What colour printer for use in a school?

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Paul
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I've just started as the IT Manager in a school. One of the problems I have seen in my first week is the colour printer in the art department. The photography and art students are using an OfficeJet 7000. This is not up to the job as it is in constant use and the ink cartridges are needing replacing on a daily basis.

Can anyone recommend a suitable replacement that will cope with constant use, various media types, and produce a high quality finish. The only other criteria would be that it doesn't cost the earth to buy and the running costs are reasonable.

Thanks in advance for any help\suggestions! :thumbs:
 
explore the xerox 8600 type printer - they are a thermal wax machine - and you can buy on a "page plus" deal - where they will charge a fixed fee per page regardless of the amount of wax used in each print....

Depending on the quantities done you might find a bigger machine - I use a xerox 7600 which do the same deal but a much lower price - 10p per A3 regardless of ink coverage...
 
Rather than replacing the entire printer have you considered having it modified for a continuous ink system. A quick search showed up this:-

http://www.continuous-ink-system.co.uk/continuous-ink-flow-systems/hp/7000/officejet-series/dye-ink

While I haven't done the figures I'm of the understanding that this should reduce the cost per print quite dramatically.

Just an idea, and I stress that the link above just showed up high in google, and that there may be better and more cost effective solutions available.
 
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Some info would help:

How big do the students need to print?
What budget?
Do they print on exotic media, or does it just need to handle paper?
 
Is that not the sort of knowledge you'd expect an IT manager to have?
 
awp said:
Is that not the sort of knowledge you'd expect an IT manager to have?
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Not really. If the OP has come from a business orientated background then I wouldn't expect him to know the ins and outs of an art departments needs. Also the art department is probably the only area where things differ from "normal IT". The rest of the school is probably running the usual office gear.

In short IT for repro is a specialist area, and I certainly wouldn't expect an IT expert to know about this, unless repro is their primary job.
 
It IS his job - why did he get the job without the knowledge?!
 
Probably because he has other qualities needed in the role. IT isn't just IT it covers a whole gamut of equipment.

I must admit it would be usefull maybe to have a meeting with the heads of the art department and get an idea of whats needed in that strange role.

Andrew
why did he get the job without the knowledge?!
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Not everyone who's in IT knows about School or College systems. I wouldn't turn someone away just because they didn't fully understand the IT structure in a school, you'd probably not employ anyone if you did.

I've been in IT since way before it was called that and I wouldn't have an idea.

I would have to ask around and get different opinions to allow me to make a balanced judgement.
 
oK - Just seems strange to me - I need to know what I'm doing to get the next job. :shrug:
 
awp said:
It IS his job - why did he get the job without the knowledge?!
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Really useful comment. Thanks very much!

For the record not that I should have to justify myself. I am responsible for everything from servers, routers, firewalls, proxy's, the schools website, the VLE, VPN's as well as overseeing the day to day running of the department.

I came from a law firm which required little or no colour printing hence my expertise is with b&w laser printers which I am a fully trained engineer. This is part of my research into looking for a better solution for something that I have seen that is not cost effective nor does it give good quality results. Once I have done my research and found a solution I will make sure I will know the printer purchased inside and out.

I'm sure awp you've been an expert and known absolutely everything each time you have started a new job?
 
I haven't started a new job in 40 years! :) I'm a freelance.
I still wonder why you got the job without the knowledge though.
 
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ChrisH said:
Probably because he has other qualities needed in the role. IT isn't just IT it covers a whole gamut of equipment.

I must admit it would be usefull maybe to have a meeting with the heads of the art department and get an idea of whats needed in that strange role.

Andrew

Not everyone who's in IT knows about School or College systems. I wouldn't turn someone away just because they didn't fully understand the IT structure in a school, you'd probably not employ anyone if you did.

I've been in IT since way before it was called that and I wouldn't have an idea.

I would have to ask around and get different opinions to allow me to make a balanced judgement.
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Thanks Chris. I'm just doing a bit of research before I talk to the art department about getting them a new printer. Thought it be best that I go in clued up as from talking to them so far they haven't got a clue what they want, they just moan about the poor quality and the amount of ink they get through.
 
awp said:
I haven't started a new job in 40 years! :) I'm a freelance.
I still wonder why you got the job without the knowledge though.
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The colour printer is 1 printer out of over 100 and is only a minor part of my job of which you seem to have no idea about what it involves!
 
