Industry trends
Plotter Printers: Hidden costs you should know about
Buying a plotter printer is a huge decision for any business. But too many focus solely on the purchase price. Simply comparing price tags on large-format plotter printers—as a measure of cost-effectiveness—can be misleading when it comes to true plotter costs.
The initial plotter purchase cost is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to its total cost of ownership (TCO). Less visible—but often more significant—are the plotter printer’s recurring operational and maintenance costs, which can quickly add up over time.
In a time when businesses should be even more careful with spending, this becomes critical.
So where do you start? Let’s break it down, one cost center at a time.
Understanding the impact of hidden plotter costs
To really understand your printer’s costs, you must consider the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO). Here are five hidden costs that make up TCO:
1. Printing
Consumer reports have found that ink used in inkjet printers can cost anywhere from $13 to $75 USD per ounce. That’s more expensive than vintage champagne. So, here’s a tip: one way to save on ink expense is to print in draft mode if the printout isn’t critical work. You should also think twice about printing large photos, especially in high resolution, as these are notorious ink guzzlers.
While ink consumption can lead to excessive printer costs, what you might not even realize is that most of the ink used may not even make it to the page.
Instead, as much as half is used to clean printheads and perform maintenance, particularly if your machine is starting up from idle. If usage in your office is frequent, think of the amount of ink you’re wasting each time that happens. Then think of the number of users in your office.
Likewise, using older printing technology is yet another drain on precious ink. If ink is money, which it is, then ink-efficient, tech-ready printers can mean a world of difference.
2. Printhead cleaning
If you’ve noticed you’re getting less mileage per page from your plotter printer’s ink cartridges—below even the manufacturer’s projected rate (usually based on continuous bulk printing)—it could be that most of your ink is going to nozzle cleaning, and printhead maintenance.
Imagine large volumes of ink used to flush all nozzles at fixed intervals, filling up frequently replaced waste ink tanks. Did you know that twice-monthly printer nozzle cleaning (ink purging) can lead to ink wastage costs that are roughly 11% of TCO for most large-format printers?
While maintenance cycles are out of your control (set by manufacturers, no matter what model you choose), what you can do is reduce the frequency of the flushes simply by leaving your printer on all the time. It doesn’t consume much energy and avoids initiating maintenance cycles.
3. Waste ink tank replacement cost
Waste ink tanks fill up quickly and frequently require regular replacement. This is yet another hidden plotter cost, which you can avoid with printers that use more state-of-the-art technology. They bypass the need for waste ink tanks altogether. What if your printer only cleaned nozzles that were clogged (and not indiscriminately), using a minimal amount of ink, which would then flow into a service center and just evaporate? This is exactly what happens with HP’s smart technology.
4. Printhead replacement
There is a limit to what you can do to save on ink cartridges because eventually, all printheads need replacing through wear and tear. That’s an additional hardware cost. But if your printer is ink efficient and uses the latest technology to keep nozzles and printheads clean, you can delay replacing your printheads, which lowers overall plotter costs in the end.
5. Service downtime
Many printers are so complicated to maintain, you have to rely on service experts to come onsite each time a printhead needs replacing. What is the cost of printer downtime when your printheads need replacing? While waiting for the support technician to arrive, what is the real cost to your business? Very quickly, all these plotter costs can add up. And, in the end, your bargain-priced plotter printer could end up costing you a lot more than you planned for.
There really is more to plotter printer price tags than meets the eye. While you may think you have saved significantly by getting a cost-efficient plotter printer, you also must consider hidden plotter costs. These are the recurring costs that add up because of the features and functions of your chosen model.
Purchase price is deceptive
A printer with a smaller price tag may end up costing you more in the long run because of its high usage and maintenance costs. That’s why it’s important to take your time when selecting the best plotter printer model for your needs.
Need more tips on how to spot hidden plotter costs? Download our eBook now to learn more about what to look out for when choosing your next printer. Our eBook will also walk you through how you can enjoy up to 80% savings by reducing ink wastage—and cutting downtime costs by 300%.
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