Best Printers for Metal Prints

Best Printer for Metal Prints: A Comprehensive Guide

If you’ve ever seen a metal print, you probably noticed its contemporary, industrial, minimalist, and edgy appeal. It’s no wonder they’ve become so popular for photos, art, and signage. Today, we’ve broken down three different print technologies capable of making metal prints: Dye Sublimation, UV, and Latex. We’ll examine the strengths of each printing approach before awarding our favorite printer for metal prints.

UV Flatbed Printing

Let’s start with the oldest way to make a digital metal print: UV Flatbed printing. UV flatbed printing has been around for decades, but recent advancements in print technology have enabled flatbed printers to produce photographic-quality metal prints. Our favorite UV printer for metal prints is the Epson SureColor V7000. With ten inks in the ink set, the SureColor V7000 offers a wide color range, providing peak quality, vibrant, and detailed metal prints.

Strengths of the Epson SureColor V7000:

Single-Step Process: The UV ink is instantly cured and ready for the hanging hardware to be attached.
Gloss Varnish Channel: The included gloss varnish channel can accent metal prints with extra gloss shine, perfect for spot effects on the metallic surface.
Photographic Color Gamut: Highlighted by a red ink, it offers a big, bold color gamut.
Affordable ACM Metal Panels: Compatible with UV printing, these panels come in various unique specialty options, including Gold and Rose Gold panels.

Weaknesses of the Epson SureColor V7000:

Large Footprint: Requires a significant amount of space, with a recommended operating area of 17’ x 22’.
Textured Matte Ink Finish: The inks have a textured matte look that sits on the metallic surface, detracting from the high gloss look many desire.
High Initial Investment: The cost starts around $100k, making it a substantial investment.

If you have the space and budget for a UV flatbed like the Epson SureColor V7000, it’s a great way to offer metal prints. While it might not be our top choice for a dedicated metal printer, a single UV printer provides the flexibility to print on various high-value substrates like wood and acrylic, allowing you to offer a diverse range of wall art.

HP Latex Printing

Another print technology capable of beautiful metal prints is HP Latex. HP introduced their R Series Latex printers, capable of printing on rigid metal panels, in 2018. This is the newest form of metal printing on our list. HP’s portfolio includes the R1000, capable of printing on panels 64” wide, and the R2000, with a 98” print width capacity. Either model can print nearly unlimited print lengths, so you can create incredible panoramic metal prints if you can source a metal panel 20’ wide.

Strengths of HP Latex R Series:

High Gloss Finish: Latex print technology allows the gloss substrate to show through the inks, providing a higher gloss and more modern look than UV printing.
Seamless Single-Step Process: The heated curing process to set the inks is handled in-line, requiring no user intervention.
Affordable ACM Metal Panels: The same panels compatible with UV printing can be used, offering various colors and finishes at a lower cost than sublimation metal panels.

Weaknesses of HP Latex R Series:

Durability Issues: Metal panels printed with Latex inks are the least durable and most prone to scratching, which can be problematic during shipping.
Large Footprint: The R1000 requires a space of 20’ x 22’, while the R2000 needs 24’ x 29’.
High Cost: The R1000 starts at $165k, and the R2000 is nearly $230k, making it the most expensive option on our list.

The HP Latex R series is the most versatile printer we sell. It can print on both rolls of media and rigid boards, offering flexibility in providing a variety of high-end print services, including impressive metal prints.

Dye Sublimation Printing

The last metal printing technology we’ll discuss today is dye sublimation. Sublimation has a unique advantage: instead of using ink that sits on top of the metal, the dye sublimation process involves a liquid dye that turns into a gas and stains or dyes the surface coating of the metal. This provides two significant benefits: unmatched durability and a consistent mirror gloss shine.

Benefits of Dye Sublimation:

Durability: The ink can’t be scratched off since it stains the surface. The print is as durable as the metal itself.
High Gloss Finish: The ink doesn’t sit on the surface, providing a consistent mirror gloss shine across the entire print.
Scalable Solutions: Sublimation printers come in sizes and prices to fit every budget, from at-home startups to production photo labs.

Downsides of Dye Sublimation:

Multi-Step Process: Printing requires a transfer paper and a heat press, which adds complexity.
Additional Equipment Expense: Quality metal prints require a flat press, with prices ranging from under $3000 for small presses to over $20,000 for larger ones.
Costly Sublimation Metal Panels: Sublimation requires specially coated metal panels, with Chromaluxe being the leading high-end producer. These panels are more expensive, at around $10 per square foot.

For the highest quality metal prints, dye sublimation is the best option. For production facilities, the Epson SureColor F6470 44” printer paired with a 44”x64” MaxiPress offers a total package for under $30k. For smaller or home environments, the desktop 24” Epson SureColor F570 and a 20” x 25” air automated Geo Knight swing-away press provide an excellent start at $6,500.

Conclusion

Each metal printing technology has its pros and cons, and it’s crucial to choose the right printer that fits your needs and budget. The best way to compare all three print technologies is to spend a few hours with us in our Chicagoland demo center. We’ll print your files on these various technologies so you can see which one makes the most sense for you. To schedule that demo, please reach out to us at itsupplies.com – we’d love to hear from you!

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