Case Study

Every construction project starts with printing

How to choose a complete printing system for a project? Modern engineering plotter ColorWave 3000 series at Lafrentz Poland.
  • Objective

    An audit identified the need for print automation within the company and with it, the need to ensure that a variety of engineering documentation could be printed quickly.

  • Challenges

    Large and many print jobs that the company has to deal with almost on a daily basis. A variety of documentation for many types of construction and engineering works. Lafrentz Polska deals with the design of infrastructure in the broad sense of the word, as well as with the construction of residential and commercial buildings.

  • Solution

    As of fall 2019, Lafrentz is using the state-of-the-art ColorWave 3000 series plotter along with the intuitive Publisher Select software.

  • Benefits

    Reduce project preparation time from several days to a few hours.

    • Ability to automatically print up to several hundred files by multiple users simultaneously.
    • No more trial and error: Publisher Select warns you before you print if your plotter settings are wrong.
    • Instant dry prints and easy identification of individual file sets.
    • Full service in Polish language, two-way communication between the sender and the device.
    • Security for working in a networked environment.
    • Minimal involvement of designers in the print handling process.
    • High uptime and availability of the plotter, certainty of service and availability of consumables.

There are situations when the entire project documentation takes up the size of a delivery truck.

Michał Schmidt, Lafrentz Polska

Minimise printing time

Over the past several years, the role of the designer has changed significantly. In the past, the main task was to outline the project with a pencil on tracing paper. Today the work of the design office is supported by digital devices. Thus, the designer himself is able to create and print all the necessary engineering documentation. However, this does not mean that all obstacles and difficulties have disappeared from his work. In addition to drawing, modern designers are also involved in obtaining all necessary decisions, permits and agreements.

And this means that the number of documents needed to implement the project has increased significantly. - There are situations when the entire project documentation takes up the size of a delivery truck - says Michał Schmidt.

The key to success is therefore minimizing time spent on printing and preparation of technical documentation. This is where modern technology comes in handy. How to do it efficiently is proved by the history of cooperation between Lafrentz Polska - one of Polish leaders of construction and engineering industries - and Canon.

Minimise printing time

The perfect plotter

In Lafrentz Poznan designers have been supported by Canon plotters for years to simplify and accelerate work. Printing is not an aim in itself for design office, but only one of the means to achieve the goal. Therefore, ideal plotter for designer should be, above all, fast and intuitive. It is no coincidence that Lafrentz opted for the ColorWave 3000 series. It is a modern four-roll system for printing technical documentation, enabling efficient printing of many files at the same time. The proven CrystalPoint technology makes it possible to preserve details, so important in every technical documentation, and the print are immediately dry. This prevents accidental smudging and enables trouble-free and fast job submission.

In addition, ColorWave, Canon's flagship series of engineering color plotters, is renowned for its intuitiveness and security. The state-of-the-art SMARTshield security suite allows files to be transferred securely to the device and ensures proper storage, protecting important documents from theft or accidental leakage. State-of-the-art security systems also provide the ability to place certain restrictions on access to confidential files, as well as eliminate the risk of unauthorized access.

The perfect plotter

Full control over printing

For a plotter to be an effective answer to the everyday project challenges, you also need to automate the printing process. In the case of the ColorWave series, the intelligent Publisher Select software oversees the entire workflow. It allows you to load files in no time. You can print up to several hundred PDFs without opening and preparing them first. The plotter automatically opens the files, fits the roll to the format of the documentation and then ensures a high-quality print finish. Publisher Select also gives the possibility to preview documentation before printing. The designer has full control over what form and material the files will be printed on. It also allows you to create a library of templates that you can use to create your own. So you can create separate print templates for specific types of documentation.

With all these features, the Publisher Select-enabled plotter was a perfect fit for Lafrentz Poland. - Printing efficiency is not just about being able to print a certain number of square metres per hour. It's also about easy file preparation, minimizing waste, having full control over the entire printing process and being able to easily identify individual printouts. And all this is exactly what Publisher Select provides," says Rafał Osiekowicz, Marketing Manager at Canon Production Printing.

Full control over printing

Ready for any challenge

LafProject, the Lafrentz department responsible for engineering projects, works with the plotter on a daily basis. However, sometimes the device is also used by other departments, such as those dealing with development services. Versatility is another feature Lafrentz designers looked for when selecting a new plotter.

Today, Lafrentz designers emphasize that with the ColorWave, they are prepared for any design challenge. Whether the route of a new motorway, the plan of a skyscraper, or the concept for an apartment renovation - they all know what to expect. - We strongly recommend cooperation with Canon to design studios and all institutions which need fast and high-quality printouts," sums up Michał Schmidt of Lafrentz Polska.

Explore further

  • CAD/GIS in-house printing

    Improve the way you print CAD and GIS drawings and share them with Canon's advanced CAD and GIS printing tools.

  • SMARTshield

    A suite of security features embedded in the total print workflow of the latest PlotWave and ColorWave systems. Designed to keep your systems safe: today and in the future.

  • ColorWave 3000 series

    Flexible large format colour printers that inspire confidence with its highly secure, convenient operation and reliable high-quality output.

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