Top 5 Things To Consider Before Purchasing A Large Format CAD Plotter!

How can you avoid making mistakes when choosing your next plotter machine, this is absolutely critical and something which you the user must be aware of in order to avoid any costly mistakes that may take place.

Here are 5 things that you absolutely must know about when it comes to choosing and selecting the ideal plotter for your company and organization. This list provides you a handy guide to choosing the right A0 & A1 Plotter here in Singapore.

1. Choose an Authorised Reseller / Partner:

• Always check with the company or manufacturer if the product you are purchasing is from an authorized reseller or partner.
• Failure to do so will cause you and your organization a myriad of problems as you progress forward, especially in terms of the costs you are paying and the consumables you are purchasing.
• In some cases, we have seen very cheap machines from reputed brands going to customers however they are often refurbished or second hand.
• The unauthorized reseller will simply sell you the machine without any proper warranty and there might be hidden costs when it comes to services which you will inadvertently incur.
• Our Company USC Solutions Pte Ltd is not only an authorized Desngjet business partner, and we are also a technical Designjet partner so rest assured that when you purchase from us you are purchasing the very latest at the best price and the highest quality.

2. Beware of companies overcharging you by way of monthly rental

• In a recent case we encountered, a customer was being offered a seemingly low monthly amount from an errant supplier.
• In a recent case, we encountered a customer who was being charged $190/month x 60 months for an entry-level large-format multifunctional printer.
• The total cost came up to : $11,400 !!
• The actual cost of the machine if you were to purchase outright would only be $5900!!
• The customer was overcharged by almost two times the amount!
• When you enter into any monthly rental by way of lease or hire purchase , always find out what is the interest rate you will pay, usually in singapore it ranges from 2.9% to 4.5% depending on the mechanics of the program
• Secondly, always check with other vendors what is the outright price of the machine and then make your decision from there.
• It is sad to see so many non-authorised suppliers behaving and offering customers solutions such as these which is a disservice to the customers.

3. Track Record and Proof of Works Conducted

• Since there are such a high number of sellers and the ease in which an online store can be started. It is extremely difficult to avoid thinking that the company you are purchasing from is competent to conduct the works.
• A recent search on Lazada shows a great number of vendors listing large format equipment, however, these vendors are either not authorized vendors or they really have no experience in setting up and providing a useful solution for the customers.
• Always, always insist that the vendor you are engaging has a track record of installations from companies that are reputable.
• USC Solutions Pte Ltd, has installed, maintained, delivered and serviced a large number of customers that range from reputable private companies to government sectors.

4. Trained and certified Service and Support

• A recent case also involved a machine being supplied to a reputable construction company in Singapore.
• This company purchased the machine however did not inquire or ask who would service the machine they purchased.
• They paid a hefty price for their mistake, the machine was purchased at over $15,000 and the machine broke down and once again they had to pay a further amount in order to fix the machine.
• Always insist that you are covered by a warranty program and the person who is selling you the machine has a team of certified engineers ready to fix the machine should it require servicing

5. Engage With Qualified and Competent Award Winning Sales People

• Most salespeople you will encounter will generally not take the time to really understand the issues you are facing.
• They are there to move a box and not a solution.
• Boxes are great, but solutions are much better. The investment you are making such as a printer will be with you and your company for a number of years. So if you make a decision that is incorrect it will be a waste of money and time for you and your organization.
• Do not be easily swayed by High trade-in values, as usually, these are just a way to mask the true value of a machine.
• Do not be taken by the additional free gifts that are on offer such as, mobile phones, laptops or other goodies which are most likely costed into your purchase price.
• Be vigilant towards the demeanor and competence of the salesperson and when possible try to view a demo of the machine.
• Viewing a demo of a machine will allow viewing the company set up and also give accreditation to the authority of the company.
• USC Solutions Pte Ltd has been in Singapore since 1958 and we continue to be the leading provider of Large Format Solutions.
• In addition to that, we have received multiple awards from manufacturers and continue to strive to be the best.

