Poster printing

The best poster printer depends on the material, required width, production volume, finishing time and whether the posters will be displayed indoors or outdoors.

Eco-solvent printers suit durable flexible graphics, while UV-LED printers cure ink immediately and allow fast delivery. For high-volume paper, photo-paper, blue-back and city-light production, a dedicated water-based pigment printer may be more efficient.

Businesses producing posters alongside banners, stickers and other sign graphics may benefit from a versatile wide-format printer like eco-solvent and UV. For high-volume poster production, a water-based pigment ink printer will be the best solution, since print speed, roll capacity, colour consistency are essential for these companies.

A desktop printer can produce smaller posters or print a large design across several sheets, but this creates extra joining and finishing work. Professional poster production normally uses a wide-format inkjet printer so the design can be printed at the required size in one piece.

A dedicated poster printer also provides better control over roll media, colour profiles, repeat jobs and longer production runs. The term poster printer generally refers to a wide-format printer configured for suitable poster materials and inks.

Common poster materials include poster paper, photo paper, coated paper, blueback paper, city-light media, vinyl, backlit film and more. The right material depends on where the poster will be displayed, the required finish, viewing distance, how long it needs to last and if the poster is going to be used indoor or outdoor.

Not every material works with every ink or printer. Make sure your printer supports the media. Then use the correct colour profile and test any new material before production.

The largest one-piece poster size mainly depends on the printer’s maximum printable width. Roll-fed poster printers can produce custom lengths beyond standard sheet sizes, although the practical length also depends on the media roll, take-up system, file setup and finishing process.

If a design is wider than the printer’s printable width, it must be divided into panels or produced on a wider machine.

Poster lifespan depends on the ink, media, exposure, installation and protective finishing. As a practical guide, temporary outdoor paper posters are usually intended for campaigns lasting weeks or months, while vinyl or film printed with suitable outdoor inks can remain in use for several years. Indoor posters generally last longer when kept dry and away from direct sunlight.

For an accurate estimate, check the durability rating of the exact printer, ink, media and laminate combination. Mimaki positions, AP50 ink on paper output for indoor and short-term outdoor advertising. For longer outdoor durability, eco-solvent or UV systems can be used for multi-year weather-resistancy with or without lamination.