HP DesignJet 4000ps offers serious speed
In the past speed meant banding or low quality. HP has overcome this by designing double printheads per color, long a feature of $200,000 sign printers. Nice thing about the HP 4000, it does not cost even $20,000.
The new HP DesignJet 4000ps is a CMYK system which is designed for serious production of CAD, graphic design, 3-D renderings, and a host of other applications. What surprised me most about the features is that it can accept canvas and glossy media. The HP 4000 and 4000ps can also accept sheet-fed paper.
The HP DesignJet 4000ps is brand new this November, so we will keep our eyes and ears open. It was not shown or mentioned at any of the October trade shows, though unofficially had been spoken about since January. However FLAAR has a policy of not mentioning any printer that is not official announced, especially if we have an NDA on it, but even if not. Our role is to report on the performance of printers that are available for you to acquire and use: not vaporware such as the Konica Iguazu, the Kodak Encad 5260, or several UV-curable ink flatbed printers in the last year or so.
The HP 4000ps is definitely a real printer, and it is now available. Since FLAAR is situated adjacent to the department of architecture on two university campuses, eventually we will be able to test drive it, as this is the best way to learn how it works in real life.
HP has a substantial percentage of the CAD market already and this printer will further cement this situation. The “CAD” in Encad has virtually disappeared. The speed and quality of this HP 4000ps inkjet will win over the remaining people who are using other technologies for producing drawings.
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All reports by Dr. Nicholas Hellmuth |
Updated March 11, 2005
first posted November 30, 2004
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