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Canon tries for the CAD and GIS market with their Canon imagePROGRAF iPF600.

Canon USA did not exhibit at ISA trade show 2006, but Canon Europe did at IPEX ´06, so the Canon imagePROGRAF iPF600 is available since then for inspection for CAD and GIS. Canon also has a 36” model for CAD and GIS, the Canon imagePROGRAF iPF700 and a desktop model, Canon imagePROGRAF iPF500.

Mutoh also is trying to enter the CAD market, with their DrafStation RJ-900 and RJ-901 printers.

Epson tried in Europe to get into the CAD market with their Stylus Pro 4400, 7400, and 9400, but this older piezo printhead is not the right kind of technology for doing CAD. These printers are great for giclee and fine art photography, but Epson printers are not the right kind for CAD or GIS; an Epson of course can handle CAD but a Canon or HP can do CAD better.

CAD printers have suffered recently, since the HP Designjet 4000 did not set wow many users. FLAAR did not review one for evaluation and so we wrote nothing on it. Now HP has revised the 4000 and it is reappearing as the HP Designjet 4500. We find the HP 4500 more interesting and may decide to feature it, since our background is in architecture. Two of my brothers are architects; my father (HOK Architects) and grandfather and great-uncle were architects. I studied architecture at Harvard but then went astray into architectural history of 7th century Mayan pyramids. But at Bowling Green State University, the FLAAR facilities are in the same building as the architectural program. So we are an ideal place to evaluate CAD printers since many architectural companies already use FLAAR as a reference.

Since FLAAR has a background in CAD, we will be taking a look at whichever printer brand first becomes available to evaluate. We have been checking on Canon printers for CAD at IB-ProCADD in Ljubljana, Slovenia. Indeed I have given several lectures on Canon printers in Slovenia, Croatia, and in Dubai as well.

In the US, a Canon dealer that I have visited several times is LexJet: contact Carey Masera or Duston Stroh, toll free 800 453-9538.

The advantage of a place that offers both Epson, HP, and Epson is that they can provide some tips on the differences. If a store sells only one brand or the other, they will understandably push the brand they sell. One value-added retailer that we have visited several times is Parrot Digigraphic. They know each of the brands and models. Contact info is 978.670.7766.