Monday 15 August 2016

Large Format Life Sized 3D printer


The Most Affordable Big Sized 3D Printer In Singapore!



Wow, that's what i exclaimed after i first saw this 3D printer! I was excited to see this machine for a couple of reasons. The most exciting part about this 3D printer has to do with its build volume !
So whats so exciting about the size, well in this blog series i am going to take you my readers on a journey of possibilities. We are going to understand what this machine is and follow it up with a myriad of applications. This journey will be exciting , eye opening and most importantly give you an idea of the possibilities.
So lets begin with whats currently happening in the 3D market in Singapore. The first thing you will notice, is that there has always been a hype about 3D printing in Singapore. Most customers or potential customers remain unconvinced about the possibilities of 3D machines.
This is either to do with,  incorrect machines, cheap machines, poor print quality , understanding of applications and much more. When looking at 3d printing machines, what happens is an emotional response occurs almost instantly.
The ability to build, make and design things has always been a part of the human psyche. We have a strong reaction to something so innovative. I always advise to anyone looking at a 3D machine ..to take a moment step back and understand why your excited. Take this excitement and see if there is an actual use for it and most importantly whether you would want to use it.
Excitement is good but it must tie into a real world solution. There are literally a myriad of 3d printers that you can purchase from just about anywhere. You will immediately notice that their build volume is usually pretty tiny. We live in the real world, and in the real world we use 'big' things not minuscule models of things. Now using a large sized 3D printer will bridge the gap from machines that are producing tiny prototypes to machines that will actually build, prototype, create and make products that we all can use.
This is where the BigREP comes into play. So lets explore some important technical details, there are some others however these are i feel the most important:
  • x 1050 mm y 1050 mm z 1050 mm build size 
    • The build size allows for large objects to be printed
    • More than a cubic volume
  • Resolution : 100-1000 micron layer thickness
    • This refers to the thickness of each layer
    • The thicker the layer the faster the printout however the lower the resolution
    • 100 microns is equivalent to = 0.1 mm
    • 1000 microns is equivalent to = 1 mm
  • Extruder : Two modular Extrusion Heads
    • having two extrusion heads allows for layers having different colors
    • you can also print different materials in between layers to create unique and special effects
  • Fabrication Method : FFF
    • The industry standard to make parts that are strong
    • The easiest to understand method for fabrication.
The above gives you some important highlights, namely it has to do with the quality of print, size of the print and also the method of fabrication. I know what your thinking , it looks like a basic 3d printer that's just been enlarged. This however is very far from the truth. I urge you to take a look at this video to give you a basic understanding of what this machine can do before we go on to the next part of the detailed features of this machine!

        
Stay tuned to my next blog post which will go into the detailed features of why this machine is fundamentally different from other large size 3d printers that are available. 
You may also seek to contact me below:
Sincerely & Respectfully,
Marco Moochala
Full Range Of Machines : www.largeformatspecialist.com.sg/
Blog                             : http://largeformatplotters.blogspot.sg/
Wordpress                     : http://largeformatplotters.wordpress.com
Follow Me On Twitter     : @marcomoochala
Add Me On Google+      : google.com/+MarcoMoochala
Sales & Marketing CAD Division
USC Solutions Pte Ltd
203A Henderson Road
#02-03 Henderson Industrial Park
Singapore 159546

