Epson wins six 2024 Good Design Awards

Epson has won six 2024 Good Design Awards for five printers and an auto colour chart-reading portable table. Good Design Awards are presented annually for designs that benefit and enrich our lives and society. The design winners are described below, along with the reasons for their selection.

The printers include the SureColour SC-P20500 Series large-format Inkjet, the SureColour SC-F1050/SC-V1050 Garment Printer/UV Printer, the Monna Lisa ML-13000 Digital Textile Printer, an office printer and label printer.

 The SureColour SC-P20500

The SureColour SC-P20500 is a 64-inch-compatible water-based pigment large-format inkjet printer designed to improve image quality and productivity, mainly for the photo and fine art market. Adopting a large-capacity ink pack has reduced the frequency of ink replacements. It has also reduced waste to approximately one-tenth. Furthermore, the flat top surface can also be used for work, improving space efficiency. The goal was to design a high-performance and sophisticated printer with a white exterior to create clean printing sites of the future. 

The printer was awarded because it achieved the highest-class colour gamut expression and is equipped with 12 ink colours for photos and fine art. At the same time, it reduces waste generated during printing to approximately one-tenth of the previous volume. It is a large-format printer. Nevertheless, the top surface is flat and can be used as a workspace. This means Epson has also considered the space efficiency of the installation. It is equipped with a large-capacity ink pack to reduce the frequency of ink replacements. Furthermore, placing it in a low position also reduces the workload. The judges rated this product for its outstanding design, which is kind to people and the environment while achieving the highest image quality.

SureColour SC-F1050/SC-V1050 Garment Printer/UV Printer

These are entry-level models of a compact garment printer and UV printer, which can easily be installed in small stores. Customers can order original goods from photos using a dedicated smartphone app. The store can then operate multiple printers via the cloud. This system supports the small-scale launches of goods businesses, which are becoming increasingly popular. The goal was to design a printer that inspires the creative urges of the creator, with the printing process visible through the transparent exterior, like a showcase.

These printers won the award because their main feature is their transparent upper cases. Epson says that being able to see the progress of the printing creates a feeling of excitement while also offering a sense of security. The neat rectangular case makes it easier to install in stores, creating new spatial value akin to a mini-factory inside the store. Moreover, the garment printer's surface embossing provides a fabric-like texture. This clever playfulness further adds to the product's appeal.

Monna Lisa ML-13000 Digital Textile Printer

This digital textile printer is mainly for clothing and textiles. Previously carried out separately, the pre-and post-processing is performed simultaneously, shortening the printing process. Using pigment inks also means no need to steam and wash the fabric after printing, significantly reducing water usage. This contributes to a reduction in the environmental burden. The goal was to design an eco-friendly printer that reduces welding and other areas of sheet metal processing for the exterior.

The award was given due to a 97% reduction in water usage and a shortening of the dyeing process from 1.5 months to three days. The technological development that made this possible is a significant innovation. It is highly regarded as a design that offers a fundamental solution to the social issue of clothing waste. The exterior design of the equipment also incorporates maintainability, an appearance that brightens up factories, and a reduction in the energy used during manufacturing. The concepts of being eco-friendly and clean have been consistently integrated from the targets and technological innovation to the final output. It is highly praised as a comprehensive design that shows the way forward for an ideal future in the diversifying manufacturing and fashion industries.

SureColour SD10ACRT Auto Colour Chart Reading Portable Table

This auto colour chart reading portable table that makes it easy to match colours on large-format printers. Linking it with Epson's SD-10 colourimeter and colour management software enables accurate colour matching by automatically reading the printed colour chart and creating the optimal profile for the printer and media. Epson's proprietary drive technology has achieved a highly accurate, compact, and lightweight body. It has a carry case, which can easily be carried to the printing site. This ensures simple, accurate, and quick colour chart reading. The goal was to design a flat, simple table that is portable and easy to operate. 

The table won its award as this product automates that work to achieve both efficiency and precision. Colour correction work on printers previously required much time and effort. However, this feature has great social significance. The judges highly rated this as a design that improves portability and precisely responds to the needs of printing sites by accurately understanding the workplace environment and using the drive technology Epson has cultivated in printers.

WorkForce Enterprise LM-C400 Business Inkjet Printer

This A4 colour linehead inkjet multifunction printer is designed for offices. The print head has been newly angled, and the paper feed path has been shortened. These innovations have achieved high productivity with a printing speed of 40 pages per minute1 while reducing the printer to desktop size. It consumes less power and requires fewer replacement parts than laser printers, contributing to a reduced environmental burden. The goal was to design a printer that creates a clean office environment.

This model aims to reduce the environmental burden in offices. Epson has achieved this by downsizing an inkjet printer with better environmental performance than laser printers to a desktop size. Adopting the design language of its office inkjet printers, this machine features a design that naturally guides the eye to critical areas. For example, the zoning is clear, and a window allows the ink cartridges to be seen. With its rounded exterior, Epson has created a design that blends seamlessly into any office space. 

ColourWorks CW-C8020 Colour Label Printer

This high-speed colour inkjet label printer is aimed at various industries, including manufacturing, food, retail, and medical, where there is a desire to produce high-mix, low-volume labels in-house and shorten delivery times. The large-capacity ink pack system with fewer plastic parts reduces the environmental burden by lowering consumable waste. The goal was to design a printer that allows workers to use it without complaint by adopting a highly durable line head and enhancing the robustness and ease of use so that it can be relied upon as an industrial machine.

The judges greatly appreciated this product as a high-speed printer that supports the needs of the new manufacturing era, including diversification of products, smaller lot production, and in-house production. Epson has designed this printer, assuming its users will be found in various fields. Easy replacement is possible because the printer has been configured to replace all the ink and label paper from the front. A metal frame has been adopted to offer robustness, and network compatibility allows for diversified usage locations and control from other sites. Therefore, this printer is expected to be used in various businesses. It is easy to introduce this printer, considering its size, beauty of form, and cost performance, which comes with an ink pack system that reduces waste. Accordingly, the judges highly regard it as a design that will increase design freedom for companies of various sizes and support the future of manufacturing.