Why Lease a Wide Format Printer?
If you require equipment that enables you to print eye-catching, high-resolution visuals onto a variety of different materials, but you don’t want to break the bank by buying brand new devices at full cost, then it might be in your best interests to look into wide format printer leasing.
Your Printing Solutions have a wide range of brand new, up-to-date large format printers available to lease, with contracts typically involving fixed monthly or quarterly payments spread out across an agreed term of 12 to 60 months, affording your organisation all the benefits of new large format printer equipment without the hefty cost of an outright purchase.
What Is a Wide Format Printer?
Wide-format printers, also often referred to as large format printers, are specialist devices designed to be used for the printing of large graphics or designs onto paper, cloth, wood, glass, plastic, metal, and just about any other material that you can fit into the carrier of the printer. Wide-format printers can print onto media from 18 inches wide to 100 inches wide, usually being classed as either A1 or A0, doing so without sacrificing any quality in the resolution and colour of your designs.
Wide-format printing is suitable for:
- Posters
- Vinyl banners
- Wall & floor graphics
- Cardboard cutouts
- Stickers
- Wallpaper artwork
- Signage
- Blueprints
- Large maps & charts
- Point-of-purchase displays
What Does It Mean to Lease Wide Format Printer Equipment?
Leasing wide format printer equipment involves an agreed fixed schedule of payments over a term of 12 to 60 months, paying in monthly or quarterly instalments, as opposed to buying the wide format printers outright. You will never fully own the equipment, however you avoid the huge expense of having to buy it at full price, enabling you to spread out the cost over a longer period of time. Choosing to lease wide format printer equipment also gives you the option of swapping out your equipment mid-term, keeping you up to date with the latest technology as it comes out.
This is a suitable option for organisations of all scales who have longer-term requirements for wide format printer equipment, as it would afford you all the benefits of new, up-to-date equipment, at the same time as freeing up capital that can be better put towards other areas of your business. Your Printing Solutions have a range of the latest wide format printer models, available to lease to organisations of any size after passing the relevant credit checks.
What Are the Benefits of Leasing Wide Format Printer Equipment?
New, up-to-date equipment
Wide-format printers are highly versatile and efficiently produce large, durable prints on a range of materials, without sacrificing quality or resolution, so leasing wide format printer equipment is a good choice for any operation that expects longer-term large scale printing requirements
Schedule of fixed payments
You will agree to a schedule at the beginning of your lease contract of fixed payments that stay the same regardless of fluctuating interest rates
Payments can be arranged to suit your business needs
You can determine the schedule of payments and length of the contract from the outset to suit your organisation’s cash flow
New wide format printer equipment mid-term
You will get all the benefits of the latest wide format printer technology at the beginning of your contract, and you have the option to swap your equipment out mid-term for newer models, with the most cost-effective option typically being to exchange equipment after 2 years on a 3 years lease, and 3 years on a 5 years lease
Frees up capital
Money that would’ve been wasted on a hefty outright purchase of wide format printer equipment can be better put towards other more pressing areas of your business
Shows as an asset on the balance sheet
Finance leases like wide format printer leases are considered ‘fixed assets’ on your balance sheet, adding assets to your organisation
How Does Wide Format Printing Work?
The process involved in wide format printing is very similar to that of digital printing, making it ideal for producing large, full-colour items. Firstly, you need to decide what material you want to print onto, as well as the size, shape, and design of your print. The dimensions of your design are programmed into the wide format printer, and then it sprays ink directly onto your chosen material to match the graphics of your design exactly. This is followed by the rapid drying process, enabling you to use your printed material as soon as it comes out of the wide format printer.
The types of materials that can be used in wide format printing include (but are not limited to):
- Paper/cardboard
- Cloth
- Glass
- Wood (MDF, plywood etc.)
- Foam board (Foamex & Kappa)
- Corrugated plastic
- Metals (aluminium, stainless steel etc.)
Which Wide Format Printer Should I Choose for My Projects?
There are three main types of wide format printer, each of which has its own strengths depending on the nature of the printing job. It’s important to be aware of all of their different features to be able to pick the optimal equipment that will meet all of your printing requirements.
Aqueous/water-based wide format printers
Aqueous wide format printers provide an inexpensive way to quickly produce high-resolution prints and don’t require ventilation as they don’t produce harmful fumes. These devices usually have a thermal pad that dries the print as it leaves the machine, speeding up the curing process. Designed to be used with water-based ink, there is a choice between either UV/water-based ink, which is resistant to sunlight and fading, or dye/water-based ink, which produces brighter prints that may fade over time.
Solvent-based wide format printers
Solvent-based wide format printers are ideal for projects that will involve prints intended to be used outdoors, as the ink used is durable and resistant to extreme conditions like high heat and heavy rain, however they do require a ventilation system. They use either a petroleum or petroleum-substitute ink system, and once the ink is completely cured, your printed design becomes scratch proof, weatherproof, and resistant to UV damage.
UV wide format printers
UV wide format printers offer the most versatile printing functionality, producing high quality, vivid prints that are extremely durable against the elements. The print process uses an ultraviolet curable ink system meaning that prints are cured almost immediately, and once cured, the design is vibrant, embossed and water-resistant. They use latex and resin-based ink systems, or you can opt for water-based latex ink which is better for the environment and doesn’t require ventilation.