 

In closing, always try to verify the validity of statements and do some research before investing your companies money into any solution. Speak to other customers who own the machine and make an educated decision based on your research. We at USC Solutions Pte Ltd, adhere to the highest standards of providing our customers with great machines at great prices with a solid technical support. Do visit our website at www.uscsolns.com for more information. If you are looking for reprographic machines we also have a site dedicated for this and you may visit www.largeformatspecialist.com.sg.

Roth + Weber : Introducing The Only Made In Germany A0/A1 size Plotter and Printer.

A Clean, Productive and Reliable Workhorse Rowe Large Format Monochrome plotter

Roth+Weber, or ROWE as it is most commonly known as, has been in the wide format market for almost 60 years! You may not have heard of this brand before, but it is set to make big waves in the monochrome printing market here in Singapore.

Why? you may be wondering. Well in order to know the answer to this question it is important to know a little more about this company so that you have a better understanding.

First here are some facts that you should be familiar with before going forward :

1.  It is the only large format laser machine that is still wholly manufactured in Germany.
2. Through USC Solutions Pte Ltd, full support is provided along with all spare parts and key personnel trained to handle this machine here in Singapore
3. It is extremely reliable and a true workhorse.
4. Rowe is a focused manufacturer that only deals with Large Format equipment and unlike other manufacturers with many different product lines, Rowe remains purely in the large format market.
5. ROWE has won a number of awards and accolades in terms of technology, some larger brands have only recently been ‘inspired’ by Rowe product designs.

So, let’s explore this company a little more in depth. The company as a leading manufacturer of perfect solutions for A0 document processing develops and produces all products within its facility- 100 % Made in Germany.

ROWE has been concentrating on specialization in wide format for more than 60 years. Scanners, printers, controllers, folding systems and cutting technology developed and manufactured by us.

The decisive advantage for the customer is obvious: all ROWE products are absolutely compatible with each other thereby ensuring efficient mapping of business processes. In addition to this, because ROWE is so focused on the large format industry, it knows intrinsically the needs and demands of users.

The medium-sized organization with its headquarter in Niederdreisbach (Rhineland-Palatinate) was founded in 1955. Today the company has achieved an international reputation and is active in over 90 countries all over the world. This worldwide phenomenon is accelerated by the simple fact, that customers trust and rely on products made in Germany more than any other country. The dedication to quality and performance while still maintaining affordability is the key to ROWE success.

One reason for this is the absolute focus on research and development. The most important drive for innovative activity is the company’s own center for research and development. This area was extended yet again in summer 2015 by the construction of a second test center.

ROWE is one of the most innovative IT companies in Germany and was awarded the “Goldmedaille der deutschen Weltmarktführer” (Gold Medal of German World Market Leaders) twice at the same time. In the two categories “The World Market Leaders” and “The Family Business”, ROWE was given the awards for its previous successes and its future prospects. The awards were presented in Berlin by German Foreign Secretary Frank-Walter Steinmeier.

There are so many customers, who worry about reliability and performance. They also often ask me where the machines i propose to them are manufactured in. So usually i have to reply, china. Don’t get me wrong there is nothing wrong with a made in china product especially when it comes with a full warranty and supported by a big name brand.

The crux of the matter is, given a choice, many Singaporeans would pound for pound purchase a German Made machine vs a China Made machine.

The issue is, that all of the large manufacturers who are in this industry are making their machines in China or nearby countries. This leaves the customer with really no choice.  Secondly, the perception of a ‘made in Germany’ product is that it will be exceedingly expensive compared to its nearest competitor. Well, this is a myth, the machines that are made by Rowe are extremely affordable and when comparing between machines a quality, precision made and versatile solution like Rowe will always come out tops.

So stay tuned, as we delve into each of these machines and learn more about why this large format machine is set to make waves in Singapore.

If you would like to see the machine for yourself, do not hesitate to contact us and we will give you a full understanding and demonstration of the marvelous piece of technology.

