Whether you require high-volume printing, exceptional colour capabilities, or advanced finishing options, buying a production printer is vital to maintaining efficiency and professionalism.
However, selecting the right production printer can be a challenging task. With so many printing manufacturers in the market, it isn’t always straightforward to pick a clear winner, especially considering the substantial evolution of printing technology over the last few years.
But worry not, Kyocera is here to walk you through the key factors to consider when choosing the best production printer for your specific printing needs.
Offset vs inkjet: which production printer is better?
According to Future Market Insights, the global production printer market is expected to reach 16.21bn dollars by 2033. One of the main reasons for this growth is the rising popularity of advanced printing technologies, such as inkjet and digital printing that offer businesses superior advantages such as rapid, accurate and variable data printing. In short, the future of inkjet is shining bright.
Inkjet printers are known for their versatility and quick turnaround times, making them an excellent choice for businesses that handle various print materials in fast-paced work environments. Unlike offset printing, which requires expensive printing plates, digital inkjet printers can create prints directly from digital files, making them more economical for short print runs.
Moreover, the recent advancement of inkjet technology has closed the quality gap between digital and offset printing, making digital inkjet a viable option for various applications, from commercial printing to transactional and direct-mail applications. If it’s flawless colour-rich prints that you’re after, you won’t be disappointed in an inkjet production printer.
For us, the winner is clear: it’s inkjet. Now let’s dive into the technicalities!
Evaluate your high-volume printing needs
Start by determining the print volume your business requires on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis. Understanding your print volume will help you identify the appropriate printer capacity to handle your workload without causing bottlenecks. An inkjet digital printing press will be particularly advantageous if you have varying print volumes or need on-demand printing.
Consider your printing speed
Next, evaluate the speed at which your printer needs to operate. A production printer with a high pages-per-minute (PPM) rate is essential for keeping up with demanding print schedules and meeting tight deadlines. Faster print speeds reduce wait times and allow you to deliver projects promptly, giving you a competitive edge in the market.
Compare colour capabilities and printing quality
Colour capabilities and print quality are a critical consideration, particularly if your industry relies heavily on visual appeal and branding. Businesses that frequently print marketing materials, brochures, or product catalogues should invest in a production printer with a high print resolution and accurate colour reproduction to ensure that their materials appear professional and leave a lasting impression on their target audience. When evaluating production printers, pay close attention to the dots per inch (DPI) measurement, as it directly impacts the resolution of the final output.
Explore finishing options and paper handling
Finishing touches, such as stapling, hole punching, booklet-making, and folding, can enhance the presentation and functionality of your printed materials. Select a production printer that offers the finishing features aligned with your specific requirements.
The flexibility of a production printer's paper handling capabilities is also crucial, especially if you frequently print on various paper sizes and types. By buying a production printer that can accommodate different paper weights, envelopes, cardstock, and labels, your business will be able to enhance the range of materials you can work with.
Calculate the environmental impact
As more and more consumers are concerned about sustainability, investing in eco-friendly technology is becoming an important consideration for businesses. Choosing an environmentally conscious printer not only reduces your carbon footprint but can also lead to cost savings on energy consumption.
Meet Kyocera’s TASKalfa Pro 15000c
Warm up and start printing in just 60 seconds. Achieve high-volume printing at lightening speeds of up to 150 pages per minute. Glance over your prints with blissful satisfaction, admiring the vibrancy of the images and the sharpness of every letter. Built with state-of-the-art technology, the TASKalfa Pro 15000c is a game-changer for businesses searching for a reliable solution to optimise their workflows and enjoy high-quality professional prints.
Kyocera’s inkjet production printer also strikes the perfect balance between efficiency and sustainability. The device has been engineered to consume less electricity than its competitors, achieving a TEC score of 4.3kWh; an extremely low number for a powerful workhorse machine. In addition, the TASKalfa Pro 15000c requires fewer spare parts and maintenance compared to other devices, reducing waste and helping to maintain high levels of reliability.
Make an informed decision
Kyocera understands that you want to make the best and most cost-effective choice when buying a production printer. By understanding printing technologies, assessing your needs and considering the multiple key factors such as print volume, colour capabilities and finishing options, you’ll be able to invest wisely into the best device that matches your specific needs.
Exploring the various solutions offered by well-established organisations such as Kyocera is also a great place to start. We encourage you to read our real-life case studies to learn how the TASKalfa Pro 15000c can revolutions your printing operations.
