3D scanners and software reviews We have added a new site to FLAAR network: 3d-scanners-3d-software- reviews.org, where you find reviews and evaluations on reliable 3d laser equipment, laser scanners, both handheld and portable scanner, digitizer, for creating 3d models, 3d modeling, with reviews of 3d modeling software, metrology, including for reverse engineering, prototyping: the whole world of virtual 3d.

FLAAR is the de-facto prime source for reliable product comparisons and evaluations of wide format color inkjet printers, plotters, reviews, tips, and recommendations for wide format inkjet printers from Canon imagePROGRAF  iPF9000 that replaces the Canon  W6400 and  W8400, Epson 9800, 2200, 4000, and the newest, the Epson 3800, even the older 5500, 7000,  7500,  7600,  9000,  9500,  9600 and the  Epson Stylus Pro 10000arc CF, Hewlett-Packard DesignJet Z2100 / Z3100, HP Designjet Z6100, HP 130nr, 500ps, 800ps, 5000ps,  5500ps,  4500ps, and others.

Comparisons of large format printers, plotters, lamination equipment provides analysis of cost-effectiveness of different brands of wide format color inkjet printers. Discussion of pigmented UV inks, solvent-based inks, archival ink longevity, everything you need to learn before you make your decision of what printer, Postscript RIP software, inkjet media, vinyl, canvas, or inks to buy. We have two penetrating reports on the Encad  NovaJet 1000i (now labeled the Kodak 1200i and also sold by Xerox… but it is the identical printer). It is not advised to buy obsolete printers because they are usually gummed up by dried ink from not being used.

 

FLAAR Acquires HP Z3200 ps Photography
HP Z3200ps Photography
To many web sites publish sham reviews or pseudo reviews. They don't actually really use the printers they claim to be evaluating. Here at FLAAR we are different. We either inspect a printer inside a photo studio or giclee atelier or a printshop, or we test the printer ourselves in-house. For the HP Designjet Z3200 ps Photography, we are doing in-house testing. Here is a shot of Nicholas checking the installation. The printer arrived recently (October 19th) and we will have the first comments on the Z3200 out by next week.

So much new information has been gathered by FLAAR's crew of 12 editors and staff that we are updating many of the FLAAR Reports in Adobe Acrobat PDF format for download via e-mail. This is information which is not on our web site. Includes buyer advisories (like a weather advisory, namely, warning, watch out...). FLAAR is renowned for providing the specific pros and cons of each printer. These facts are in the FLAAR reports: introductory reports are available via this Inquiry-Dialog Form. Premium reports with more detail are available from our Wide-format-printers.NET website.

If you are considering a used printer, better first get our buyer advisories for used printers (in our “ Survival Series”).

Prints already introduced in 2007-2010 replace printers introduced already last year. For example, Canon has introduced many new printers since summer 2005: Canon imagePROGRAF W8400 and Canon imagePROGRAF W6400. These are already “old” and are long ago replaced by newer Canon iPF printers.

On the Canon imagePROGRAF iPF5000, iPF6000, iPF8000, and  iPF9000, since we don't have the latter three printers we can't say whether all the comments on the Internet about excessive dot pattern in light tones is true. We prefer to do our own tests in our own labs (but kind of hard without the printers). So we will look at the HP Z2100 and Z3100 instead, and we are still working on the Epson 4800, 7800, and 9800. For 2009 we are switching to evaluating the Epson 4880, 7880, 9880, and new 11880. If access is provided to the Canon iPF9100, Canon iPF8100, Canon iPF6100, Canon iPF5100, as well as iPF9000S and iPF8000s, we will include these in our reviews. But the first reports for 2008 were on the HP Z2100 and HP Z3100 (available since the first week in February).

Site visit case studies are the best way to learn about a printer

To avoid a sham review and to avoid the pseudo-reviews that overfill the Internet, FLAAR visits actual printshops in order to learn the truth about the pros and cons of a printer. So in early June Nicholas and one of the Technical Writers of the FLAAR staff will be inspecting a printshop with an Epson GS6000 and two HP Designjet Z6100 printers.