Sales & Marketing CAD Division
USC Solutions Pte Ltd

203A Henderson Road

#02-03 Henderson Industrial Park

Singapore 159546

M: +65 90266787

T: +65 6278 3110

E: marco@uscgp.com

http://www.uscsolns.com

http://www.largeformatspecialist.com.sg

 

Fastest A1 and A0 Large Format Plotter In SG.

The Fastest Possible Large format A1 and A0 wide format plotter in Singapore.

Print Color and Black and White Faster than ever!

When it comes to plan drawings, especially those used in construction and engineering. Many customers are still using a traditional large format laser printer to get the job done. This is primarily because it has been the best option for those customers who need fast print outs and are concerned about costs.

The truth is, another alternative does exist, and this comes from the revolutionary Pagewide series of large format machines. It promises to be a game-changing technology capable of replacing multiple units of machines into a consolidated device powerful enough to meet the needs and demands of its users. The best part, its faster and cheaper to print in both color and black and white than all existing current technology.

In this article, i would like to highlight the very basics of this technology and then expand upon it with machines in this series.

The major problem that faces many companies today is productivity, productivity and the lack thereof has a ripple effect within any organization. One of the things all offices do on a regular basis is print, be it drawings or documents. The printing process can be either a seamless workflow or it can be extremely cumbersome, it is the difference between long hours or going back on time.

I know it may sound silly, to think that a printer can have such implications, however, do take a look at this video to understand a little more about why a seamless workflow is important especially in peak periods. Although the video is highlight issues within a print service providers environment, similar situations occur in large format printing in offices all over Singapore.

So how and what is Pagewide Technology, simply put as the name implies pagewide is a technology that caters for printing over the entire “page-width” hence the name page wide. The general understanding of inkjet printers is that it is a single printhead that moves back and forth at the same time with the paper moving forward. This technology means that instead of moving the printheads, the entire width of the printable area is covered by a printhead and now the paper travels beneath it. So the only thing that moves is the paper moving forward! Take a look at this video to understand this technology.

The resulting effect of this is that now you have large format printers, printing in seconds vs what would take a traditional inkjet printer much longer to complete. Now i know some of you who are used to “laser printing” will have reservations and i encounter this very often, my customers often ask me “marco won’t prints printed with inkjet smudge or smear when it comes in contact with water?”

This is probably something you also consider when purchasing a printer, to this i say all prints that are printed with HP Pagewide technology are water resistant and will not smear or smudge when it comes into contact with water..more about that in another article.

So now that you know a little bit about the technology this is the result of the pure speeds the machines can achieve, 

• 6 A1/min , 10 A1/min, 15 A1/Min, 20 A1/min and the fastest 30 A1/min
• Now imagine a full color A1 drawing being completed in just 3 seconds and costs almost identically to a monochrome print.

The value of the proposition is exceedingly high, because what you have achieved if you choose to invest in this system is reduced costs per copy for color prints, top notch productivity, drawings which now can work as tools and fewer devices for your IT team to manage.

Lets face it, we live in a world full of color. Displays keeps getting better and better each day. Softwares such as BIM and other tools which are now being deployed in the reprographics market aim to give architects, engineers, consultants and more the right tool for doing the right job.  The future of printing and print technologies will move away from laser machines and now be enabled in devices such as these.

We will elaborate more in the coming blogposts, however if what we have said to you appeals to you and you would like to know more, feel free to contact me or to learn more.

 

http://www.largeformatspecialist.com.sg

http://www.uscsolns.com

Sales & Marketing CAD Division
USC Solutions Pte Ltd

203A Henderson Road

#02-03 Henderson Industrial Park

Singapore 159546

 marco@uscgp.com

M: +65 90266787

T: +65 6278 3110

 

 

 

The HP T830: Large Format Plotter & Scanner Review

The Most Affordable Large Format A1 & A0 Plotter In Singapore!

