HP unveils web-connected large format printing solutions for AEC market

HP has unveiled the industry’s first web-connected, entry-level printing solutions for architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) students and professionals, making in-house, large-format printing accessible to more users.

Delivering large-format printing through the cloud from virtually anywhere, the new HP Designjet T120 and T520 ePrinter series provide on-the-go professionals with simple and affordable printing solutions. The compact, 24-inch HP Designjet T120 ePrinter series is ideal for students and freelancers, while the 24- and 36-inch HP Designjet T520 ePrinter series is designed for small AEC teams in need of fast, professional printing.

HP also announced the second generation of its free web service for AEC professionals, HP Designjet ePrint & Share, which makes it easy to access and print large-format documents using an iOS or Android tablet or smartphone, a laptop or ePrinter touch screen.

“The economic environment has increased the number of freelancers and small studios, shortened project turnaround times and required AEC workers to be highly mobile, spending more than 50 per cent of their time out of the office,” said Santiago Morera, vice president and general manager, Large-format Printing Business, HP. “The expanded HP Designjet portfolio helps our customers stay connected where the job takes them and allows first-time, large-format buyers to easily and affordably bring their printing needs in house.”

The smallest printer in its class, with a footprint of only 38.9 inches (987 mm), the HP Designjet T120 ePrinter offers the benefits of two printers in one with a built-in B+/A3 tray and convenient front-loading roll. The printer’s intuitive, full-colour touch screen simplifies in-house printing and navigation for those new to large format. HP inks produce high-quality output with rich colours and sharp lines reaching 0.0016 inch (0.04 mm) minimum line width.

Available in 24- or 36-inch models, the HP Designjet T520 ePrinter improves processing power and offers twice the speed and resolution of its predecessor.(3) With 1 GB RAM and HP-GL/2 technology, the HP Designjet T520 ePrinter operates at up to 35 seconds per D/A1 print. Original HP inks and long-life printheads achieve accurate lines reaching 0.0008 inch (0.02 mm) minimum line width and sharp details with up to 2,400 dpi resolution for fast, professional results in house.

The HP Designjet T120 and T520 ePrinters are the only large-format printers available with built-in Wi-Fi connectivity, so users can install the printer where it is most convenient. True print previews from the new HP Designjet driver ensure accurate prints on the first try, resulting in time and cost savings when printing from a computer.

“The new HP Designjet printing technology gives us confidence that when we need to produce high-quality drawings in time for a meeting, we can handle the jobâ€"it takes a lot of stress out of my work schedule,” said Peter Zellner, principal at ZELLNERPLUS, an HP Designjet T520 ePrinter beta customer. “Now that I’ve seen how much the HP Designjet T520 ePrinter improves our daily design and build process, I can’t imagine working without it.”

The HP Designjet ePrinter portfolio features mobile access and printing of large-format plans using HP Designjet ePrint & Share. Available through a desktop web browser, mobile application or the touch screen of web-connected HP Designjet printers, the latest version of HP Designjet ePrint & Share offers:

• The ability to email projects to an HP Designjet ePrinter for printing. Users simply attach a PDF or other print-ready file to an email and send it to the ePrinter’s dedicated address.
• Automatic, secure online print history through the new HP Designjet driver. With the online print history, users have access to their latest drawings and the ability to zoom in and reprint an exact copy in just few clicks.
• Convenient file sharing using an automatically generated hyperlink for one-click access to any file in the print history.
• Access to all FTP sites in one place. Users can access multiple FTP sites in one interface with one login, making it easy to view and print files when and where needed.

“The nature of our business requires staff to be out of town or at other locations, working off tablets to get instant feedback from customers,” said Ma Wenjie, designer at E+D International, an HP Designjet T520 ePrinter beta customer. “Through the use of HP Designjet ePrint & Share, we can review these changes and make timely modifications with the client, while our remote workers can send their comments to our in-house printer, greatly improving efficiency.”

Pricing and availability

• The HP Designjet T120 ePrinter series is expected to be available worldwide on 1st November 1012 for an estimated retail price of € 848,00.
• The HP Designjet T520 ePrinter series, available in 24- and 36-inch models, is expected to be available worldwide on 1st November 1012 for estimated prices of € 1,294 and € 2,075, respectively.
• HP Designjet ePrint & Share is available at no additional cost for HP Designjet customers by creating an account at www.hp.com/go/eprintandshare. The mobile application is available through Google Play and Apple’s App Store.

[photo shows the HP Designjet T520 ePrinter which includes built-in Wi-Fi connectivity]