RasterGraphics Piezo Print 5000 and 1000

RasterGraphics produced some of the great printers of yesteryear, the RasterGraphics Piezo 1000, the 52" RasterGraphics Piezo Print 5000, and even the aging electrostatic technology, the RasterGraphics DCS 5400. These were current models around 1997, which in the digital era is light years behind. In its day the RasterGraphics was considered fast (if any piezo printer could really be fast), and offered six colors.

GretagImaging bought RasterGraphics and these earlier models sort of disappeared from the scene. The RasterGraphics electrostatic printer is now distributed by Specialty Toner Corporation which makes toner for e-stat equipment. Lots of these machines are still cranking out prints but inkjet technology has largely overtaken electrostatic equipment.

Now that Gretag has taken over RasterGraphics the earlier models are being replaced by the Arizona and Carolina. Exchange a few parts here and there; add a new name, and the Carolina is born. The name RasterGraphics as a brand name is not being maintained other than on the older models.

The new names are clever, such as Bellise as the "Digital Picture Press," to suggest it's a printing press for pictures. Unfortunately this machine uses Epson piezo printheads and the quality achieved is not impressive. Thus the name sort of backfires.

The Arizona is named the "Digital Screen Press," to suggest to screen printers that this is the digital replacement for traditional screen printing. At least the output of the Arizona looks better than that of the Bellise. However it has a bit further to go before it can surpass the output of a good screen press. But at least the Arizona is a digital inkjet, so ushers the user into the current technology.

The Carolina is named the "Textile Press" but has lots of competition from the well established Stork, Mimaki, and ColorSpan, not to mention Encad and ColorWings (the latter based on Encad parts).

FLAAR is in the process of gathering data on every large format inkjet printer ever manufactured. This is because many of the relics from earlier years, such as RasterGraphics Piezo Print 5000 and RasterGraphics Piezo 1000, are still in use. Media is still being made. And occasionally these older machines are probably offered for sale. The question remains, though, whether even in their heyday whether these printers were all they were advertised to be. For example, we saw one web site which called the RasterGraphics Piezo Print 5000 "the fastest printer in its class, offering inkjet quality with an apparent resolution of 1100 dpi..." That dpi sounds more like smoke and mirrors.

As soon as we can find information on the RasterGraphics Piezo 1000 and other old-timers we will add these data.

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All reports by Dr. Nicholas Hellmuth