This is the brand new HP T830 all in one printer, and boy am i excited to bring you this review! The team at HP has definitely hit a home run when it comes to design , functionality, cost and features with this particular model. They have actually designed a machine that for years and years was needed in the AEC market. This machine is available for sale now at http://www.largeformatspecialist.com.sg for our Singaporean customers.

So that being said lets take an in depth look at this machine:

Key features:

Speed: The machine is fast, and i mean really fast, it churns out an a1 sized document every 25/seconds. At the price point of this printer , you will be hard pressed to find a speed on any other model.

Processing: i really like how this machine is able to quickly process the document through a variety of mediums from direct printing or even cloud printing.

Connectivity: One of the biggest headaches a customer has, is that of connectivity. A number of scenarios are often encountered, either there is no lan connection, or there is only wifi connnection. HP has made it so easy to set up and transport. The machine is able to connect to your own Wifi signal easily. The real charmer here is that, suppose you don’t even have a wifi network and you don’t have a lan, So what do you do? Well at this level HP T830 will generate its own wifi signal, so that your site office staff can connect wirelessly to the printer, and also have any visiting members send prints directly through this wifi that the HP T830 is generating! So your covered on two fronts!

Paper Loaded: Ok so we all know that A1 drawings are a little inconvenient at times to handle. Sometimes you really just need an A3 or even an A4. So what do you do, well you get it printed on the laser machine that’s in your office. Hang on a moment what if you don’t have that. Sigh…i guess its time to go and get it printed elsewhere….or print an A1 size drawing…such a waste….Well not anymore, the HP has an amazing loader whereby it can load A3/A4 sheets of paper……and guess what… you don’t even have to change the paper roll! simply load it in and select the size and your ready to go!

Thumb drive: The other really easy and straight forward feature of this machine is the fact that you can easily load in a thumb drive and print the files off your thumb drive. This comes in especially handy when your in a rush, do you really need to sit in front of your pc and wait to do the settings and then go and print when you have more important things to do. The machine accepts a whole bunch of file formats, most importantly PDF / Jpeg files. This feature is something you don’t find in any other machine brand in this class.

Build Quality: I am really pleased that finally, HP has made a machine with a tough build quality, the key being the stand, do remember the sturdier the stand the better your quality of print will be. The new machine has a really strong stand and its built really well. The body remains the same of a plastic composite.

Scanner: The scanner in any site office is….well these days not really utilized. More and more companies do not see the need of having a separate scanner or even making copies. This however doesn’t mean that the scanner is irrelevant. This only means that people will not spend more to buy a scanner and will end up outsourcing their scanning needs. This however can be rather costly.

So this machine bundles in an inbuilt scanner for producing large format scans which can be saved to a thumb drive, network, or even be emailed. Alternatively it can also be used as a copying function. In addition to all of this, if you wish to preview your scan, you can use your tablet computer and connect to the T830 for an easy workflow. Do take note that this scanner is fairly basic and if you wish to look at scanner solutions which are more robust, you may look here. Overall, if your not going to be scanning alot of drawings and it really is once in a while, then you cannot go wrong with this machine.

Inks System: In this area, i find the HP T830 has a significant value to add to the customer experience, in terms of cost of ownership. If you forget everything i have said here, please remember this. The HP T830 is a 4 color machine and requires no waste ink tank. Unlike other machine configurations which have a 5 color or 6 color ink cartridge i assure you that for the AEC industry 4 colors is enough. All the 4 colors are utilised and they are affordably priced.  Please do not purchase a 5 color machine if you are not going to do any rendering work nor print on photo gloss. 4 colors is all you need, and HP gives you the option of using a 40 ml cartridge or a more economical 130ml tank. Overall this is good value for money.

Options: You will find that the new machine comes with a couple of options, so lets take a look at the options which are available.