Sunday 14 August 2016

Wide Format AO and A1 Scanner Singapore Contex SD ONE MF

Contex SD ONE MF : An Affordable & Powerful Large Format Scanning System

large format scanner in singapore
Contex AO and A1 Size Multifunction Scanner
Scanners, good to have but not really a necessity, heard that line before? Well indeed its true that we have moved considerably into the digital age..and that's great. Paper is saved and with that the environment as well. Do pause for a moment and think it through though..every building that is being constructed requires paper drawings to get it off the ground. Things haven't changed much since the days of old in that aspect.
So why are we talking about scanners, well scanner are essential to do two main things the first is archive and share and the other is to make copies. So lets talk about the first, when you make a change in your drawing you will need to keep a copy of the changes you have made. This is critical in the archive and documentation of a particular project, without which no record will be preserved. The second is probably after you have made that change you will need to print it out on your large format plotter, so if you have a large format scanner that works with your large format plotter then you have a complete solution.
Now of late, more and more multi functional machines are in the market, some of them include the HP T830 HP T3500. The HP T830 has been gaining much traction due to its compact size, low cost of purchase and functional design. The T3500 is still reserved for customers who have a higher print volume. There have also been some new additions in the low-cost multi function arena from canon.
The trouble begins, especially when you're looking at these machines is the screen size for the scanner. They practically serve no real purpose in helping you understand what it is your scanning. 
colortrac
A small screen  with complicated buttons and a non user-friendly experience
hptouchscreen
This Touch Screen  a little easier to understand but too small
If you take a close look at what is being offered with these low-cost multifunction printers you will realise the screen is really small. So lets say you're scanning a document and would like to see a preview of what your scanning, or even lets say crop out a certain part of the image or even annotate/write on that image...You just cant do it. No way, no how. See this makes it really difficult to really get a grasp on what your scanning or copying, it adds no value to your workflow at all. In fact most models that these large manufacturers are pumping out, are really low cost. I am all about low cost, but why should I sacrifice low cost for all the negative impacts my staff would have to endure over the course of the machine especially when related to scanning.
So lets talk about a viable solution, firstly when it comes to integrated scanners, major brands like HP, Canon And Epson, rely on a basic scanner, which is  more often than not a OEM either by colortrac or contex. When a brand OEM's for another brand, they do so being careful not to cannibalize their own market share. So there are definitely better multifunctional machines out there, it's just that you have not been presented to it. Here are some glaring issues:
  1. Integrated Scanners and printers, mean just that...integrated, if one component fails the whole machine fails.
  2. A scanner is actually surprisingly hardy and can be reused, however because they are integrated you have to discard the whole machine including the scanner.
  3. The screen sizes are too small to be useful
  4. You cannot annotate on the fly nor can you perform any form of editing.
  5. The scan quality is lacking in reproducing accurate colors and accurate lines.
  6. No cloud connectivity for scanners
  7. No wi-fi capability
So with these issues, on paper when you are looking at big name brands, it looks well and good, but you really have to critically deep dive into the issues to understand. So lets talk about a viable solution. The CONTEX MF ONE.
What i like about contex, is the fact is they have just one type of business, the business of manufacturing world-class and good quality scanners. That's it, that's all they do. The business of optics is extremely complicated and you will realize that large format scanners actually cost more than the printers. So who is the best at it, in my opinion contex scanners are the scanners you need to get you there. In understanding the contex mf one, let me share what is unique about this particular solution:
  1. Scanner & Printer are separate but connected:
    1. The scanner is its own habitat.
    2. Its connected via a wi-fi signal to your plotter
    3. It can also be connected directly from the Ethernet port
    4. A separate scanner ensures a contingency for failure
  2. Keep your scanner upgrade your plotter:
    1. Scanners usually cost more than the printers.
    2. It would be better to keep your existing scanner and then just upgrade your plotter
    3. Since plotters are constantly being upgraded this option is useful for customers who want the latest technology in their machines
  3. A Useful Screen Size
    1. Low cost MFP's usually have a really small screen size
    2. Also there is no preview available
    3. The CONTEX MF ONE allows for a large screen size that is practical and useful
    4. See more and do more when you're not straining to see what you're scanning. 
  4. On the Fly Edit and Annotate:
    1. The CONTEX MF ONE allows you to do something rather unique. 
    2. You can now annotate on the preview screen save it or print it out.
    3. In addition you can also perform cropping and enlargements of certain sections.
    4. All of these functions without bringing your file to your PC.
    5. Thus saving you a lot of time and effort. 
  5. Accurate Colors and precise lines:
    1. To reproduce the correct colors and to scan fine details you need  a quality scanner.
    2. Mass produced scanners do a decent job of scanning, or rather making it appear like a good scan.
    3. However, when you work with fine lines and details it is imperative you use a scanner which you can trust. 
    4. One example is the common use of highlighters, in our tests mass-produced MFP machines cannot capture highlighter colors well enough. 
    5. The Contex MF One will use a technology that is found in high-end scanners called 'contex clean scan'
    6. This technology ensures your details are captured with the right colors and details. 
  6. Cloud and wi-fi enabled:
    1. Most scanners do not allow you to scan your document directly into cloud applications such as google drive. 
    2. Most of the times scans are stored in the local area network folder.
    3. In using the contex MF one, you can create individual profiles for individual users so that they can save files where they want them to be.
    4. This added feature assist users in customizing their scan experience. 

