Hewlett-Packard Designjet 9000s and HP Designjet 9000sf have a few

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Possible systematic issues with the Hewlett-Packard HP DesignJet 9000s, and HP 9000sf

As of January 24, 2006, the Hewlett-Packard Designjet 9000s and Designjet 9000sf have been announced. This is just in time since reportedly supplies of the original Seiko ColorPainter 64s have run out due to demand.

The HP Designjet 9000s is the Seiko ColorPainter 64s with a slightly different ink chemistry. It has a USB2 connection, a new high speed dryer option and an APS (air purifier system).

HP suggests PosterJet and other RIPs as well.

The HP Designjet 8000s, 8000sr, and 8000sf are an entry-level model: not as fast as the model 9000 and thereby costs less.

HP is aiming the HP Designjet 9000s and 9000sf at screen printers, digital print shops, and outdoor sign makers. Unfortunately I have received a diary of problems from an end-user. I discretely checked around and learned that the same issue is a known problem. FLAAR will be issuing a PDF on the HP 9000s shortly with this information.

Hewlett-Packard Designjet 9000s and HP Designjet 9000s

Mild-solvent ink is better than eco-solvent and a bit less intrusive than full solvent

Eco-solvent ink was a misleading concept in the beginning years. We are greatly relieved that HP did not fall into the eco-solvent pit, since we did not support the first two generations of eco-solvent ink whatsoever.

Mimaki USA found the eco-solvent concept so misleading in 2003 that they decided to voluntarily withdraw their JV-2 printer rather than foist this chemistry on the public. Only when the ink chemistry was considerably improved did Mimaki gingerly release their version. In the meantime Mimaki also offers a mild-solvent.

Seiko cleverly skipped the first two waves of eco-solvent mania altogether. Seiko featured mild-solvent. HP has removed some of the more obnoxious chemicals even in mild-solvent and so has a slightly less obtrusive ink, as you would expect for a company like HP.

Gradually all the other companies that tried to foist the concept of eco-solvent inks on unsuspecting sign shop owners are quietly dropping those early generation eco-solvent inks and brewing stronger inks. Now the third generation of eco-solvent ink is out. Quality (on the Mutoh printers I inspected during a week in Oostende , Belgium ) was gorgeous.

Site-Visit Case Studies of HP solvent ink printers in the future

We have been concentrating our efforts during 2006-2007 for site-visit case studies of UV-cured inkjet printers, and have now visited and prepared the following first-hand reviews:

ColorSpan 72UVR and 72UV X
DuPont Cromaprint 22uv, what it is really like to own a Chinese-made UV-cured printer
Gandinnovations Jeti UV flatbed (two different site-visits, one in Europe, one in Minnesota)
Gandinnovations Jeti UV roll-to-roll (site visit in Portugal)
Infiniti UV printer (two different site-visits, one in Latin America, the other in Missouri)
L&P Virtu, site visit in Nevada
Luscher JetPrint (two different site-visits, one in Europe the other in Missouri)
Vutek 200/600 (two site visits, one in Minnesota the other in Missouri)
Zund 215 (two different site visits, both in Missouri)

For year 2007 we would like to undertake comparable site-visit case studies of solvent ink printers, such as the HP series. This will depend on budget availability. Since the university does not provide funds (they state that these funds should come from industry), we have to raise the money to undertake the site-visit case studies, factory visits, and demo-room inspections.

2007 will be a busy year for solvent ink printers because the Mimaki JV5 will be more readily available, as will the Roland Pro III and the Roland AJ-10000.

Mutoh Spitfire Extreme, Mutoh Rockhopper 3 Extreme, Mutoh ValueJet, and now Mutoh Blizzard are selling well.

External add-on after-market infrared IR heaters for drying solvent ink

HP makes their own HP Designjet High Speed Dryer, but since HP is neither an IR infraed dryer manufacturer itself, and actually not yet solvent ink company (other than purchasing Scitex Vision, NUR and taking over Seiko’s solvent printers), it is not surprising that other brands of optional auxiliary IR heater dryers are better, including if you compare costs. Most printshops that we visit prefer the BBC Industries Black Body Digi Dry infrared heater dryer for their solvent printers.

When will Seiko re-introduce their own solvent printers?

At FESPA Digital 2008 several people asked me if I knew anything about “HP’s new 104” latex ink printer.” Since I am under NDA with HP I was not able to answer, but it was curious that people (who were not under NDA) were already asking about a new 104-inch latex ink printer.

When HP Scitex introduces it’s latex ink printer at DRUPA, 104-inch according to rumor at FESPA Digitral 2008, this will offer further options to solvent, mild-solvent, and eco-solvent printers. So the question naturally arises, what will Seiko do with their solvent printers that are currently rebranded by HP? Will Seiko introduce it’s own lite-solvent printers again?

Most recently updated May 29, 2008.
First posted January 30, 2006. Previously updated February 17, 2006, Oct 5, 2007.