​​Is the HP DesignJet Z6 A1 / 24-inch printer a suitable choice for Architectural use?

“T” is for Technical, and “Z” is for Graphics

The HP DesignJet range is very broad and can be confusing but generally a “T” type unit such as the T950, T1600 or T2600 as an example signifies that users tend to be AEC or manufacturing-biased businesses. Simply put users are most likely to produce Construction or Manufacturing drawings & maybe the occasional render.

HP DesignJet Z printers however are normally aimed at Graphic Arts users, so Photography, Art and Desktop publishing. For us though and our customer base, the Z6 fits really well into CAD / BIM environments as a great all-round wide-format printer.
 

Why do we think the Z6 is a good AEC choice?

Here are some key points that we will explore individually in more depth

We appreciate the wide colour gamut provided by its six-colour ink set, making the Z6 an excellent choice for presentation work. Additionally, with both Matte Black and Photo Black, it delivers exceptional results for line work as well.

Media – you have a greater choice of media as it can take both 2” and 3” core products. From standard papers to self-adhesive films and Fine Art material – fancy watercolouring over a print, no problem!

Tech Stuff – One of the few A1 printers on the market with a true ADOBE Postcript Print Engine – great for submitting lots of PDFs quickly with greater processing power, this, combined with more memory than alternatives makes the Z6 a powerful onsite printer that the IT manager will find easy to deploy.
 

A little deeper…..  

Ink – In addition to the great colour depth and excellent quality inks which are surprisingly economical, with 300-ml cartridges as standard they’re £ for £ cheaper than many alternatives. Print heads are well-priced as well, and as they’re not colour-specific you can have one on the shelf ready to go for any ink channel.

The key feature of this ink is that it’s pigment-based rather than dye-based. If you have an older DesignJet model, it likely uses dye ink. Pigment ink offers enhanced light fastness and water resistance for up to six months (depending on the media), making it ideal for displays and site signage. Plus, if your logo includes red, the Chromatic Red ink ensures accurate colour representation.

Media – The HP Z6 is not limited to paper.  It can handle many substrates, giving you more choices with your output; however, let’s start with paper. Users can utilise standard bond, uncoated or matte coated in the typical weights associated with CAD drawings from lightweight 75gsm right the way up to 230gsm (NB Max weight is 500gsm). For day-to-day, 90gsm is the most popular and as the Z can take either 2” or 3” cored media, it means you can use longer rolls of up to 91 meters saving money and time between changes.

If you require more media, then we have hundreds in both rolls and sheets, with sheets you can go up to 500gsm or 0.8mm via the rear sheet feed, so if you need a standout presentation product then the Plot it team will have it. We have short-term use low tack textile wallpaper that uses static to apply to most surfaces, films for pop-up or backlit displays, Gloss, Satin & Silks for Photography, Artwork and Renders as well as Tracing Paper and drafting films.
 

Technical Bits that are central to the HP DesignJet Z6

The addition of ADOBE Postscript 3 makes handling PDFs easier, in fact, you can batch print multiple PDFs and the DesignJet Z6 features Raster & Postscript drivers for Windows and macOS.

If you’re handling big Architectural renders or large product images then the Z6 is packed with memory with 128GB virtual memory and a 500GB self-encrypting HDD ensuring swift processing of files.

Connectivity is easy with print from Flash Drive, Network, USB and the Z6 even features Apple Airplay
 

What are alternative HP DesignJet models?

HP T830 A1 – A true technical printer offering Print, Copy and Scan

HP T1600 / T2600 with top stacking and grey ink, is hugely productive and offers great quality output.