By Melissa Donovan
A printer purchase, whether narrow format, wide format, roll-based, dedicated flatbed, or a hybrid, is a big commitment. Protecting your investment right away with a manufacturer warranty is a safeguard for all the “just in case” scenarios that might pop up along the way.
Traditional warranty agreements are one year or 12 months. There are also options to extend those warranties to two or even three years.
Warranties are available for most printers, but for the purposes of this article we focus on wide format—over 24 inches—roll-to-roll printers.
Above, Left to Right: Epson offers a one year factory “in box” limited warranty for most of its wide format roll-to-roll printers. swissQprint’s standard 36 month warranty, like on the Karibu, includes full coverage.
Common Period
It’s largely agreed upon that a typical roll-to-roll printer warranty is one year.
“This duration is standard because it aligns with the expected lifespan of critical printer components under normal usage. Manufacturers choose this time frame to provide users with sufficient coverage during the initial learning curve and heavy usage period. Standard warranties usually include parts and labor for repairs due to manufacturing defects, as well as technical support for troubleshooting and operation guidance,” states Sohil Singh, VP of business development, StratoJet USA.
This reason is partly because during the first year of service “any manufacturing issues will become apparent,” explains Josh Hope, director, marketing, Mimaki USA, Inc.
Adam Tourville, channel manager, Fluid Color, believes a 12 month “timeframe is common because it balances manufacturers’ limited liability with the expectation that printers—even with minimal maintenance—will perform reliably for at least a year.”
“12 to even 24 months offers the customer an incentive to make the investment on a new piece of hardware. The original warranty usually covers parts and labor,” says Miguel Gonzalez, director of sales, Mutoh America Inc.
Alan Chen, senior service product manager, Service Product Management, Epson America, Inc., notes that every major printer manufacturer handles warranties and extended service plans differently, so it’s critical to understand what is covered. “For example, while many manufacturers consider the printhead a non-maintenance part, and therefore exclude it from the limited warranty or extended service plan coverage, Epson has a ‘bumper-to-bumper’ mentality for limited warranties, so our non-maintenance parts, including the printhead, are covered.”
While 12 months is standard and during that period any manufacturing defects may be covered, it would presumably include “certain exclusions for operator error or other print service provider (PSP)-based fault,” shares Erik Norman, president, swissQprint America.
Beyond the Traditional
Extended warranties or service plans that go beyond one year are increasingly offered to PSPs.
Financially speaking, Tourville says extended warranties improve budget predictability. “This helps businesses avoid costly downtime and unplanned expenses. For equipment requiring high performance and reliability, these warranties often serve as a safeguard to maximize the printer’s value and operational lifespan.”
“Extended warranties, often referred to as service maintenance agreements (SMA) provide additional coverage that extends beyond the one year warranty period. Warranties and SMAs provide the highest level of after sales support to maximize the customer’s return on investment,” notes Deborah Hutcheson, director of strategic business development and distribution, digital print, Agfa.
An extended warranty provides comfort. “Customers want to get the most out of their printers, so keeping the printer running smoothly is not only critical to a business’ success, but it also helps ensure the printer will stand the test of time,” explains Chen.
Epson offers the Epson Preferred Plus extended service plan, which provides up to a total of five years of continuous coverage. The plan offers the same level of service as Epson’s standard limited warranty—just for longer.
“Extended service agreements provide peace of mind for PSPs that—if something goes sideways—the necessary support is available in a timely manner,” notes Hope.
He points out that not all extended service agreements cover all components of a printer—coverage varies by manufacturer and model. “The most widely covered item under an extended service agreement is the printhead—arguably the most critical component of the printing system.”
“Piece of mind is the biggest motivator for extending the warranty past the original warranty,” agrees Gonzalez. Mutoh offers two to four year options for additional warranties.
“Customers can maximize the protection of their long-term technology investments by purchasing an extended time contract,” explains Daniel Valade, product manager of digital print, Roland DGA Corporation.
For example, at Roland a customer currently under a two year limited warranty could opt to purchase an extended warranty contract that provides up to five years of coverage—three years over and beyond the company’s standard two year manufacturer’s warranty.
Another advantage to an extended warranty is the added periodic maintenance and software updates, helping to maximize the printer’s efficiency and lifespan, adds Singh.
“Extended warranties sometimes include benefits that aren’t part of the standard warranty. They may offer enhanced technical support, faster response times, or coverage for specific components not included in the base warranty. Some manufacturers also bundle extended warranties with periodic maintenance services, ensuring optimal performance over time,” continues Singh.
Questions to Ask
Prior to committing to a wide format roll-to-roll printer purchase, it is worth asking the right questions not only about the printer itself, but the standard warranty and subsequent options to extend that warranty.
