The Encad NovaJet 736

The Encad NovaJet 736 includes a basic (lite) RIP from ScanvecAmiable. ScanvecAmiable has considerable years of experience in making software for the sign printing industry. Just realize that a lite RIP is not full-featured.

FLAAR editors are very picky about advertising claims. We find the advertising for the Encad NovaJet 736 acceptable except for the claim that you can make pure profit at just four prints per month. We are not able to certify any features because we don’t have this printer in-house, but I would want to interview shop owners before I accepted the profit claim. We have direct quotes from other shop owners with other brands, so we know that printers per se tend to make a profit. Thus, yes, there is an opportunity to make a profit with a new venture using the Encad NovaJet 736. But a business plan based on four prints a month may be a tad unrealistic and the specific claim, “delivers profits in a matter of hours” might be considered as potentially unfair to the eager buyer. What about the costs of color management, finishing (trimming and laminating), space requirements, and all the other expenses?

Nonetheless Encad has designed a useful entry-level printer here. You get dual ink lines, so switching between pigmented and dye inks is easier than on competitor’s printers. Indeed on an Epson you can’t switch inks from indoor to outdoor at all. Once you select one ink on an Epson, you are forever locked into solely that ink.

Low prices are available on the Epson 9600, however realize that the ink of that printer may set new records for high guzzling and high cost. Piezo printers guzzle ink when they prime their printheads and when you purge the same printheads. You need to purge the heads frequently because they get clogged easily: you force ink through the nozzles to clean them. That is like forcing liquid money through the nozzles and down the drain.

So the purchase cost of a printer is not the true cost of ownership. The Encad can probably use more economical inks and media than the Epson.

On the subject of inks, check out the new DuPont Fusion pigmented inks for the Encad.

How to decide whether to go for the Encad NovaJet 736, or not?

Since the Encad NovaJet 736 is oriented to first-time buyers at entry level, you can always obtain assistance from the FLAAR report series. We can help you with tips on what inkjet media to use, where to get help on color management, and other useful information.Visit our page on the NovaJet 1000i.

EncadNovaJet and other model names are registered trademarks of Encad-A Kodak Company.

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First posted August 12, 2002 last updated Jan. 6, 2003.