So when you are indeed looking for a multifunctional printer, take some time and explore the product, learn what you can about the quality it can produce, the efficiency it provides and the workflow which will affect your business. These days more and more low cost solutions are put toghether for the sake of apeasing the end user, to make them feel that they have indeed got a good deal. When it comes down to it, scanning is an important aspect of any architectural, engineering and construction firm. There is no way to store and capture large documents without scanning them. So take a look at your options carefully and see whats right for your business. 
As always i hope the pointers here will help you understand more about large format scanners and also give you an alternative perspective on scanners which are available.
Do visit our website for a full range of products that we have to help your business. www.largeformatspecialist.com.sg

Sincerely & Respectfully,
Marco Moochala
Full Range Of Machines : www.largeformatspecialist.com.sg/
Blog                             : http://largeformatplotters.blogspot.sg/
Wordpress                     : http://largeformatplotters.wordpress.com
Facebook:                      : www.facebook.com/uscsolutions
Follow Me On Twitter     : @marcomoochala
Add Me On Google+      : google.com/+MarcoMoochala

Sales & Marketing CAD Division
USC Solutions Pte Ltd
203A Henderson Road
#02-03 Henderson Industrial Park
Singapore 159546

M: +65 90266787
T: +65 6278 3110
F: +65 6273 4208

Friday 12 February 2016

The most affordable large format a0 & A1 Plotter in singapore!

Large Format Printer Singapore - The Most Affordable Plotter Mutoh RJ900X

The Mutoh RJ900X Series Of Machines:
Cheapest Printer In singapore
The most affordable large format color plotter in singapore.
The term affordability gets thrown around alot these days, with each manufacturer stating that their machine is indeed an affordable solution.
In order to fully understand this term we need to define this term completely. A machine can be affordable to purchase at the outset which sounds lovely on paper, or are we going to choose to look a little deeper?
I chose the latter, many of my customers are in a bind as to decide and to compare , these days the choices are plenty and prices of machines are really at an all time low. Manufacturers throw the price of their machine at almost a cost , i mean simply put if the manufacturer, is selling you the machine initially at a very low price this only really means that they have a plan. After all they are not in the business of loosing money, money has to come from somewhere...right?
The answer is simple, it comes from the consumables that the machine will use. So think about what is the number one component in any machine...that certainly is without a doubt the ink. Printer ink is one of the most incredibly expensive commodity today.
E.g :
Fuel tanks in a car hold approximately 44 liters which in singapore is charged at around 1.80 so that would work out to be $79.20 SGD
Ink in a printer if poured in comparison into a car would translate based on current large format printer manufacturers will work out to be approximately $0.65/ml there is 44,000 ml in a car so a car fuel tank would cost you $28,600 SGD
The above is just to illustrate the value of ink vs the value of fuel. i mean , ink is the new gold.
So this is where the Mutoh RJ900x Shines:
In the cost of ink game, there is a machine that can produce for you stunning printouts absolutely brilliant CAD and line work and is all built on this machine platform which remains as one of the only large format machine manufactured completely in japan.
Technical Specs are as follows:
  • Highest Resolution 1440 x 2880 dpi
  • Fast: A1 Color print 33 seconds only!
  • Memory 256MB
  • Wave printing technology lower banding lines
  • 3 years next business day machine warranty
  • Outstanding quality for CAD & Photo Print applications
  • Heavy Duty / Medium Duty Usage
  • 4 color Ink System CMYK
100% Made In Japan
The beauty of the MUTOH machine is the fact that, not only does the manufacturer allow a specific formulation of ink that works well with the machine. It also locally in Singapore is supported by a 3 year warranty. So for those of you who are looking to remove yourself from the vicious cycle of paying exorbitant amounts for essential ink. Then you need to take this seriously when it comes to understanding the value this machine will allow you do add.
The Made In Issue:

The pressure from manufacturers to produce cheaper and cheaper machines has led to a proliferation of the machines being built in countries like china and thailand.
Not that there is anything wrong in manufacturing in these countries but results speak for themselves.
The legendary models from other manufacturers that previously were built in Singapore or in japan, have lasted the longest. Some customers i meet still use these machines, Why? The quality of build is truly superior. We have become a culture of purchasing the cheapest possible machine, and we don't seem to think otherwise in regards to the running cost of the plotter. That is so dangerous if your print volume is moderate.
The Mutoh RJ series is entirely built in japan, and understanding their culture and the attention to detail that is put in simply outshines the mass produced models that are super cheap to purchase vs a quality machines.
[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vxCnh9VFcdg[/embed]
The Features Issue:

