFP's scan quality, we printed the scanned color and black-and-white images on a Canon i455 large format printer and an HP LaserJet 1200 printer, respectively; we had the i455 output the images using high-quality settings and glossy paper. We also reviewed the scanned images on screen, using a pair of Panasonic PanaSync Pro P110i 21-inch CRT monitors.

Considering the variety of things you can print yourself, personal large format printer are downright revolutionary.

Whether inkjet or laser, solvent printer offer a lot of convenience beyond just printing documents and driving directions. Being able to print quickly on a whim can save you time, cut business costs, and give you flexibility to create one-off materials. If you need only a few promotional postcards, why buy a bunch of extras just because a print shop requires a big minimum order' The variety of things you can print may surprise you. Some of them will save businesses time and money, while others will thrill hobbyists and general consumers.

Postage
Stamps.com offers a service whereby you can print postage with the inkjet or large format printer you already have, without having to buy a specialized postage inkjet printer. The service costs $16 per month.

Pitney Bowes used to offer a service called ClickStamp Online that allowed you to print postage with your own large format printer. In its place, the company now offers a $20 monthly plan that includes the rental of a postage meter and scale--you can print postage but you can't use your own large format printer.

Bar Codes
If the image of bar codes tattooed onto the backs of prisoners' heads in Alien 3 horrified you, you may not rejoice to learn that printing bar codes is easy--and much less painful than getting a tattoo.

You can print bar codes by the sheet with an inkjet or laser printer, or print them individually with a smaller label printer. All you need is software and a specialized font from a company such as IDAutomation or Seagull Scientific.

Airline Tickets
Self-check-in kiosks at airports are a fine invention. But they don't save you time if the passenger in front of you is cursing at the screen in frustration. Print your boarding pass at home. Many airlines offer this service when you make a reservation online.

Business Cards
Need an elevated title for the day' Print your own business cards. Avery's Clean Edge business cards break off from the paper around them without leaving little nubs--that sure sign of a do-it-yourselfer that may undermine your credibility.

Event Tickets
Many organizations, from professional sports teams to museums to ski resorts, let you print your own tickets. Why wouldn't they' E-mailing a PDF file of a ticket costs a lot less than printing it--and some organizations will get you with a service charge for the convenience of hitting the slopes instead of the ticket line.

Companies like ClicknPrint offer this service to venues. Typically, the company helps the organization set up an online ticketing site that generates PDFs, and then on the day of the event sets up a laptop and bar-code scanners on a wireless network at the venue. As for the PDFs you print at home, you don't need to worry about using an inexpensive inkjet to print a legible bar code on your ticket--as long as you don't use really cheap paper.

Greeting Cards and Invitations
Printing cards and invitations shouldn't involve a grueling session with a layout program. When you'd rather say it yourself than rely on Hallmark to pen your sentiment, consider using specially designed software and printing the card at home. Mountaincow and other companies offer such software. Preprinted stationary is available, so for some designs all you print is the text. The designs tend to be simple, but if it's the thought that counts, at least the thought is yours.

Checks
We'd all like to make more money, but printing it will get you in a lot of hot water with the Feds. You can, however, print your own checks--even on an large format printer. With specialized paper, printing software, and fonts from the likes of CheckMaster, you're in business. For large volumes, it's probably best to use a laser printer as well as special MICR toner, which is magnetic so banks' machinery can read the checks.

Coffee Mugs, T-Shirts, and Novelties
Need a second income' NovaChrome USA sells kits for making sublimation transfers so you can put photos on everything from ceramic mugs to mouse pads. First you print your photo on the transfer paper, and then use a heat press to transfer the ink to a piece of metal, plastic, wood, or fabric. These items need a special coating to receive the ink, and fabric needs to have a fair amount of polyester--the ink doesn't adhere well to cotton.

Of course, for starters, you'll need a printer. These inks work with Epson printers, even some low-cost models. For example, you can use the $99 Epson C86. A set of specialty inks is pricey, at $337. The 8.5-by-11-inch transfer paper costs $15 for 100 sheets from NovaChrome USA. NovaChrome charges anywhere from $500 to $1000 for heat presses designed for various needs; go to the company's home page and click "Heat Presses" in the left column for more information.

Signs
Just because your printer only takes paper up to 8.5 by 11 inches in size doesn't mean you can't make larger signs. Avery Sign Kits come with foam board in various sizes on which you assemble multiple prints to make a large sign. The polymer media that comes with the kits is weather-resistant; there are guides to help you align the prints; and if you goof it up on the first try, no worries: The glue doesn't permanently adhere on first contact so you can reposition your prints if you need to.

Sushi, Circuit Boards--Even Human Skin
Yes, you read that right. In my March column I described how a chef in Chicago is printing edible menus; Seiko Epson has printed circuit boards and a giant OLED display; and researchers are pursuing the creation of human skin--and possibly even living tissue--with the help of large format printer.