If you wish to meet Nicholas Hellmuth in person

If you wish to meet the FLAAR staff, Dr Hellmuth has lectured in Amsterdam, Athens, Dubai, Istanbul, Lisbon, and in St Louis, and two universities in North Carolina. You can invite Nicholas to lecture in your home town or at your college or university, or hire him as a consultant for your company anywhere in the world. For 2008 Professor Hellmuth was lecturing in Russia, Slovenia, Croatia and is available elsewhere in Eastern Europe as well. In 2007 he offered lectures in Korea, Istanbul, and elsewhere around the world. In 2009 Dr Hellmuth has been already lecturing in Dubai, Orlando, Sarajevo, Zagreb, and Belgrade.

Your company, your local university, or any organization, or even an individual person, can ask Nicholas to lecture anywhere in the world. The costs naturally are a modest lecture fee plus round trip airfare, hotel, and meals during the period he is in your city.

You can also make an appointment to meet Dr Hellmuth at SGIA in New Orleans, at Print '09 in Chicago (where he will lecture for three hours on Sept. 13). Or you can schedule an appointment for VISCOM Madrid, Milano, or Duesseldorf in the autumn. There is a basic consulting fee for such a meeting: for end-users or individuals, and a separate program for manufacturers (inks, RIP software, printable materials, printers, printer components, etc).

Home Free Downloads Request free Reports Adquire Practical Reports Directory of Printers Index Consulting Services Contact Us Go to Bottom

 

UV-Curable Ink Flatbed printers in 2010.

More and more print shops switch from water ink to solvent and UV especially, since IP&I, GCC, EFI Rastek, Dilli have entry-level UV-curable flatbed, hybrid, and roll-to-roll UV printers.

Over the last three years FLAAR has become the de-facto resource for factual information on the pros and cons of UV-curable flatbed printers.

FLAAR will be at the last days of ArtExpo '09 in New York, and then at ISA 2009 in Las Vegas. Naturally you can also meet Dr Hellmuth at FESPA Digital Europe 2009 in Amsterdam, and at SGIA plus VISCOM in Europe.

We cover UV-cured flatbed printers primarily on our sister site, Large-format-printers.org. We gathered information at DRUPA, Photokina, SGIA, ISA, FESPA, and GraphExpo trade shows over a seven-year period. Since HP has purchased both ColorSpan and NUR, there are new product names: ColorSpan 5440uv is now HP Designjet H35100, ColorSpan 5460uv is now HP Designjet H35500, ColorSpan 5445uv is now HP Designjet H45100, ColorSpan 5465uv is now HP Designjet H45500.

The ColorSpan 9840uv is now the HP Scitex FB910.

FLAAR now has over 83 publications to help you learn to understand the differences between ColorSpan and Raster Printers, between Gandinnovations and VUTEk, the pros and cons of the DuPont Cromaprint 22UV and Inca Spyder 320. It is all there; also check out Wide-format-printers.net; go to the link on UV.

• Whichink will replace all forms of solvent ink?
• Which ink will replace latex ink?
• Which ink will replace UV-cured ink?
• Which ink will replace water-based ink that we know today?

These new-ink chemistries are the subjects that Nicholas and FLAAR are working on this summer. There are four ink contenders (unfortunately none of them are Staedtler Lumocolor ink; that impressive ink failed utterly in the world of wide-format reality for reasons other than its ink chemistry).

FLAAR was at the main office and demo room of one of the four inks already this year. FLAAR had two day inspection May 18+19 with the other leading contender: a remarkable ink.

Two more inks remain for us to inspect. If it is not realistic to visit these other ink companies after FESPA this summer, then we will skip them and concentrate on the inks we know best from being able to inspect the others in-person.

Since the FLAAR Reports are read by over one million people a year in 127 countries, and are read by many printhead manufacturers and printer manufacturers, we understand why the ink companies invite us to inspect their inks (under NDA in most cases).

There are 45 manufacturers of printers featuring UV-cured ink. Already three of them are checking out one or more of these four new inks. So 2009-2010 will be an exciting year. FLAAR is firmly committed to UV-cured inks (FLAAR Reports are the de facto yardstick that measures pros and cons of each brand). But we are also looking forward, now, already, to DRUPA 2012. There will be as many printers with non-UV ink at DRUPA 2012 as there were UV printers at DRUPA 2000.

