(Inkjet printers are designed to print everything in color and absent a RIP, it would likely attempt to print the halftone as a shade of gray.) It has allowed screen printers to move away from expensive image setters and gives them ability to print high-quality films using affordable inkjet printers, rather than pricey laser printers.īagley has been closely involved with the development of RIP software over the years. An acronym for Raster Image Processor, the software takes files from graphic programs by running them through Postscript and converting them to halftone dots that can be recognized by an inkjet printer, while also allowing the user to dictate the number of passes the jets will make. RIP software is a critical tool towards achieving that capability using affordable inkjet printers.įor those unfamiliar with RIP technology, its function as commonly used in the screen printing industry is fairly basic. When they visit their local screen printer, they’re expecting similar quality and price points. With the rise of the digital age, artists and consumers have become aware of the options available online for customized, limited run products that feature multiple colors and even photo reproduction. After that, they start to look into RIP software,” he says.Ī generation ago, a small mom-and-pop shop could get by simply offering simple one- or two-color prints. New screen printers may still limit themselves to printing one or two colors, but in time it will make it tougher to survive. “The screen printers who are have been in business for more than a couple of years are being forced to bring on more technology that will allow them to compete with direct-to-digital market. As an example of this, Mark Bagley-a consultant and owner of Digital Marketing Solutions in Orlando, FL- believes that RIP software is currently in that life cycle stage where screen printers need to have it simply to exist. Over time, as the technology becomes increasingly accepted in the industry, the competitive advantage largely disappears and new users must adopt it simply to keep pace. They invest their time and money in hopes of leveraging it to improve productivity and gain a competitive advantage. When a new technology is introduced into an industry, there is usually a small band of innovators who hop on board first.
If you are having problems printing, and your computer meets the specifications, check to see if there are any programs running which may be using up system resources such as CPU and RAM.When a new technology is introduced into an industry, there is usually a small band of innovators who hop on board first. Insufficient resources can cause slow printing, program errors, printing errors, or computer lock-ups/crashes. Better computer specs, especially RAM and graphics memory, will always deliver better results. IMPORTANT: MESA cannot provide support for printing problems when the computer does not meet the minimum specifications for small files, or the recommended specifications for printing problems with large files.Īny type of graphic processing requires significant computer resources.
#Best printer rip software for windows free#
SSD or 7200 RPM HDD, with 200 Gb free space (Note: while SSD is becoming more common, many laptops and some desktops still have 5400 RPM HDD drives.)ĭedicated (separate, not included on the motherboard) graphics card with at least 2 Gb graphics memory
#Best printer rip software for windows windows 7#
Windows 7 and up (not compatible with MAC)ġ Gb or more of dedicated graphics memory
Please note that the minimum requirements will not be sufficient for processing large file sizes (over 50mb). Navigator RIP software is highly recommended to achieve the best results with your Summit DTG Printer, and is required to print with white ink or to utilize some of the advanced features of the printer. System Requirements for Navigator RIP Software