The local office of Japanese tech giant Epson has announced its new series of Workforce Enterprise AM series consisting of the AM-C4000, C5000, and C6000 A3 Color Multifunction Printers.
The new range of business inkjet printers aims to provide an equally efficient and affordable alternative to laser printers by incorporating innovative solutions and compact design into the lineup, the company disclosed.
The current A3 color printer market is dominated by business printers producing 30-50 pages per minute. Epson’s existing A3 color printers consist of the Workforce Pro Replaceable Ink Pack System (RIPS) Printer, which prints at 26 pages per minute, and the Line Inkjet (LIJ) Printer which prints at 60 to 100 pages per minute.
Introducing the new WorkForce Enterprise AM series allows Epson to address the current gap in the market in the 30 to 60ppm range, while offering consumers an alternative to laser printing options. The availability of newer speed ranges is especially beneficial for corporate offices, as they typically require mid-speed printers for the printing of general office documents.
The AM-C6000 is a replacement for the current WF-C20600 LIJ printer. The AM-C6000 features a faster A4 2-sided scan speed, increasing from 110ipm to 120ipm.
The AM-C6000 is significantly more compact than its predecessor, with its weight reduced from 177.1kg to 99.4kg, allowing it to be installed in most office space. The panel is upgraded to a capacitive 10.1’’ touch panel, while the TEC value will be decreased from 0.41kWh to 0.25 kWh.
The WorkForce Enterprise AM series touts new solutions designed by Epson to create a better experience for customers.
Without the need for additional software, users can now create searchable PDFs right from the device. This is an especially useful function for users scanning documents directly to shared folders or email recipients.
The new OCR option enables users to search for words or characters to conveniently search for a document in a folder. This reduces the hassle for users as they do not have to perform a manual search through folders to find the file they are looking for. It also allows a user to easily capture data from a document by copy and paste function.
The Erase Red Color function allows users to restore black and white documents to their original condition by removing red-colored markings or notes. This function is apt for usage within schools, where it is common for teachers and students to utilize red ink to mark worksheets or make notes.
The Erase Red Color function allows users to scan the original marked copy, and digitally removes any red markings to produce a clean document, eliminating the need to manually prepare a separate document.
Epson’s specially curated print management solution provides secure print and automatic document distribution by authentication function, preventing leakage of confidential information. Users authenticate on the device by ID card or PIN to use permissible features or releasing their own print jobs.
Epson Print Admin* (EPA) also allows the IT admin to set quotas and rules to manage their printing cost. Customizable reports can be generated for cost management and security auditing.
The WorkForce Enterprise AM series comes equipped with 2 new finishers, an inner finisher that is installed directly in the main unit, and a staple finisher with no external bridge unit. A saddle unit can be attached to the staple finisher for folding and booklet-making. Both finishers can support hole-punching with an optional upgrade.
The printers are designed with a “softer” shape, replacing hard corners with smoother, curved-in edges. The capacitive 10.1’’ touch panel is bigger than previous editions, and now with the capability to be tilted for increased maneuverability. The new Graphic User Interface (GUI) allows easy identification of functions and the option to customize the layout of their touch panel.
Optional hardware such as additional paper trays, inner tray, paper cassette lock, authentication device table and Wi-Fi are available for expansion and scalability based on the usage requirement.
The new printers have fewer replacement parts to maintain, and this results in reduced intervention required throughout the lifespan of the product.
With less consumables required to function, the printers generate less overall waste. The simplified GUI, coupled with remote monitoring via Epson Remote Services (ERS), provides a convenient, hassle-free printing experience.
The New WorkForce Enterprise AM series are powered by Epson’s Heat-Free Technology, which completely removes heat from the ink ejection process, resulting in the printers consuming less power compared to laser printers in the market.
The printers include a power consumption monitoring tool located at the bottom of the home screen, and a green leaf icon to highlight paper saving when printing or copying in duplex.
“We are confident that our new WorkForce Enterprise AM series will be a strong and affordable alternative to laser copiers. Incorporating innovative solutions with a strong focus on eco-friendliness, Epson WorkForce Enterprise AM series printers are designed to be a staple of the sustainable office of the future,” Eduardo Bonoan, head of marketing division at Epson Philippines, said.
The rollout of WorkForce Enterprise AM series also coincides with Epson reaffirming its commitment to Heat-Free Technology and to developing sustainable technologies, backed up by a previously announced ¥100 billion (or P42 billion) investment over ten years until 2030.
Furthermore, the company has announced the end the sale and distribution of laser printer hardware in Southeast Asia markets by end of 2023. Epson cites that inkjet’s potential to make meaningful strides in sustainability was a key consideration in these decisions. Epson will continue to support customers by supplying consumables and repair parts after it ceases sales of laser printer hardware.
“Epson’s sustainable inkjet technology has long been at the forefront of our printing and innovation solutions. Consuming less energy and consisting of fewer consumable parts, inkjet printers provide a more sustainable answer to printing solutions as compared to laser printers. Epson is dedicated to leveraging its propriety technology to deliver efficient, sustainable print solutions for our partners and end users, and committing to inkjet printers is the bold first step taken in this direction,” Bonoan said.