Paul, it may be worth trying to get hold of your counterpart at the Central University of Lancaster at Preston.

I worked in their IT department for 6 months and they ran a huge printing centre.

If I remember correctly they used Colour lasers, I must say though that they are not realy up to art printing.

Maybe also have a word with companies like Epson and Canon, even if it's only to see what they suggest.

As for teachers they are probably in the most ( Not all ) oblivious to the costs involved in running colour printers.
 
Andrew not trying to have a go mate but Paul said he was " IT Manager " not IT expert.

Just purley out of interest what do you freelance in ?
 
I think they should have the knowledge to do the job - as anyone should have - and if I didn't have I wouldn't go asking on a public forum.
 
snappingsam said:
explore the xerox 8600 type printer - they are a thermal wax machine - and you can buy on a "page plus" deal - where they will charge a fixed fee per page regardless of the amount of wax used in each print....

Depending on the quantities done you might find a bigger machine - I use a xerox 7600 which do the same deal but a much lower price - 10p per A3 regardless of ink coverage...
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Thanks Dave. I will look at this.
 
ChrisH said:
Andrew not trying to have a go mate but Paul said he was " IT Manager " not IT expert.

Just purley out of interest what do you freelance in ?
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check my signature!
 
No probs Andrew

I just wonder where you would go to ask questions on something your not expert on ?

Library, an Expert ?

One thing you should be aware of and again Please believe me I'm not having a go is that School IT is a thing unto itself. There is nowhere to go to find information. You learn by asking and word of mouth.

I am no Expert on IT servicing but have been an IT service engineer for over 20 years. I've never known everything about jobs I've gone after. The worst was IT engineer at British Aerospace, that was the most unusual role I've ever had as an engineer. I was like a fish out of water when I started.
 
awp said:
I haven't started a new job in 40 years! :) I'm a freelance.
I still wonder why you got the job without the knowledge though.
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Have you not learnt anything in the last 40 years "on the job"
 
I'm also an IT Network Manager at a school and I can tell you that IT in a school is nothing like you've seen in industry.

generally (not always) in industry you specialise in a specific area of IT. In a school you have to know it ALL. One day you can be rebuilding the whole domain from scratch to the next where you are installing projectors & whiteboards etc . .

Plus, with the the advancements in technology there is no way you are always going to know everything about every product on the market and which one will suit your art department the best.

As has been already mentioned, speak to the likes of Epson, HP etc and look at some of their products and see if it meets the requirements of the art department. Look at the TCO rather than just the initial cost of the printer.

Also, if your not already, join edugeek.net
 
awp said:
check my signature!
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Thought you were off :wave:

Your on your own here boy, everyone else understands the nature of IT here so perhaps you shouldn't be posting on a thread when you have no knowledge on the topic. :razz:
 
AWP new breed said:
Thought you were off :wave:

Your on your own here boy, everyone else understands the nature of IT here so perhaps you shouldn't be posting on a thread when you have no knowledge on the topic. :razz:
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look, hiding behind a proxy server is both cowardly and pathetic. man up and speak for yourself.
 
Andrew can we please try and remember to be nice to all members?
 
How about installing a colour photocopier?

I run a reprographics department in a high school and have a 35page a min colour machine, leased from Ricoh that is only costing us (including the paper, and rental) 9p per colour a3 sheet regardless of how much toner is on the page.

This was installed as previously all the colour printing was done on a hp inkjet which was slow to use and the running costs were high.

You will be surprised by the photographic quality a photocopier can produce these days and depending on the machine you can even use glossy paper to give an extra wow factor.
 
matty said:
Andrew can we please try and remember to be nice to all members?
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Of course - can you remove the idiot post above please - which is NOT posted by me. thanks.
 