 

Eco-Solvent Printers, Mild-Solvent Printers.

We cover these printers primarily on our sister site, Large-format-printers.org.  We bring information on eco-solvent printers from ISA and other signage trade shows. We have three new titles on the Roland SolJet, based on three different site-visit case studies. We also cover Mutoh, HP 9000s, HP 8000s, and all the mild-solvent printers too (pros and cons with warnings about misleading advertising claims). We are updating our coverage of the Mutoh Toucan LT and its hybrid flatbed also.

You can select lots of free publications by filling out the Survey Form.

Or if you prefer to get reports without having to fill out a form, you can buy all the FLAAR Reports form Wide-format-printers.NET.

Worldwide sales of eco-solvent-ink printers in the $30K to $40K range are booming. Every day FLAAR receives requests from readers who want us to recommend which mild solvent ink printer they should consider. We cover these printers primarily on our sister site, Large-format-printers.org. However since we at FLAAR are professional photographers, come from an architectural background, and are dedicated to fine art giclee, we ourselves still have a deep interest in the new generations of water-based printers. Indeed 2008 will surely one more new printer from Epson as they work hard to catch up to the broadside leveled at them by the success of eco-solvent printers from Mimaki, Mutoh, and Roland.

Just beware that some kinds of solvent inks may dissolve the Epson printheads on some retro-fitted Roland printers. So you need to distinguish the after-market SolventJet from the SolJet (made by Roland itself). Also realize that not all “solvent inks” actually function on economy vinyl. Most of the lite solvents require costly coated media, which nullifies the reason for going solvent to begin with. Furthermore, some of the solvent ink printers are not really using true solvent?

Ahhh, all the things that the enticing advertising brochures at the trade shows don't tell you. Now you see why we use end-user reports to reveal what tradeshow booths don't warn you about.

Printers for Giclee and Fine Art Photography.

We cover giclee and fine art photography, and printers, on two websites, FineArtGicleePrinters.org and Digital-photography.org. Our evaluation reports on the Epson Stylus Pro 9800 and Epson 7900 are now available, free to everyone who fills out the Survey Form. You can also obtain our FLAAR Reports evaluations on the HP Z3100 and HP Z2100.

This year FLAAR will be issuing evaluations on some of the new Epson printers: Epson Stylus Pro 7900 and others.

Printers for CAD, GIS, 3-D renderings, etc.

FLAAR has a background in architecture, indeed many of the Hellmuth family are architects (HOK is one firm with several Hellmuths; Hellmuth + Bicknesse is another Hellmuth (brother of Nicholas). Nicholas did research in architectural history for many decades in the Maya area of Guatemala, Belize, Honduras, and Mexico. So it is not surprising that FLAAR also evaluates printers for CAD, GIS, and 3D renderings.

Even Mutoh is now trying to produce a CAD printer: their Mutoh DrafStation RJ-900 and RJ-901. Canon is trying with their new imagePROGRAF iPF 600. HP had earlier come out with their Designjet 4500 to quickly replace the Designjet 4000. Now, in 2008 and since last year, Canon is after the CAD and GIS market too, with their imagePROGRAF iPF710, iPF700, iPF610, iPF600, and iPF500. Whew, what's a lot of new printers and fresh competition for HP (Epson has never been successful in the CAD or GIS markets).

Wide-Format Inkjet printing on Textiles & Fabrics

Both for interior design as well as for clothing, FLAAR evaluates inkjet inks for printing on textiles, as well as RIP software for textile printing, and selection of printers. You can hire Dr Hellmuth as a consultant on most aspects of textile printing, including for soft signage. However we do not handle T-shirt printing.

We offer tips, help, and information for people of all levels, and all interests.

Many people indicate they are new to digital wide format printing and would like assistance in figuring out which are perhaps somewhat exaggerated advertising claims. We offer practical help based on actual inspection of wide format printers in action in graphics studios, design shops, and repro shops. We can help ascertain which printer is optimal for doing signs, posters, banners, courtroom graphics, displays, or, which other printers are for fine art prints, museum exhibits, giclee prints, limited editions etc.

