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Océ Sees Green in the Future of Color Printing
15 Jul, 2010 By: Nancy Spurling JohnsonWide-format hardware developer believes opportunity lies in courting the masses of 2D CAD users.
With 3D-based buzzwords such as BIM, IPD, VDC, and sustainable design being bandied about these days, it's easy to forget that most CAD users in the AEC field remain firmly planted in 2D. But the reality is just that, and nowhere is this more true than at the construction end of the traditional AEC workflow.
Wide-format imaging hardware developer Océ is setting its sights squarely on this 2D user base. The company told a gathering of industry press and analysts in May that it believes one of its prime opportunities, at least for the foreseeable future, lies in converting the traditionally monochrome 2D crowd to color printing.
Moving to 3D modeling (where most design work is done in color) from 2D drawing (traditionally a monochrome environment) necessitates a move to color printing. You'd be smart to think this is great news for developers of wide-format color printers, scanners, and copiers — but you'd be wrong. That's because the move to 3D, and particularly BIM (building information modeling), brings about more digital data transfer and fewer paper hand-offs than do 2D design and construction. Factor in the reality that the move to 3D and BIM is not happening overnight, and a developer of color printing technology has a real challenge on its hands.
This is precisely where Océ found itself. Purchased this year by Canon and operating as an independent company, Océ was on solid ground but wondering where to find the opportunity amidst these market realities. So the company set about to develop a new business strategy.
AEC Market Trends
Océ acknowledges several trends in AEC that are affecting the printing market:
- Increased use of electronic document workflows.
- Increased adoption of BIM and IPD (integrated project delivery).
- Decentralization of printing. Most wide-format printing today takes place outside the architect's office, and more and more data is typically transferred digitally and printed at the point of use.
- Transition from black-and-white to color printing. This move is strong in Europe but not in the United States, where the AEC workflow remains largely black-and-white, according to Océ.
Sal Sheikh, marketing vice-president of the Océ Wide Format Printing Systems division, noted that the company remains committed to developing black-and-white printing technology. However, he added, "You'll see that in both technical documentation and display graphics, our efforts are heavily invested in color products."
That commitment is clear, but the path to success is not. Users perceive color printing to be expensive and difficult to use, so part of Océ's challenge will be "to facilitate behavior change" by educating potential customers about the true benefits that come with color printing, Sheikh said.
Color floor plans can highlight similar items such as doors, windows, or plumbing fixtures in thematic colors, making these items quicker and easier to identify and count than they are on traditional monochrome printouts. This seemingly simple change can lead to significant benefits, such as fewer change orders resulting from mistakes and oversights, and reduced operating costs resulting from RFIs and change order management.
BIM is generally accepted as a way to significantly reduce construction mistakes and change orders; however, it's also known that implementing BIM can entail a difficult transition for users and a significant amount of time and expense for their companies. Océ believes there is a happy medium here, one where contractors and project owners can reap many of the benefits of BIM through less-expensive technologies. The answer, Océ says, is color construction documents.
A promotional image from Océ illustrates the visual impact of color construction documents compared with traditional black-and-white.
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About the Author: Nancy Spurling Johnson
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