No Secret to Making the Right Choice

If you’re like most sign shops debating their entry into the world of digital color printing, the confusion over which system to purchase can be enough to paralyze the decision making process. With the wide selection of thermal and inkjet printers, how can one be expected to make the right choice for their business? Well, there really is no secret to making the choice that’s right for you!

Simply evaluating who your customers are, what type of signage you need to produce (indoor or outdoor), and whether outdoor durability matters, reveals the solution to making the correct purchase.

What do your customers need? What type of work already constitutes the bulk of your jobs? Banners, car signs, 4 x 8 boards, or interior displays and posters? Do you want to produce full-color graphics for indoor or outdoor applications?

If you need to generate graphics that can withstand the outdoors, you’ll have to address the difference in durability between an inkjet and a thermal unit’s output. It’s no secret that an inkjet’s graphic usually requires lamination, sealing, or the use of a polymeric unit to make it outdoor durable.

So, why all the talk about color inkjet printers? Well, they certainly have their place. If you think you’ll be consistently generating a high volume of large-format graphics for interior use, inkjets are the way to go. In addition, the consistent color output is a plus. But remember, an inkjet’s finished artwork will usually require the services of a lamination bureau, the purchase of a sealing machine, or a polymeric unit for protection if you intend to use it outdoors.

To make the right choice analyze these questions: Do my customers need indoor identification or outdoor signage? Will the design need lamination or a polymeric finishing system to achieve outdoor durability and will my customers pay for this additional process? If in the elements, how long will the completed piece hold up? What size will most of my indoor applications be? How many will I need to produce and how quickly can they be done? Are the size and quality of the finished graphics adequate for the bulk of my jobs?

Just a few questions and a few answers reveal the choice that’s right for your entry into the digital revolution. There really isn’t any secret!