Canon launches the imagePROGRAF TC-20 compact desktop printer

This printer is targeted towards the ultra-low volume market, which includes Architecture, Engineering and Construction (AEC) offices, educational settings and the hospitality industry – delivering high quality, detailed drawings from A4 to A1+ paper sizes.

Its easy-to-use design, new 70ml four colour (BK/C/M/Y) pigment ink bottles, that simplify maintenance of the printer, and its slim compact body with standard built-in Auto Sheet Feeder (ASF), make it ideal for small or temporary office spaces as well as for hybrid workers who may be working from home.

The imagePROGRAF TC-20 is a compact desktop large format printer that can be conveniently placed on a desk or shelf in an office or at home. It supports printing 100 A4 sheets or 50 A3 sheets of plain paper continuously, or roll paper of up to A1+ sizes for printing of construction, design, survey drawings and point of sale materials.

It comes with a simple, free software solution, Direct Print Plus, that ensures superior print quality on par with the higher end models in the imagePROGRAF series and is also compatible with other imagePROGRAF models.

Jennifer Kolloczek, European Planning, Marketing & Innovation Senior Director, Production Print at Canon Europe comments: “Ways of working have rapidly changed in the last few years, as many have adopted a hybrid style of working – with people splitting their time between the office and their homes. Diversification of places and ways of working has led to the spread of distributed operations in multiple workplaces and as a result, there is a growing need for entry level large format printers – especially when transitioning between central, remote and home offices.”

“With its compact design, the new imagePROGRAF TC-20 is the ideal choice for modern working as it can easily fit in small spaces, without compromising on print quality. It also comes with job submission software which is compatible with other imagePROGRAF models and supports hybrid working, making printing easy when transitioning between the office and home. Its convenient design provides easy user maintenance, and it can deliver detailed drawings for AEC, educational and hospitality industries – helping businesses become future-proofed with agile and responsive solutions.”

Large format printing in small spaces

The design allows for all print-related operations, such as loading paper and ink refilling, to be easily accessed at the front. For users unfamiliar with large format printers, the roll of paper is designed to be simple to install, especially in small spaces. Users can simply insert and lock the roll holders on two sides.

Using the free ‘PosterArtist’ web application, users can create posters and flyers with ease. This is ideal for hospitality settings such as restaurants and retail stores where they might produce posters and menus and are often very short on space.

‘PosterArtist’ offers a large variety of templates that enable users to create materials to suit their needs, with changeable text and images, making it easy for people unfamiliar with design to create original designs.

Outstanding output for A1+ to A4 paper sizes

Like the higher-end models in the imagePROGRAF series, it comes with free software, Direct Print Plus, which allows users to check the layout of multiple files in different file formats, such as PDF, JPEG and TIFF.

Providing previews on screen, designs can be printed directly without launching each dedicated application. By selecting the paper source within Direct Print Plus or an alternative printer driver, users can switch between roll paper and cut sheets and easily print output in a variety of sizes including A4, A3 and A1+. The standard built-in Auto Sheet Feeder (ASF) can also continuously print A3 or A4 size paper.

All four inks are colour pigment inks, used to achieve superior quality and vivid colours, with the ability to output high-definition drawings at home or other remote locations with the same ease of use as when at the office.

By using only pigment inks, thin lines and small characters in drawings can be clearly reproduced, achieving high-quality characters and lines. When viewing printed drawings outdoors, the use of pigment inks also makes print outs more robust.

Monitor consumables with smartphone

The imagePROGRAF TC-20 is equipped with a large ink tank that enables continuous printing and uses 70ml ink bottles for all four colours (BK/C/M/Y) to reduce the frequency and effort of refilling ink. Using the Canon Print Inkjet/SELPHY app, users can check the remaining amount of roll paper and ink on a smartphone, enabling quick responses to any required paper change or ink refill, as well as the ability to update firmware to keep the printer up to date.

The ink bottles have been designed to prevent errors when refilling the ink thanks to a different shaped bottle for each colour and the relevant colour being displayed at the inlet of each bottle. In addition, the ink bottles have been designed for easy installation – simply inserting them into the tank inlet will start injecting the ink, and when a certain level is reached, the injection will automatically stop. There is also a mechanism that helps prevent ink spills, allowing users to refill ink without any mishaps.

By using the ‘PIXMA Cloud Link’ feature from this app, printing documents filed or stored in the cloud is also possible. For example, a drawing created at a design office and stored in the cloud can be printed from a smartphone at a temporary construction site and shared with field personnel.

Designed with sustainability in mind

The imagePROGRAF TC-20 helps contribute to sustainability goals by offering lower power consumption – 28W or less when in operation. It also includes reduced packaging materials as well as easy-to-recycle ink bottles. Due to its environmental benefits, including the fact that it uses recycled plastic within its design, the imagePROGRAF TC-20 has also been rated as a ‘Gold’ product, the highest level of registration in the field of imaging equipment products, under the U.S. EPEAT environmental assessment system.