1. Rugged wheels : If your gonna be moving your machine about, upgrading to these all terrain wheels is a good idea. The build quality is fantastic and offers you great stability when transporting the machine from one site to another.
2. Printer cover: in some sites the machine is prone to dealing with lots of dust and dirt! so the best way to protect your investment is using an all cover option

Summary:

In summation, i find that a majority of site offices will benefit from the use of this machine. It is mobile, versatile, intuitive and ultimately functional. Its easy on the pockets and cost of ownership is low. The only feature that could use a better upgrade would be that of the scanner, otherwise everything else about this machine makes it stand out to any machine in its class category! Should you have any questions please do contact me marco@uscgp.com, or give us a call at : 627836110. If you need to look at other machines or even require the data sheet then visit http://www.largeformatspecialist.com.sg for more information. I have also included below a bunch of vidoes that will better explain the workings of this machine and make it a compelling case for yourself and your management.

Videos:

HP T830 Overview:

A compact solution for site offices:

A Connected Mobile world:

A tough and well built machine:

What You Should Know About A1 Plotters In Singapore!

When a potential customer calls me and says to me “hi i am looking for an A1 plotter do you have them”.  i usually have to inquire a little further to fully understand what is the basis of this question.

You see , in our minds we have an understanding that if we need to print A1 drawings or plans then we must actually have a machine that is A1 size. Most end users are unsure of the difference between an A1 machine or an A0 Machine. So i hope that this article will provide some insight towards understanding these differences. Manufacturers such as the following will usually carry these sizes of machines (Mutoh, HP, Canon, Epson, Seiko)

First lets understand the common sizes which are available :

1. 24 inches
2. 36 inches
3. 44 inches
4. 42 inches
5. 60 inches

The above sizes here are typically used to denote the maximum media sizes that you can load onto a machine. In the context of architectural , engineering or construction environments the discussion will only revolve around two paper sizes that is basically machines capable of loading 24″ or 36″ paper.

So lets breakdown the paper sizes available for end consumers here:

1. 594 mm or 24″ length can vary 50 meters, 150 meters, 175 meters
2. 841 mm or 33″ length can vary 50 meters, 150 meters, 175 meters

Here is what is important to realize, the longer the length of paper the cheaper the roll of paper gets, so if the objective is to achieve a lower cost of consumable then taking an often overlooked part which is paper is essential.  

The next thing you should be aware of is the idea of paper orientation and how this affects the consumable price and also the speed of the machine. An A1 size can be either printed in Portrait or in landscape, doing this the wrong way can have a direct effect on how much you are going to pay your machine supplier, this is especially dangerous if you are on a SQ Meter model, as the longer the length printed the more your meter click reading is.

I have discovered from some of my customers some companies are in fact informing customers to print in an incorrect manner so that they yield the highest in terms of Sq meters. Which i find extremely unethical. So you must be informed about this. Lets take a look at the diagram below:

Diagram A: Shows what happens when you purchase a 24″ plotter.

• More paper is used length wise
• So if your loading 50 meter paper
• You will only yield the following number of A1 drawings
  • 50 meters / 0.841 = 59 A1 Drawings
• Since the print head has a shorter path to travel because your printing A1 in portrait then this will slow down the printing process as the print head must make more passes.

Diagram B: Shows what happens when you purchase a 36″ plotter.

• Less paper is used length wise 
• So if your loading 50 meter paper
• You will yield more number of A1 drawings
  • 50 meters / 0.594 = 84 A1 Drawings
  • This is 25 A1 sheets more then the previous version a 30% more paper situation
• Since the print head has a longer path to travel because now your printing A1 in landscape then this means that your prints are going to be much faster.

So finally we need to understand why are there then 24 inch models available, these so called A1 models. Well, the prime reason they are there is because then you can print sizes such as A2 more. As i have shown you in the diagram, if you load a 594mm paper then it will print A2 in landscape. Thus reducing once again the lenght of the paper that is used.

So please do not make the mistake of purchasing a 24″ model instead of a 36″ model if you primarily print A1 size drawings. This will only cause the cost of your paper consumable to increase and you will end up changing the rolls more often.

