How fast will the first HP PageWide technology wide-format printer be? How productive will it be? Let's speculate!

At the Premiere Event on Monday this past week, where HP introduced its first high-speed, high-volume, PageWide technology, wide-format printer (which will not be available until the 2^nd half of 2015), HP did not reveal the output speed of the printer.

So, at this point, all I can do is speculate about the speed of the new printer; the math I’m going to put forth (about the output speed of the new wide-format printer) is based on the output speed of HP’s fastest-model PageWide technology small-format printer, the HP Officejet Pro X576dw, which outputs at up to 70 – 8 ½ x 11 prints per minute.

Based on the info above, it’s possible that the high-speed, high volume, PageWide technology, wide-format printer will generate output at up to 64 linear feet per minute.  HP said that the first model will have a print width of 40”.

24x36 prints will be output 36” wide, and, if the printer does generate output at up to 64 linear feet per minute, that would mean that the printer could output 32 - 24x36 prints per minute, which equates to approximately 11,500 sq ft per hour.  In color or in black & white.

30x42 prints will be output 30” wide, and, if the printer does generate output at up to 64 linear feet per minute, that would mean that the printer could output 18 – 30x42 prints per minute, which equates to approximately 9,600 sq ft per hour.  In color or black & white.

In other words….. blazing fast!

HP PageWide technology wide-format printers will feature 2 sets of ink, so ink cartridges can be changed on the fly.

HP PageWide technology wide-format printers will feature multiple rolls, roll-feed, and auto-switching.  One roll runs out, machine will change to another roll on the fly.

HP PageWide technology wide-format printers will use pigmented ink and the ink on a freshly generated print, apparently, is instant dry.  No smudge, no smear.  At the Premiere Event, one of the HP guys poured water on a print; no affect on the ink.  (I wanted to remind him that bond paper does not like water, but I kept my mouth shut.)

HP PageWide technology wide-format printers will accept optional stacker units or optional folder units.

In other words, HP’s PageWide technology wide-format printers will be highly productive.

In my past life, we used, sold and FM’d HP plotters.  My experience with HP wide-format equipment was outstanding.  High degree of reliability.  If HP’s first PageWide wide-format printer proves to be as reliable as HP’s past and existing plotters, HP’s going to win big.  It is going to be very, very difficult for OCE/Canon, KIP and Xerox (and any other wide-format manufacturer) to compete with HP.

If HP does end up offering equipment that is faster than LED equipment, that offers color and black & white, that proves to be highly reliable, and that costs less to operate, HP’s going to expand its market share quickly, to the detriment of the industry’s other wide-format equipment manufacturers.  Reprographers, do you remember what happened to Xerox’s wide-format, digital, b/w equipment business when OCE came out with the OCE 9800?  Reprographers, do you remember what happened to Xerox’s wide-format, xerographic b/w equipment business when Shacoh came out with the Shacoh 920?

This will be my last post (at least for the time being) about HP’s PageWide technology wide-format printers.