“Printers should ask to see the warranty details to understand what’s included and what’s not, how the warranty process is managed, and whether the warranty includes travel and labor time. The latter can be a big ticket in some instances. Additionally, they should understand the track record of the OEM in terms of mean time between failure and operating uptime,” recommends Norman.
When it comes to who will be providing the service, it’s important to find out whether it will be an authorized service personnel, whether they will provide the parts, where their location is in relation to the PSP’s, and generally how long it takes for them to get on site, suggests Hope.
Also, determine inclusions and exclusions prior to purchase. “For example, if a PSP chooses to use third-party ink and requires service, will the service be covered? If not, another reason to always use OEM inks,” adds Hope.
These questions help ensure informed purchasing decisions. Tourville recommends asking if the warranty covers on-going operator training. “Explore if additional training and classes are available. A better operator ensures a better printer experience.”
Chen encourages PSPs to ask what is covered in the limited warranty or extended service plan, what the expected response time is if a repair is needed, what maintenance needs to be performed to maintain the printer on a regular basis, what is the maximum amount of time a customer can cover the printer under a service plan, and if there are discounts for purchasing an extended service plan at the time of purchase.
“When purchasing an extended contract, the end user should always ask if parts are covered, and if labor is an additional charge. Some manufacturers also limit the number of printheads that can be replaced during the coverage period, so that should also be clarified up front,” suggests Valade.
Another important question to ask is “can the warranty be transferred if the printer is sold to another user,” suggests Singh.
Hutcheson says “it is important for a PSP to understand exactly what is included in the warranty or SMA, like if flexible payment plans—monthly, quarterly, or annually—are available.”
In the long run, “asking these questions helps providers avoid unexpected costs and ensures they have the support needed to keep their equipment running smoothly,” recommends Singh.
Notes on Warranties
The vendors interviewed for this article shared insight on some of the warranty options associated with their wide format roll-to-roll printers. For additional information on each of these programs visit digitaloutput.net.
All Agfa engines come with a standard one year warranty, covering non-consumable parts, telephone and remote support, and onsite services including preventive maintenance.
Epson offers a one year factory “in box” limited warranty for most wide format roll-to-roll printers. Due to the size of Epson large format printers, the limited warranties offered generally provide onsite, next-business-day service, pending the location of the printer—at times, it may take a few additional days for a technician to reach remote locations. Epson also provides customer support via phone, providing customers access to the service team who can troubleshoot the printer remotely and, if necessary, ship required parts and schedule an onsite technician within days to complete the repair.
Fluid Color’s three year warranty for roll-to-roll printers offers comprehensive coverage. During the first year, the warranty includes non-consumable parts, labor, manufacturer defects, and CMYK printheads, ensuring full operational support. In years two and three, the warranty transitions to cover non-consumable parts only, providing extended protection for key components. This structure ensures reliability and support throughout the printer’s early life while minimizing operational costs for the user.
Mimaki warrants its products, accessories, and supplies against defects in manufacturing and workmanship during the Mimaki Total Care warranty period. The Total Care warranty period begins on the installation date noted on the signed installation report. If the installation report is not completed within 60 days after shipment from Mimaki, the Total Care warranty period begins on the day the product is shipped, according to the company website.
Mutoh’s warranty coverage applies to defects in materials and workmanship. All Mutoh printers come with a 12 month onsite parts and labor limited manufacturer’s warranty except the XPJ-1341SR-P and XPJ-1641SR-P, which come with a two year parts and labor warranty.
Roland’s eco-solvent, UV, and latex roll-to-roll printers come with a one year warranty, plus an additional year of warranty coverage when the owner registers the printer within 60 days of delivery, connects to the Roland DG connect app, and uses Roland DG inks exclusively during the warranty.
StratoJet offers a standard 12 month warranty on its roll-to-roll printers, which covers parts, labor, and technical support. For customers seeking longer protection, it provides extended options of up to 36 months.
swissQprint’s standard 36 month warranty includes full coverage. “If something fails due to a manufacturing defect, there is no cost to the printer. Normal consumable items are excluded, and printheads are not a consumable,” says Norman.
At swissQprint, the decision to offer a 36 month warranty was driven by “doing what’s right for the customer given our reliability track record. The benefit for our customers is peace of mind, knowing that all they need to focus on is generating business from the printer,” continues Norman.
Full Protection
Warranties on any printer—roll, hybrid, or flatbed—are a good economical decision.
“We remind customers that printing issues and errors can happen, and it is recommended to safeguard their investment with an extended service plan. This is especially critical for customers that rely on these products to support their business, when extended downtime can lead to an inability to produce products and meet customer demand,” shares Chen.
When the printer is the heart of the company, downtime is not afforded. Investing in a warranty and perhaps an extended option is certainly worth considering.
Mar2025, Digital Output