I wouldn't put the Mutoh machine as being "Innovative" if i was to describe the machine, i would say it is "Built with superiority,designed to last and ultimately the most affordable way to print"
True the Mutoh machine lacks intuitive touch screens, cloud printing, remote printing, WiFi printing, post script, etc etc etc. The usual bells and whistles.
However the question is , how much do you print and what do you print.
If your a casual user then certainly these other machines i would highly recommend them, If the features in these machines are going to improve your workflow and make your printing life easier then yes they will add this value to you. So its justified.
However purchasing the other machines and all your going to print is CAD Drawings with some level of GIS or even images then really a souped up bells and whistles type of machine is not what i would recommend.
Clearing up the Misconceptions about INKS:
These days, consumers get overly excited by pegging the quality of the printout to the number of inks in the machine.
Machines that are currently available come in the following ink configurations:
  • 4 color ink system
  • 5 color ink system
  • 6 color ink system
  • 8 color ink system
This has been the most confusing aspect of choosing a machine especially when it comes to customer purchase. Some sales executives are overly excited to a point of stating the more inks a machine has , as an advantage.
Little does the average consumer realize that he is on a ride and a long deep treacherous ride indeed.
More colors available to a printer is certainly helpful provided you are matching what your application is.
For example if you wish to produce ultra high quality photographic prints for fine art applications then certainly a more complex color gamut is required.
However most of my customers who are architects, construction companies, consultants or engineers are using 6 color and 5 color ink system to produce CAD drawings. The question you should be asking why do i need these many colors to do something as simple as CAD drawings?
Take another example , the 5 color ink system. 
You have CMYK which are the primary colors and you have another cartridge called the BLK.
Did you know that if you do not print on a media profile of photo glossy, or glossy paper, that cartridge does nothing but drain....drain...and drain.
You don't need a fifth cartridge or a 8th cartridge or whatever if your just doing simple cad drawings and simple graphics. 4 color cartridges are MORE then enough to achieve outstanding colors sharpness and detail.
Need proof ? well just take a look at these photos here, all produced on a 4 color machine.
Super high quality printouts with just 4 colors
Super high quality printouts with just 4 colors
Sharp Lines, words, images and graphics
Sharp Lines, words, images and graphics
Do not make a mistake of paying for cartridges you don't need and which do not serve you in any way at all. Make a decision based on proof and understanding . The fewer cartridges you have the better it is for you. Trust me on this.
The MUTOH brand
When i do propose this brand to customers, they immidiately respond with "well i have not heard about this brand before, how do i know if i can rely on it"
Simply put, it is precisely this reason that customers would continue to do and purchase machines that are over kill for their purposes and pay through their nose for consumables.
Research can reveal some telling tales, MUTOH in Singapore is one of the most popular range of machines in the GRAPHICS and Signage market. An astounding 80% of customers use these machines to produce extremely high quality printouts at the lowest price possible.
The reason most customers do not hear about it , is simply because in the CAD market the dominance is by the other larger companies that advertise frequently and come up with feature rich models.
The only way a customer can feel comfortable is through recommendations which is how the MUTOH has gained popularity. Further then that, in the issue of reliability, if its well built precision products no one does it better than japan. Once upon a time the best and most reliable products came from japan. Through competition and cost cutting some manufacturers buckled under the pressure and sent their machines to be made in china and Thailand.
The machine is covered by a local warranty agreement and in terms of service USC SOLUTIONS provides a level of service that is of the highest order. It is in our culture and mindset to propose the best and be the best.
As a summary
  • Mutoh offers customers a simple system that works well with CAD applications
  • In addition because of the inks being almost 5 to 6 times cheaper then conventional inks it becomes the most affordable ink system you can purchase.
  • A peace of mind knowing that for 3 years warranty is provided
  • A simple but extremely powerful 4 ink configuration.
  • A well built and well designed machine
  • Has the ability to work with a rip software and to create amazing posters at the lowest price
  • 42 inches and 24 inch model available for all types of applications.
Do let me know if you have any questions or feedback or even if your looking for a machine like this:
Full Range Of Machines : www.largeformatspecialist.com.sg/
Blog                             : http://largeformatplotters.blogspot.sg/
Wordpress                     : http://largeformatplotters.wordpress.com
Facebook:                      : www.facebook.com/uscsolutions
Follow Me On Twitter     : @marcomoochala
Add Me On Google+      : google.com/+MarcoMoochala
Warm Regards,
Marco Moochala
Sales & Marketing CAD Division
USC Solutions Pte Ltd
203A Henderson Road
#02-03 Henderson Industrial Park
Singapore 159546
M: +65 90266787
T: +65 6278 3110
F: +65 6273 4208

The HP T830: Large Format Plotter & Scanner Review

The Most Affordable Large Format A1 & A0 Plotter In Singapore!