Bring Nicholas Hellmuth to your printshop as a consultant.

Professor Hellmuth is available on a professional consulting basis at your print shop anywhere in the world. We are tri-lingual: Deutsch, español, and naturally English.

If you wish to hire Dr Hellmuth as a consultant, indicate your needs by writing to ReaderService@FLAAR.org.

We consult on UV-curable ink flatbed printers, solvent and eco-solvent ink printers, giclee, inks, media and materials, textile printing, printing for décor and interior decoration, color management, scanning, and digital photography.

 

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Most recently updated June 1, 2009. Previously updated Sep. 10, 2002; updated May 15, 2003; updated Feb 16, 2003, updated May 21, 2003, updated August 29 2003, Dec. 17 2003, January 4, 2004, July 6, 2004, October 26, 2004, January 28, 2005, Feb. 17, 2005, March 3, 2005, September 6, 2005, January 4, 2006, March 17, 2006, April 10, 2006, July 5, 2006. Interior pages updated throughout 2007. Updated Feb. 4, 2008, January 27, 2009.

 

A to Z Index>>

In order that all readers can clearly identify which companies provide support for our programs these companies are listed in our FLAAR Reports. Reviews are based on our visits to trade shows in Germany, Dubai, South Africa, Mexico, Italy and across the USA, speaking with people in graphics studios in Turkey, Korea, Slovenia, Malta, Guatemala, Germany, Italy, USA, Canada, etc, perusing the trade magazines, mining the Internet and listening to the thousands of e-mails from people who actually use large format printers. These emails that pour into our office are filled with all kinds of helpful information on products.

When you respond to the Inquiry Form survey, your e-mails are welcome because when you tell us what kind of a printer you need this information enables the large format printing manufacturers to judge whether they need to prepare new, better, faster, or more economical models to suit your needs. We correlate incoming information from your e-mails to prepare valued market surveys of end-user needs, especially first-time users and people bringing large format printing in-house into their companies. FLAAR continually updates its reports based on the questions and observations you make in the letters you send in to our editors. So your comments make it possible for us to better serve your needs. Anyone who is about to make the decision of which large format printer to buy will soon also have to decide what RIP. After you get your printer and RIP and use it you will be ready to branch out and experiment with different kinds of media. So about this time we will check back in by sending additional information on canvas, watercolor paper, photo glossy etc. Since we can't handle all these questions on our own we select specific individuals at the various companies, which we judge to be the best in each field (we interview them at trade shows and when funding and time is available we inspect their companies in person by actual visits). We forward your questions so these capable inkjet, RIP, media, and ink people in turn can recognize what end users really need. These experienced people will contact you to answer your questions and provide additional information about the products.

www.wide-format-printers.org was founded by FLAAR in early 1999 as an independent web site. In May 2000 Hewlett-Packard kindly offered modest sponsorship for a period of five years. This made it possible to hire a professional graphic designer to improve the images, the design, and the navigation of the FLAAR network of web sites. The purpose of all FLAAR web sites, and of any corporate sponsorship, is to provide end users with pertinent information. Actually many of our reviews are provided by you, our readers, when you send in your comments, observations, when you indicate your problems and frustrations with the printer you already have, or your uncertainty about hype and bogus advertising claims.

Corporate sponsorship is used to cover the costs of the several high-end computer systems used in the various FLAAR offices, is used for advanced training of the FLAAR staff, and will be used for substantial face-lifts of the graphical interface and navigation of these web sites. Printer manufacturers value the existence of independent sites such as this one that help promote the use of large-format printers. Canon, ColorSpan, Epson, HP, Mimaki and other companies provide equipment for the tests, but do not participate in the actual tests of water-based inkjet printers, nor in the analysis and recommendations resulting from them. However the evaluation of any complex printer, solvent, UV and textile printer especially, is a professional service and is budgeted at a reasonable professional rate.