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jamin100 said:
I'm also an IT Network Manager at a school and I can tell you that IT in a school is nothing like you've seen in industry.

generally (not always) in industry you specialise in a specific area of IT. In a school you have to know it ALL. One day you can be rebuilding the whole domain from scratch to the next where you are installing projectors & whiteboards etc . .

Plus, with the the advancements in technology there is no way you are always going to know everything about every product on the market and which one will suit your art department the best.

As has been already mentioned, speak to the likes of Epson, HP etc and look at some of their products and see if it meets the requirements of the art department. Look at the TCO rather than just the initial cost of the printer.

Also, if your not already, join edugeek.net
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:plusone: for joining Edugeek. (I also work in a school)

In addition, you may find it useful to chat to the Head of Department about having one printer for producing the final pieces of work where quality is important & another solution (eg a low cost colour laser such as the Kyocera FS-C5150DN) for the students to print out their draft/unfinished work.
A CIS option might also be worth looking at.
 
matty said:
look, hiding behind a proxy server is both cowardly and pathetic. man up and speak for yourself.
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I thought the comment was relevant, he seems to think the poster has no knowledge of his job when he obviously has no knowledge of the environment we work in, otherwise he wouldn't have posted. So the comments he left were more relevant to him rather than the poster. Someone just needed to say it as he was just looking to stir something up from what I can see.

Anyway I'm behind a proxy because I also work at a school and have no choice but to be behind a proxy. Hence I understand the environment and therefore feel I can comment on this thread.
 
This is clearly a duplicate account which is not allowed. I assume the person doing this will be dealt with.

I asked a perfectly acceptable question - I wasn't looking to 'stir up' anything. Unlike the poster above.
 
awp said:
Of course - can you remove the idiot post above please - which is NOT posted by me. thanks.
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Andrew - it was your previous comments that were the problem - or are we to assume that after all those years as a freelancer you know everything there is to know about this photography lark and can't learn anything new? Are we to assume you are never going to look at new kit with new features and learn about them to see if they will be of benefit to you?

As to the proxy person - reason is valid, but a dupe account is not, so perhaps you might like to contact us in reference to the possibilty of that.
 
Yv said:
Andrew - it was your previous comments that were the problem - or are we to assume that after all those years as a freelancer you know everything there is to know about this photography lark and can't learn anything new? Are we to assume you are never going to look at new kit with new features and learn about them to see if they will be of benefit to you?

As to the proxy person - reason is valid, but a dupe account is not, so perhaps you might like to contact us in reference to the possibilty of that.
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Just to clear this up, this is not a duplicate account, I am just a passer by who was looking for printer information myself. I seen awp being 'awkward' and not helping the cause so thought I would speak up (maybe stir if I'm honest). My apologies to the admins for causing issues and anyone else but not to awp. The account will be deleted.

I work in a school in Wiltshire using the South West Grids For Learning proxy service provided by RM and most of the schools in south west of England will be using the same service and therefore could be on the same proxy if they are from a school in that area. I DO NOT know the poster if that is the account you think is 'duplicated' but I have contacted him as I have some good info for him as I had the same issue at the school I work at.
 
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I run a reprographics department in a high school and have a 35page a min colour machine, leased from Ricoh that is only costing us (including the paper, and rental) 9p per colour a3 sheet regardless of how much toner is on the page.
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This is basically the same as the advice I gave about the xerox - the great advantage is the low cost of this printer - and the fixed cost of output.

If theres loads of work the lease of a colour copier is perfect - there is normally a minimum number of outputs per month or per year that can limit how good these deals are...
 
Thanks for all the advise. I've had a good look at the options available and now have a clear idea of what I want to do.

Also thanks for the edugeek tip wasn't aware of this site but have had a good look and am sure it will be a useful resource in the future.
 
awp said:
Is that not the sort of knowledge you'd expect an IT manager to have?
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No, it absolutely is not the sort of knowedge you would expect an IT manager to have. You would expect them to be able to research and find out, which is what the OP is doing, but anyone hiring would be far more interested in their ability to deal with networks and software than specifying a printer.

You might call me an IT manager, amongst the other hats that I wear. You clearly have no understanding of what working in IT entails, else you wouldn't have made such an ill-informed comment :(.
 
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