Thank you and if you like this post please share and comment for any questions you may have.

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Warm Regards,

Marco Moochala

Sales & Marketing CAD Division
USC Solutions Pte Ltd

203A Henderson Road

#02-03 Henderson Industrial Park

Singapore 159546

M: +65 90266787

T: +65 6278 3110

F: +65 6273 4208

Easiest Solution for purchasing a Large Format printer & Large Format Scanner

So you currently have a plotter? 

Now you realize that you need to have scan and copy functions.

Investing in an all in one large format multi-function plotter and scanner is too expensive.

What do you do?

The Easiest way to upgrade your plotter to a fully functional MFP copy/print/scan/email!

Some of my customers in singapore often face this problem, as job requirements change there has been little anyone could do aside from investing in another all in one system.

The Easiest way to upgrade your plotter to a fully functional MFP copy/print/scan/email!

A superb solution has been the contex large format scanners particularly under the MFP2GO range. This range of machines allows a customer to use existing hardware to connect the scanner directly to the plotter automatically converting it into an all in one system. What’s really cool is that, no additional pc is require the entire set up functions from an embedded controller which is built with the scanner.

There are a number of advantages when you have a configuration such as this:

• Lower acquisition cost of a multi-function plotter/scanner
• No additional PC required.
• Easy to use interface and no complicated software to learn
• Redundancy of equipment
• Copy/Email/Scan from a single hybrid unit

A key fundamental here is that of redundancy and the ability to not have an attached PC. I will elaborate on these two specific features here as i find it needs careful understanding.

Redundancy:

Your current plotter is supposing at least 2 years in use, now most plotters have a warranty of at least 3 years, what if you were to change the plotter. When you purchase an integrated solution any upgrade to your machine means that you will not only spend more when you acquire an integrated system you will also discard the whole system if you choose to upgrade your plotter. It may not be feasible for some organizations to do this.

Hence, when you have a situation such as i have described you can purchase the contex MFP2GO, and when you want, you can always upgrade the plotter leaving the scanner still in your use. The large format scanners from Contex require little maintenance and they are a high quality product from Denmark allowing long use of the hardware with little maintenance.

One key factor you must take note of is that if an integrated system has a failure, suppose for example the plotter stops printing since the systems are as one you will not be able to scan either and vice versa. So having a hybrid system in this instance is a good solution. Whereby if one device fails the other still continues.

No Additional PC:

Traditionally manufacturers such as canon have a solution and this is called the M40 scanner or it is sold usually as a bundle. The issue with this is that not only will you purchase a scanner you will also need to purchase a separate pc. This some of my customers find it cumbersome. Contex too has such solutions but they are usually for high performance scanners. Nevertheless a solution such as the context large format scanner MFP2GO solution offers something unique.

Integrated Tablet for Easy Access and no additional PC needed

Convenient USB Slot for direct USB Scanning

The tablet that is attached to the machine means that there is nothing else to purchase, it can be totally stand alone and offer a variety of useful functions. There are not so many wires running about and startup is easy. PC’s also are prone to virus attacks, or even face redundancy issues of their own when a new OS is released. This solution makes it very easy to use and maintain a large format A0 Scanner and A0/A1 copier system with the least conceivable effort.

A Sensible workflow by Contex Large Format Scanner Experts

So the next question is that of the decision you will need to make between an integrated and a hybrid solution. If you wish to read more please click here on how to choose the right solution here.

Simply put if your volume for printing and scanning is not extremely high, then a hybrid solution is definitely much better for you. As it will cover all the requirements of a copy/print/scan/email function. However if you have a very high volume of printing then i must recommend the integrated solutions such as the Seiko or the HP T3500 system as their running costs are lower than a conventional inkjet set up.

Hope this has helped with your decision and as always you can contact me or visit my website for full products at http://www.largeformatspecialist.com.sg or you can email me at marco@uscgp.com or give me a call Tel: 62783110