FLAAR itself was founded in 1969, so we have existed long before wide format inkjet printers. FLAAR is not owned and not operated by any outside company. We are independent even though physically situated on the campus of Bowling Green State University (circa 2001-2008) with our main office in Guatemala. Our US office has been in St Louis, Missouri during the 1990's and returned to this city since mid-2008, but Dr Hellmuth is usually lecturing or inspecting printers around the world. We hope to open “FLAAR Europe” during 2009 because our readership is international. Our web reports are read in over 137 countries around the world. Total readership of this wide-format web site of FLAAR is currently averaging over 900,000 people a year (so almost a million readers per year worldwide).

We hope you have enjoyed your visit to our site and left knowing a bit more about wide format digital imaging and related products. All brand names and most model names are trademarks of their respective companies.

 
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Textile Printers

DigiFab StampaJet
New textile printer
Yuhan-Kimberly Textile Silk, Cotton, Polyester StampaJet textile printer
 ATPcolor textile printers
D-gen textile printers
Mimaki textile printers
Mutoh textile printers
Roland textile printers
 Seiko ColorTextiler 64DS
Mimaki, Stork
ColorSpan
Book review textiles
Virtu
L&P
3P
Textile printing with inkjet printers: silk, cotton, polyester.
Yuhan-Kimberly
MC3 Premium
MC3 Express
VU-180
MC2-P

Dye-Sublimation
Textile Printers

Introduction, dye-sub
DigiFab StampaJet
DTP
Eurotech Mermaid
Gandinnovations Jeti 3324 AquaJet

Printing Decor: Wood, Stone Tiles, Glass, Wall coverings

Dye Sub ceramic tiles
Digital Wallpaper
Interior Decor, Digital
Eastech Magic Ink

Hewlett Packard

HP Z3200
HP Z2100, Z3100
HP Z6100
HP 130nr HP 30n
HP 3000, 3500, 3800
HP 500, 500ps Designjet
HP 4000
HP 4000ps
HP 4500
HP 5500
HP 430, 450
HP 90
HP 800, 800ps
HP 750c
HP 500, 500ps
HP 5000ps, 5000
HP 2800, 3800
HP 1050, 1055

Canon

ImagePROGRAF iPF9000
ImagePROGRAFiPF9000s
ImagePROGRAF 8400
 ImagePROGRAF 8200
 ImagePROGRAF 7250
Canon iPF8000
Canon iP8000s
Canon iPF8100
Canon iPF 500
Canon iPF 600
Canon iPF 700
Canon BJ 9000
Canon BJ W9000
Canon BJ 7000
Epson

Epson Stylus Pro 7900 and 9900
Epson 10000,10600
Epson 7600, 9600
Epson 7500, 9000
Epson 2200,5500
Epson 9800
Epson Stylus Pro 11800
Epson Stylus Pro 7800
Epson Stylus Pro 4800
Epson Stylus 4400/7400/9400

Interesting Water-based Inks

HP Latex Inks
HP Designjet L25500 Latex ink
Staedtler Lumocolor ink
Eastech Magic Ink

UV Printers

Durst Rho
Nur Tempo
Sericol Inca Eagle 44
UV inks printers
large-format-printers

Solvent Ink Printers

Bellise, Arizona
Vutek, Nur, Scitex
Raster Graphics
Electrostatic

Laminating/Cutting

Laminator
Cutter - Trimmer

Media Papers

Media and Papers
Drytac

Rip Software

EFI Fiery
PosterJet
Hardware RIPs
Software RIPs
PerfectProof
Best RIP

Encad

NovaJet 1000i
Kodak 1200i
NovaJet 880 Flatbed
8 Color 850
NovaJet 500
NovaJetPro 50"
Chroma24
Xerox 8142, 8160
Other Encad

Other Printers

Iris Fine Art Giclee
Kodak 5260
Mimaki JV4
Mimaki JV22-160
Mutoh
Mutoh RJ900
Roland Hi-Fi
Roland 8-Color
Seiko
XES Colorgraf X2

Color Managment

ICC color profiles
Spectrophotometer
Software
X-rite tools
BARBIERI electronic
Book Reviews

Books color

Digital Cameras

BetterLight
Sinar

Photo Printers

Digital Photo Course
Durst Lambda

Scanners

Drum
Flatbed
Repro (overhead)

Seminars

Intermediate Course
Untitled Document
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