T830
This is the brand new HP T830 all in one printer, and boy am i excited to bring you this review! The team at HP has definitely hit a home run when it comes to design , functionality, cost and features with this particular model. They have actually designed a machine that for years and years was needed in the AEC market. This machine is available for sale now athttp://www.largeformatspecialist.com.sg for our Singaporean customers.
So that being said lets take an in depth look at this machine:
Key features:
Speed: The machine is fast, and i mean really fast, it churns out an a1 sized document every 25/seconds. At the price point of this printer , you will be hard pressed to find a speed on any other model.
Processing: i really like how this machine is able to quickly process the document through a variety of mediums from direct printing or even cloud printing.
Connectivity: One of the biggest headaches a customer has, is that of connectivity. A number of scenarios are often encountered, either there is no lan connection, or there is only wifi connnection. HP has made it so easy to set up and transport. The machine is able to connect to your own Wifi signal easily. The real charmer here is that, suppose you don’t even have a wifi network and you don’t have a lan, So what do you do? Well at this level HP T830 will generate its own wifi signal, so that your site office staff can connect wirelessly to the printer, and also have any visiting members send prints directly through this wifi that the HP T830 is generating! So your covered on two fronts!
Paper Loaded: Ok so we all know that A1 drawings are a little inconvenient at times to handle. Sometimes you really just need an A3 or even an A4. So what do you do, well you get it printed on the laser machine that’s in your office. Hang on a moment what if you don’t have that. Sigh…i guess its time to go and get it printed elsewhere….or print an A1 size drawing…such a waste….Well not anymore, the HP has an amazing loader whereby it can load A3/A4 sheets of paper……and guess what… you don’t even have to change the paper roll! simply load it in and select the size and your ready to go!
Thumb drive: The other really easy and straight forward feature of this machine is the fact that you can easily load in a thumb drive and print the files off your thumb drive. This comes in especially handy when your in a rush, do you really need to sit in front of your pc and wait to do the settings and then go and print when you have more important things to do. The machine accepts a whole bunch of file formats, most importantly PDF / Jpeg files. This feature is something you don’t find in any other machine brand in this class.
Build Quality: I am really pleased that finally, HP has made a machine with a tough build quality, the key being the stand, do remember the sturdier the stand the better your quality of print will be. The new machine has a really strong stand and its built really well. The body remains the same of a plastic composite.
Scanner: The scanner in any site office is….well these days not really utilized. More and more companies do not see the need of having a separate scanner or even making copies. This however doesn’t mean that the scanner is irrelevant. This only means that people will not spend more to buy a scanner and will end up outsourcing their scanning needs. This however can be rather costly.
So this machine bundles in an inbuilt scanner for producing large format scans which can be saved to a thumb drive, network, or even be emailed. Alternatively it can also be used as a copying function. In addition to all of this, if you wish to preview your scan, you can use your tablet computer and connect to the T830 for an easy workflow. Do take note that this scanner is fairly basic and if you wish to look at scanner solutions which are more robust, you may look here. Overall, if your not going to be scanning alot of drawings and it really is once in a while, then you cannot go wrong with this machine.
Inks System: In this area, i find the HP T830 has a significant value to add to the customer experience, in terms of cost of ownership. If you forget everything i have said here, please remember this. The HP T830 is a 4 color machine and requires no waste ink tank. Unlike other machine configurations which have a 5 color or 6 color ink cartridge i assure you that for the AEC industry 4 colors is enough. All the 4 colors are utilised and they are affordably priced.  Please do not purchase a 5 color machine if you are not going to do any rendering work nor print on photo gloss. 4 colors is all you need, and HP gives you the option of using a 40 ml cartridge or a more economical 130ml tank. Overall this is good value for money.
Options: You will find that the new machine comes with a couple of options, so lets take a look at the options which are available.
  1. Rugged wheels : If your gonna be moving your machine about, upgrading to these all terrain wheels is a good idea. The build quality is fantastic and offers you great stability when transporting the machine from one site to another.
  2. Printer cover: in some sites the machine is prone to dealing with lots of dust and dirt! so the best way to protect your investment is using an all cover option

Summary:
In summation, i find that a majority of site offices will benefit from the use of this machine. It is mobile, versatile, intuitive and ultimately functional. Its easy on the pockets and cost of ownership is low. The only feature that could use a better upgrade would be that of the scanner, otherwise everything else about this machine makes it stand out to any machine in its class category! Should you have any questions please do contact me marco@uscgp.com, or give us a call at : 627836110. If you need to look at other machines or even require the data sheet then visit http://www.largeformatspecialist.com.sg for more information. I have also included below a bunch of vidoes that will better explain the workings of this machine and make it a compelling case for yourself and your management.