How to Choose the Right Production Printer for Your Business

Companies now rely heavily on fast, high-quality printing to create their marketing material, product catalogs, direct-mail pieces, commercial-printing services, and regular business correspondence. The impact on how your company operates (e.g., efficiency, cost per page, etc.) and on how well your printed output represents your company’s brand is huge. Making the correct decision when selecting a production printer can give your growing company a real competitive advantage.

A production printer is an extremely high-volume and professional-grade printing system. It is used for companies where speed, consistency, and reliability are not negotiable. Unlike common office printers, which are intended for occasional or moderate use, production printers are created to process thousands of pages per day and provide top-of-the-line quality. Production printers are able to support a wide variety of media types and sizes and allow for seamless integration into complex commercial workflows. Additionally, they maintain consistent color and image quality throughout extremely long runs.

● Production printers are perfect for:
● Print service providers
● In-house print departments
● Commercial companies that have to produce high-quality products at scale

It is important to assess your company based upon several specific factors prior to selecting a production printer:

● What is your company’s monthly print volume?
● If speed is required for processing your jobs.
● If color accuracy is expected from your print output.
● What types of media you need your printers to support.
● What finishing capabilities your printer needs to offer.
● Integration of the printer into your existing digital and production processes.
● What cost is associated with purchasing and operating your printer?

By mapping out what your priorities are in these various categories, you will be better equipped to determine what type of production printer best fits your current needs and exactly where you wish to be within the next 3 – 5 years.

There are two major technologies available in production printing: toner and inkjet. Each is suitable for a unique business model. Inkjet systems apply liquid ink directly onto the substrate to produce high-speed, continuous output with great color consistency across a broad media range. Most modern inkjet production presses are highly suitable for commercial environments producing large quantities of marketing materials, books, catalogs, and variable data print.

Toner-based systems apply a powdered toner to the substrate, fusing the toner to the substrate using heat. Toner-based systems produce excellent sharp-edge definition across a wide array of substrates, even heavy stock. Businesses supporting multiple media types or frequently switching between different applications may find value in having a production printer that uses toner technology. Many businesses currently utilize both technologies to enable them to efficiently manage the various job types that they encounter on a daily basis.

Output quality in commercial and business printing is far more than simply a technical measure. Output quality directly affects how clients, customers, and other stakeholders view your brand. Any inconsistency in color, blurry text, or noticeable differences in output quality between the beginning and end of a run affect customer perception of your business. High-quality color accuracy and image sharpness are critical in preserving the branding standards of companies using marketing materials, packaging, and customer-facing communications. A production printer that consistently produces high-quality output on every single job reduces reprint rates, increases customer confidence, and provides protection for your business reputation over time.

While a production printer should be able to meet your current volume, it should be able to accommodate where your business is headed. When evaluating a potential purchase for a new production printer, look for systems that include automated features that minimize manual interaction during processing, quicken job changeovers, and reduce downtime. Look for production printers that include robust workflow integration, such as compatibility with digital front ends and production management software, so jobs can flow seamlessly from receipt to delivery.

As the demands of your business increase and you start producing larger volumes of output, the capability to generate additional applications without requiring a complete overhaul of your setup becomes a significant competitive advantage. Also, consider investing in a system with a clear upgrade path or line-up of related products so that your technology investment remains viable as your business grows and develops.

Canon provides a comprehensive range of production printing solutions for businesses in development stages, ranging from an office environment that wants professional-quality output to large-scale commercial printing operations that run 24 hours a day. The Canon imageFORCE, Canon varioPRINT iX1700, and Canon varioPRESS iV7 all provide production printing solutions that focus on meeting the needs of businesses at different levels of development, providing an easy-to-follow path from low-cost professional printing options to full-scale industrial inkjet production.

The Canon imageFORCE series delivers professional-quality printing to businesses that require dependable, high-volume output as part of their daily operations. Utilizing Canon’s advanced HD-OLED exposure technology, this series produces exceptionally crisp text, smooth tonal gradations, and accurate color reproduction at resolutions of up to 4800 × 2400 dpi for documents, marketing materials, and presentations. AI-trained firmware enhances security and reliability, while seamless connectivity to cloud platforms such as OneDrive and Google Drive enables users to access stored files easily and streamline workflow management.

The varioPRINT iX1700 is Canon’s entry point into the higher-value sheet-fed inkjet market. Designed specifically for commercial printing operations that produce monthly volumes ranging from 300K to 2M A4-sized images. The varioPRINT iX1700 utilizes Canon-developed 2,400 dpi printheads along with water-based polymer pigment inks as part of its Qualinx Technology Platform, delivering high-quality output at speeds up to 170 A4 images per minute across a wide media range. Due to its design utilizing a straight paper path combined with a high-performance belt drive, the varioPRINT iX1700 provides reliable performance with minimized downtime, making it an ideal option for printers seeking to expand their digital inkjet offerings.

The varioPRINT iV7 is Canon’s flagship B2 sheet-fed inkjet press, specifically designed for large-volume commercial printing operations. The varioPRESS iV7 is capable of continuously printing up to 8,700 B2 40-sheet sheets per hour (or approximately 4.5 million B2 images per month) with exceptional quality and versatility in terms of media support. Automated workflows, integrated diagnostic tools, and open connectivity with industry-leading production solutions make sure it performs reliably in the most demanding of operating conditions.

Selecting a production printer is a long-term investment that extends well beyond simple pages per minute. The ideal production printer should deliver print quality that meets client expectations, grow with your business as volumes increase, and integrate with your current workflows efficiently. Regardless if you are installing the imageFORCE series in busy offices that require professional-quality output, transitioning into inkjet with the varioPRINT iX1700, or expanding into industrial output with the varioPRESS iV7, Canon’s suite of production printing solutions provides each business with a practical and capable approach to developing their business at every stage of their growth.