The answer to how these images are produced lies in the large format digital printer. A machine that allows you to create large images with impressive quality and definition. Let’s take a look at how these machines work.
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A large format digital printer can be of different types: Depending on the size, they can be up to 5 metres wide. They also depend on the material to be printed: rigid or flexible. Among them, paper, textile, canvas, plastic, wood, metal, glass, etc.
But if there is one thing these printers have in common, it is that they all use the same printing technique: inkjet.
Think of a home printer, the kind we have all had or have in our homes. Basically, a large format digital printer has a similar mechanism, although adapted, to that of these everyday machines. This is why, despite being similar, a large format digital printer hides a high technology inside.
Digital printing has been transforming the print production industry for years, bringing greater versatility and shorter, more personalised print runs. As well as greater colour accuracy. This demands that a large-format digital printer meets a number of high standards to achieve results to match.
The printing process starts with the document being sent to the printer’s memory. If it is printed on paper, the roll is placed on a roller that moves mechanically.
Thus, the paper arrives at the printer inlet without wrinkles. The ink passes from large cartridges to the printheads, which are the common components of all printers.
The printheads of a large-format digital printer contain nozzles which, through tiny holes smaller than the diameter of a hair, guide the ink droplets to the printing surface.
Their work is crucial, because depending on the amount of ink that is impregnated into the surface, the quality level will vary. This will prevent smudges or bald patches in the print. Each printer has up to 2,050 nozzles per printhead.
These printheads run across the paper in horizontal stripes, making lateral sweeps. To do this, they use an engine that helps them to do the same in the vertical direction at the same time. The more swipes these printheads make, the better the definition of the final result. During these swipes, each printed centimetre can receive up to 2,000 small drops of ink.
With each drop of ink, the image is formed by the fusion of cyan, magenta, yellow and black (the basic colours), giving the full range of colours.
However, a large-format digital printer uses more colours than basic colours to ensure greater variety and accuracy.
As each part of the surface to be printed (line) is inked, a roller pulls the paper towards the exit, drying the surface. This allows the printheads to continue working on the remaining unprinted area. This is done until the entire document is completely printed.
For the printing of rigid materials, the printers are mounted on special tables. These are equipped with bearings to facilitate the movement of the final product.
If after all this, it’s still not clear to you how a large format digital printer works. Don’t worry. This video is sure to clear up your doubts:
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In the architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) industry, large format printing is an everyday task. Blueprints, technical drawings, and renderings need to be reproduced accurately and reliably using the right type of printing.
The most common printer in the AEC office is the aqueous inkjet printer: A larger, commercial version of the home desktop printer. Aqueous ink refers to any ink that uses water as a carrier fluid, which evaporates as the ink dries. Only a small amount of nontoxic passive components are added to the ink, so this allows for safe, nontoxic, and environmentally friendly printing in the office. Aqueous inkjet printing can be further differentiated by the ink types used: aqueous dye ink and aqueous pigment ink. Which to use simply depends on what you will be printing.
The golden rule is to never waste any time. The faster the print job, more time can be spent on core activities. Two areas to look out for, whatever architectural printer you choose, are:
Speed is often listed in terms of images per minute (IPM) and pages per minute (PPM). For large format printers, PPM is typically given in terms of A1 sheets, as opposed to A4/letter sheets in standard printers.
Low cost. Dye ink is less costly to formulate than pigment ink, and dye ink printers typically utilise a CMYK four-colour ink cartridge system that can produce a wide range of colours at high saturation.
Fast printing speed. Most printers built for plotting use dye inks and offer fast output to meet the demands of a busy office or job site.
Vibrant colours. Dye ink, with its soluble nature, can produce rich colours across a wide gamut. Modern, well-formulated dye inks should also be able to produce good results even on plain paper, given that nearly 90% of the large format printing done in AEC offices uses plain paper.2
One example of an aqueous dye-based printer is the HP DesignJet T830 Multifunction Printer, which is able to print bold, sharp lines and letters down to 0.02 mm line width to ensure that your floor plans and scale drawings are as accurate as can be.
Colour precision. Pigment ink printers typically use multiple colour cartridges, including grey and black ink, to support a wider colour gamut. This makes it ideal for printing GIS maps with a large amount of information, as well as architectural renderings photorealistic prints, backlit panels, and wall murals to show off your work at trade events.
Extreme longevity. Pigment ink molecules have excellent UV stability and fade resistance, even against indoor lighting conditions. This is why they are often chosen for professional photographic prints that are displayed at exhibitions or galleries. For instance, HP Vivid Photo Ink can produce prints that last for up to 200 years in museum conditions.1
Water resistance. Once dry, prints will not smudge or wash out when they come in contact with water.
Because they need to be carefully formulated for stability and quality, pigment ink cartridges tend to be more expensive than dye ink cartridges. In addition, prints made using pigment ink may have a matte appearance as the pigment particles sit on the surface of the paper.
The HP DesignJet Z9⁺ Printer is one example of a large format pigment ink printer. With a nine-colour ink set that includes separate grey and black ink cartridges, it can produce prints with high colour precision and bring every idea to life during presentations.
It’s common to find both aqueous-dye and aqueous-pigment inkjet printers in the AEC office, as they each have their unique and complementary applications.
The dye-based plotter printer is an essential piece of equipment for AECs, which rely on plans and drawings with highly accurate detail. On the other hand, a pigment-based printer can be invaluable if you need larger format and higher-resolution outputs, from GIS maps to gallery-quality renderings.
If you have the budget and the space, invest in both to help grow your business. By getting a reliable dye-based plotter printer with strong print management capabilities on site, teams can work more efficiently and reduce ambiguity while delivering projects. Additionally, by using a pigment-based printer to present maps and renderings to clients, you can further enhance your brand’s reputation for quality.
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