No matter what industry you're in, appearance matters for every business. While modern technology offers a variety of digital marketing and business communication options, print will always have an important place in the business world. From technical plan printing to advertisements, packaging, and displays, the quality of printed pieces says a lot about your business. In the world of architecture and engineering, CAD drawings, blueprints, and floor plans must be of the highest quality to produce effective results.
However, if you're trying to get by with a typical office printer, your efforts may produce limited results. Without a large format printer and scanner, your marketing department is forced to piece items together or outsource larger prints. Critical details can be overlooked in companies lacking a large format plotter and scanner, leading to subpar building results.
So, how do you know when your business needs a large format printer? This guide will help you get a better understanding of what large format plotters and printers are used for and the benefits they provide for businesses.

Large format printers are printers that print on large paper ranging from 24 inches to 100 inches wide. A large format printer and scanner with a cutter can produce a variety of printed projects conveniently. A large format plotter is a category of printer that receives complex commands from a computer to generate a high-quality print.
Different types of paper and other materials can be used in wide-format printers. The paper is often dispensed from a roll with multiple size options. Wide format printers or a large format plotter scanner have long been the industry standard in sectors like advertising, construction, and engineering. They can also offer valuable benefits for any business that needs expanded in-house printing options. By investing in a large format printer or plotter and scanner, you can improve your business operations in many ways.

Using a large format printer and scanner for business operations like plans, displays, and large images can provide improved quality and greater flexibility for your company's needs. Also, using a large format plotter and scanner in engineering, construction, and architecture can help administer effective information and reduce mistakes. Consider these five benefits provided by large format printers.

Attention to detail is important in every aspect of your business. Your website, the appearance of your physical store, and even your documentation make an impression on potential customers.
Large format printing applies ink directly to a variety of substrates. It supports borderless printing and offers unmatched clarity. When companies use large format plotters for technical plans like blueprints, the same high-quality ink-jet printing generates high-resolution images with improved clarity and colour depth that rival professional posters and banners.

Accuracy is critical in the construction industry. The right plotter can produce highly accurate plans to maintain the project's scale and integrity. Beginning a project with clear images and accurate diagrams can be the difference between a successful job and lots of wasted time repairing mistakes.
Large format plotters can create clear images to scale. Many can also capture redlines to scan documents that have been physically marked up for work order changes. As a result, all communication and images are clearly documented during the project.

Whether you run a private business or a franchise, deadlines typically offer little room for mishaps. If you need to outsource printing, you have less time to plan a project. Collaboration time between teams becomes limited. Most importantly, there is often no time for a final inspection before a project goes to print.
When you have a large format printer and scanner in-house, you gain the extra time that a third-party print provider needs for a project, along with shipping or pickup times. As a result, you can easily meet deadlines without sacrificing the quality of the project. This is especially important when producing diagrams or blueprints in engineering or production, as requirements can change quickly in the field.

You may be wondering how a large format printer and scanner can save you money when you have to spend the money to buy it. A large format printer is an investment that can save your business money in a variety of ways. Consider these ways you lose money when outsourcing or mounting larger print projects:
**- Low-quality results turn away customers. **Poor colour and small images can limit visibility in CAD drawings and blueprints. Reduced clarity fails to make an impact. Tiny errors add up, leading to overall lower-quality printing that can result in miscommunication and critical mistakes.
**- Time is money. **The time your projects spend in the hands of a professional printer, along with shipping or delivery times, costs you money.
- Bulk materials are less expensive. When you outsource specialised projects on different substrates, your overall cost increases. With an in-house large format printer, you can shop around for bulk materials so you always have what you need on hand at a cheaper cost.
- Stop paying for mistakes. While print shops will often replace items with mistakes at no charge, they can't be responsible for mistakes made in-house. Rushed projects can lead to errors resulting in printed images that can't be used safely. Paying for small mistakes on big projects can add up quickly.

Calculating printer costs does not need to be tough, doing a cost-benefit analysis would help you understand the value of owning your own large format printer. If you are interested in potentially renting a plotter printer or are curious about MPS, our article on How Much it Costs to Lease a Plotter Printer explores the subject in-depth.

Finally, read more to Understand Your AEC Firm’s Payment Options.

In today's visual market, companies of all sizes across all industries require printing solutions that offer the same image quality as well-known brands and mainstream markets. These solutions also need to meet the necessary print volumes for immediate results. Large format printers are known for their speed and efficiency. HP large format printers support specialised fields with machines that align with desired print volumes without reducing the quality of black and white or colour print projects.
Large-scale printers and scanners offer a variety of benefits for any business. They can equip your team with the professional tools, like a large format printer cutter, that you need to meet your graphic image needs. Looking for support with your large format printer? Contact us today to discuss your printing needs.