Good Morning! It is officially 2025, and here is the first blog post of the new year!
In previous posts, we’ve talked about normal office copiers and printers, but today, we’re going to go big. That’s right, we’re going to talk about wide format printers.
WHAT IS A WIDE FORMAT PRINTER?: A wide format printer is a type of printer that is designed to print on much larger sizes of paper. These printers can print on paper as wide as 44 inches, and even more in length. These sorts of printers are more commonly used for blueprinting, CAD design and artistry.
Wide format printers, like their smaller home and office cousins, also come in inkjet and laser versions. Some wide format printers can also print to regular sized sheets of paper, but they do their best job on what is called roll paper.
Roll paper, unlike a normal sheet of paper, is just one giant sheet of paper that is rolled up. A wide format printer will cut your printout from this roll once it is done printing, giving you a nice, large sheet. The size of this sheet depends on the size of your print job.
WHO USES WIDE FORMAT PRINTERS?: There’s a number of major industries that benefit from these gentle giants of the printing world, such as:
– Construction
– Engineering
– Architects
– CAD Designers
– Artists
– Government (Infrastructure design)
– Print Shops
WHAT CAN I PRINT WITH SUCH A BIG PRINTER?: The answer to this question is simple: Anything your imagination can come up with! From vivid, colorful posters to complete sets of blueprints for a building, there is no limit to what such a beast can help you accomplish! (If you have kids, print out a life sized coloring page for them. They would get a kick out of it! Think about it, what kid wouldn’t want a life sized coloring page to draw on?)
If you’re an engineer, architect, or work in construction, you would use one to print out blueprints and plans for the job you are working. The same can be said for civil engineering when dealing with infrastructure, such as utility lines.
For CAD designers, a wide format printer is just one major tool in their ultimate arsenal. They use them to print out many things, from blueprints, to design plans. CAD is a staple in dozens of different areas, such as furniture design, architectural design, Cabinetry, and even in the automotive industry!
Even the trades have a use for wide format printing! Plumbers and Electricians use them to print out blueprints of where wiring and pipes should be run, as well as where fixtures and appliances should be connected and installed.
Some artists and photographers also use wide format printers for printing out their work! Uses here range from self-made art displays, to complete posters. With the right type of paper loaded, Photographers can print out large versions of their snaps!
In the Print Shop industry, Wide format printers are often used to make banners, as well as posters for some events.
HOW DOES A WIDE FORMAT PRINTER WORK?: This printer works in the same manner as any other printer, but with just a few extras, such as the ability to measure and cut paper to certain lengths, as well as the ability to go well past the largest normal paper size of 12×18. Some wide format printers also have more inks/toners than just the usual CMYK that one would find in a normal printer, such as matte black or photo black, and special colors not normally used in printing, such as red. Just like with a normal printer or copier, you will definitely want to use the manufacturer’s print drivers with these beasts to ensure you get the best print quality possible!
CAN A WIDE FORMAT PRINTER SCAN TOO?: Absolutely! There are machines that can also scan these large pages. Great for making copies of or even digitizing existing prints!
WHAT DO I NEED TO RUN A WIDE FORMAT PRINTER?: In many cases, you won’t need many extra resources, other than proper space at your facility to set one up. You will also need a proper electrical outlet and network port available (Although some can do Wi-Fi, Using an Ethernet connection will give the fastest and best results). In the case of some laser wide format printers, which unlike their inkjet counterparts, can require quite a bit of juice to get going, you may need a special outlet and circuit installed, such as a 220 Volt/20 Amp circuit. When in doubt, consult your printer dealer, for they can tell you exactly what is required.
The majority of Inkjet wide format printers will operate properly off of a 120 Volt/15 or 20 Amp circuit.
WHERE CAN I GET A WIDE FORMAT PRINTER?: Are you looking for a good quality wide format? Just give us a call at 239-939-5383! CopyLady specializes in both Epson and KIP wide format printers. We have a wide format for every need possible, from blueprints to CAD, all the way to photography and artwork!