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High-Quality HP Wide Format Printers for Your Business

Printing Equipment and Supplies/HP Wide Format Printers 
Expand Summary

A wide-format printer is a specialized printing device built to handle media between 18 and 64 inches wide, ideal for oversized technical drawings, blueprints, CAD renderings, signage, manufacturing templates, and posters. Duncan-Parnell is a leading supplier of wide-format production printers and offers HP and Canon Wide Format printers designed to help teams drive efficiency, improve processes, and reduce costly errors.

These wide-format production printers are best for architects, engineers, GIS and surveying teams, print shops, manufacturing, and facilities managers. Key benefits include:

  • Greater convenience and time savings
  • Color and line accuracy for reduction in errors
  • Faster print speeds up to 120 - 1,200 Arch D prints per hour
  • Customizable, user-friendly configurations

Wide format printing refers to print jobs that require specialized printing equipment capable of handling larger print dimensions. The substrates used in wide-format printing typically come on rolls and are not compatible with and too large for traditional office printers/copiers, as rolls are typically between 18 and 64 inches wide. Color printing is an important part of a project's success in the construction, manufacturing, and geographic information system (GIS) industries. Our selection of wide-format printers can help reduce errors, boost productivity, and reduce overall project costs.

Disadvantages of Black-and-White Printing for GIS/Surveying/Construction Applications

Although black-and-white prints had previously been the standard for GIS/construction drawings, incorporating color, in conjunction with vastly reduced color printing costs, is becoming the new standard. Here are some of the biggest reasons why.

Errors and Miscommunication

Conventional black-and-white prints lack the fine details of your colored computer-aided design (CAD) files, which can make communicating with stakeholders more complicated than necessary. This is especially true of project owners and other non-technical stakeholders who aren't used to reading construction documents.

Inefficiencies and Time Waste

Although each project is different, unclear black-and-white construction drawings can contribute to costly errors, redoing work, and, in some cases, compromise safety. Without the clarity of colored CAD files, it's easy for inexperienced stakeholders to misinterpret key project details, leading to unnecessary reprints and redesigns.

Printing in-house versus outsourcing also saves companies valuable time by eliminating the process of driving to pick up and pay for costly large-format prints.

About HP Wide Format Printers

If you're looking for a new color printer for your surveying/construction/design operations, consider choosing an HP wide-format printer. HP's high-performance color printers are excellent for estimating, design, and in-field construction applications because they provide greater visibility and print to the designed scale.

Explore our range of HP machines for all your wide-format printing needs. Duncan-Parnell offers a robust and turnkey in-house wide-format printer program in which supplies and machine maintenance are managed by our Service Team.

Benefits of HP Wide Format Color Printers

Some of the biggest benefits you can expect from using HP production printers include:

  • Collaboration: With their large touchscreen displays, HP wide-format multifunction printers make it easy to access, view, and print shared project files. Hand markups on a construction drawing are a very common practice. With a wide-format machine in place, you now have the capability to scan and/or copy these markups and efficiently get them to the person(s) needing the information. Being able to adapt and quickly get information out is a valuable tool in the design and construction industries.
  • Faster printing: While slow printers make it difficult to meet certain project milestones on time, HP's high-performance printers can boost your overall productivity. Choose from printers with speeds up to 1,200 D/hr. With HP PageWide models featuring patented fixed printhead technology, there are 300,000+ nozzles across the width of the printhead, allowing for breakthrough printing speeds.
  • Reduced time waste: Using extremely valuable time to purchase prints is one of the biggest "savings" an in-office wide-format printer provides. HP printers print in color for the same cost as black-and-white prints. Color prints can speed up takeoffs and reduce takeoff errors. On a construction project, errors can also be reduced, and personnel can often more quickly understand their needs when working with color construction drawings.

Wide-Format Printer FAQs

Click to expand each question and learn more about wide-format printing solutions.

What Is a Wide-Format Printer, and Who Needs One?
A wide-format printer handles print jobs 18 to 64 inches wide. Architects, engineers, GIS teams, construction trades, print shops, and facilities managers use them for CAD drawings, blueprints, signage, and marketing graphics.

Can HP Wide Format Printers Handle Technical Drawings and CAD Output?
Yes. HP Wide Format printers support technical drawings and standard CAD file formats and reproduce line weights, annotations, and color-coded layers with precision. HP machines can come with integrated top stackers and bottom stackers that assist in organizing print sets. Each machine has a recommended print volume range, which helps guide you to the appropriate selection.

How Do I Choose the Right Wide-Format Printer for My Needs?
Choose the right wide-format printer for your needs by matching the printer to your print volume, required speed, media width, color accuracy needs, number of users, and available floor space. Our wide-format specialists can help you compare HP models.

What Materials Can Wide-Format Printers Use?
Wide-format printers can print on a range of materials such as bond paper, matte paper, polypropylene, peel & stick substrates, and many vinyls. The exact substrates you can print on depend on your printer model.

How Much Does an HP Wide Format Printer Cost?
HP Wide Format printer pricing depends on print width, speed, color capabilities, and production volume. DesignJet models are the most budget-friendly, while high-volume PageWide XL printers sit at the top of the range. Aligning the appropriate model with your volume and production type will yield the most cost-effective outcome.

What Is the Typical Print Speed for HP Wide Format Printers?
HP Wide Format printer speeds vary by model and print mode. HP DesignJet technical printers are built for fast everyday plotting, while HP PageWide XL production printers deliver the highest volume. The fastest printing speeds reach 1,200 D-size drawings per hour.

What Should I Look for in a Wide-Format Production Printer Supplier?
Look for a wide-format printer supplier that offers authorized dealer status with leading brands, deep domain expertise, in-house service across manufacturers, flexible financing without third-party leasing, and AEC workflow support. Duncan-Parnell has focused on wide-format printing for over 70 years and services HP, Canon, Océ, Ricoh, and Xerox equipment.


Ready to Upgrade Your Wide-Format Printing?

Contact us today to learn more about how our selection of HP wide-format printers can fit into your organization's workflows, or click here to request a free quote.