How to Choose the Best High-Volume Plotter for Your Small Business Needs

When selecting high-volume printers for small business applications, it's important to make the right choice based on your unique application requirements. The ideal printer will combine cost-effectiveness, efficiency, and precision to give you high-quality results over years of use. Ultimately, a dependable high-volume printer will help you in many ways, whether you need to draw blueprints as an architect, vibrant colour-accurate prints as a graphic designer, or detailed technical drawings as an engineer.

You'll need to consider multiple factors when choosing high-volume printers for small business needs, including:

• Print speed
• Resolution
• Media handling capabilities
• Budget

Balancing quality with productivity will be key here.

This guide to selecting a high-volume printer will go through the different features and other factors that will influence your decision. In addition, we'll list and compare the different HP DesignJet plotter printer models that offer some of the most effective solutions for high-volume print applications.

If you want to print architectural drawings of any kind, you must choose a printer that can handle your workload while maintaining quality across all prints. The best printers for these types of projects are plotter printers, which are large format printers that are inkjet plotters, to print all types of drawings precisely and efficiently.

Picking the best printer for high-volume printing will make all the difference in your application, whether you need to print architectural drawings or other print media.

There are several primary features to consider when selecting your plotter printer. These considerations include:

High-volume printers for small business applications should be able to print at consistently high speeds without any compromise in quality. Consider the specific print speed you'll require based on the volume of prints needed per project. A good printer will be able to print the right number of prints per hour based on the size of the sheets you want to use.

Your high-volume printer should also be able to work with the specific type of media your project needs. For example, your printer may need to print on different materials, such as:

• Vellum paper for transparent printing
• Bond paper for black and white printing of check plots
• Tracing paper for engineering projects

You will also need to consider the size of the media you intend to use. For instance, you may need a printer that can handle a range of paper sizes from A3 to A0. These are sizes many large format printers can print.

Another important factor to consider when choosing high-volume printers for small business applications is the print resolution and quality required for each project.

Large format prints should be a minimum of 100 dots per inch (dpi), with most of these prints remaining around this resolution. Smaller prints may need higher resolutions. But people will generally view large format prints at greater distances. So you won't need prints higher than 100 dpi and can subsequently save money and resources.

Also, consider the print quality, which could take into account the number of inks and colour versatility you need. Are you printing precise black-and-white images, or do you need vibrant graphical prints with superior colour accuracy?

One final item to consider is the overall cost of owning your high-volume printer. You might be tempted to select an option with a lower initial cost. However, cheap printers often come with high maintenance and the increased potential for costly downtime, which could cost your business more in the long run. The best printer for high-volume printing will come with a higher price tag. But the quality will likely make it a worthwhile investment as you benefit from more reliability and subsequent return on investment.

At HP, we offer a few different high-volume printer models that can meet the demands of nearly any large format application. Here is a breakdown of these high-volume printers for small business operations and their benefits.

The HP DesignJet T850 series includes two variations of our 36" plotter. These printers work for many small-to-medium-sized companies, with printing sizes ranging between letter prints and large format prints of up to 36" or 914 mm. They print up to 90 A1 prints per hour and come with a stand, an output bin, and an A3 tray. Multifunction models are also available with added copy and scan functions.

These printers, like the T850 series, are suitable for small-to-medium-sized AEC companies in need of prints of up to 36" (914 mm). However, they run more efficiently than the T850, with print speeds of up to 120 A1 prints per hour. These printers also feature a stand, A3 tray, stacker, and sheet organiser, with multifunction models available with added scan and copy capabilities.

The HP DesignJet T1600 series printers are best for medium-sized firms working with CAD or GIS. They print up to 36" (914 mm), with even faster print speeds of up to 180 A1 prints per hour. They include six inks, a top stacker for media output, and 128 GB of internal memory.

If you want the same capabilities as the T1600 series, consider the HP DesignJet T2600 series. These printers come with all of the features of the T1600 plus added security, media output, and scan and copy features.

Before you make your final choice of high-volume printers for small business applications, keep the following in mind.

While it often seems ideal to go with a printer with the widest variety of cool features, you should check that you actually need those features. Consider the kind of print speeds you need based on your workload, required colours, print media, and other elements to inform your buying decision. Doing so will help make sure you only pay what you need to get the right printer for the job.

When purchasing a printer of any kind, it's typically best to purchase from the manufacturer. Buying directly from manufacturers will provide you with a more reliable printer than what you might get from third-party sellers, and you'll have access to support in many cases. Manufacturers like HP will assist you with everything from troubleshooting to repairs and replacements, helping you get the most from your purchase.

Want to find the perfect printer for high-volume printing projects? HP carries some of the most dependable printer models on the market. We'll help you make the right selection based on your project specifications and business requirements.

To save on a high-quality printer from HP today, check out our DesignJet promotions today.