Whether you are the owner or manager of your own print business or else are in the early stages of formulating a business plan to open a print business in the near future, then quite obviously, it is essential to learn all you can about printers.
So, with this in mind and in an effort to assist you in expanding your knowledge around what many people consider to be an art form in itself, continue reading to discover a simple guide on the different types of printers on the market.
3D Printers
One of the most dynamic, innovative, and genuinely exciting types of commercial printers is the 3D (Three Dimensional) printer. Professional and industrial-grade 3D commercial printers use either P3, FDM, Stereolithography, or SAF technology and are not equipment that can be instantly used and quickly mastered.
Instead, it would be prudent, should you choose to invest in a 3D printer either now or in the future, to take an evening or, indeed, through your company, a tuition program to understand how to operate one correctly.
Large Format Printers
Large format printers are absolutely the mainstay of any printing company, and as such, it is crucial that you spend a lot of time researching buying a large format printer that best suits your business needs, as well as your budget.
Large format and wide format printers are specifically designed for huge printouts, both in a commercial and a private context, which includes printed items such as posters and banners, both for indoor and outdoor use.
Garment Printers
As the name suggests, garment printers are solely for the purpose of printing high-quality images on items of clothing and other fabrics, such as cushions and throws.
For larger orders, garment printers are an absolute essential, as they can save your printing business not only a substantial amount of time but also a significant amount of money and are more suited for bulk orders, which maximize their productivity.
The most suitable types of fabric that work most effectively in conjunction with a garment printer include the following:
- Organic, regular, and combed cotton
- Polyester and Poly-Blends
- Linen
- Bamboo and Hemp
Digital Printers
Finally, amongst the most expensive types of commercial printers of them all, you may well want to consider carefully if you want to take the plunge and invest in a digital printer. Digital printing is often alternatively referred to as on-demand printing and is essentially the most profitable and, therefore, the most popular type of printing for businesses across the entire spectrum of industries.
There are two types of commercial digital printers; inkjet and laser. Laser printers use a combination of heat, laser-powered different inks and ions to print on a variety of materials from fabric to paper and cards and are generally much faster than inkjet printing. Inkjet printing makes its mark on the paper by copying the digital image and then mirroring said image onto paper or fabric with droplets of ink and is the preferable option for orders with a great deal of detail and color.
