Advice on long-term strategy for business currently using Canon Pixma Pro 100s

Joined
Sep 23, 2017
Messages
43
Hello all,

I currently run a small business in my spare time making custom Lego stickers and have x2 Canon Pixma Pro 100s printers. Because Lego bricks are specific colours I have had a company create custom ICC profiles that for my combination of (refill) inks, vinyl sticker material and printer, the colours I print exactly match the colour I need for the Lego bricks. The feature is pretty much vital to my business as my customers expect the colours to match.

I currently have two 100s printers that are working fine, plus x2 spare print heads (intending to buy some more soon just in case!). I also understand that the Pro 200s also uses the same printhead as the 100s so *in theory* the printheads should be around for a while yet. But at *some* point the printers I have will break and there won't be any workable ones left to buy, or the printheads won't be available, or some other reason why I can't use these printers any more.

I want to get ahead of the game before that happens and ask people's advice as to what I should do. The main issue for me is the quality of the print (excellent with the Pro100s) and the specific colours. I have literally thousands of files of artwork so I can't realistically go through them all and change the digital artwork to match a new printer with a different print profile, what I need to be able to do is when I HAVE to get a new printer, to be able to adapt it so it prints the exact same colour profile that my current 100s setup does.

I need advice on the best way to do this and is it even possible? Since I had custom ICC profiles created already for my current set-up, I would assume there is the expertise out there that could create a profile that would replicate the current colour output with my current setup.

Any new printed would need to have good refill inks available. Currently I'm using a set I get from OctoInkjet in the UK (comparible to the Precision Colors ones from the US. I don't know if a good refill set is even available for the Pro 200 yet or if one will become available anytime soon).

Also would it be worth just stocking up on the current 100s printheads just in case? I do not know how long they last for if unopened up I would expect realistically many years? Price is an issue at the moment - the only reliable supplier I can find in the UK that sells genuine Canon ones is charging £180 per printhead now!). Given they are also used for the 200s I would think they will keep producing them but it won't be forever (anyone got a lead on when production is likely to stop?)

Anyway, my main concern in about how I would maintain the quality of printing I get from the 100s and how I would replicate the existing colour profile / output without having to redraw all the artwork. :)

Ps - I initially put this thread in the wrong forum section (Canon) but I think it's better here. Can an admin delete the original post as I don't think I can? Thanks
 
Joined
Feb 3, 2024
Messages
273
I see that you're in the UK. I would in all seriousness check places like craigslist or offerup for used but working pro-100s. I would highly suggest to lookup basic maintenance for your pro-100 printheads as well if you haven't already. It's the easiest printhead in the world to service. Also make sure you're choosing the best ink that you can for the price, either Cone Colors or Precision Colors with a CISS kit to save even more money on stickers. You can stock up on backup printers and/or printheads by finding gently used.
 

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