Continuing the series of diversification in printing, Image Reports is please to cover 3D printing and the strengths it can give a print service provider looking to diversify into a new frontier.

While not typically applicable to wide-format printers, for those that want to expand into other printing areas for customers and to keep exploring and
learning – 3D printing is a great way to diversify, but it can also include extra costs, for instance machinery.

Traditionally associated with manufacturing and prototyping, the technology is now opening new opportunities for print service providers (PSPs) that want to expand beyond conventional two-dimensional output.

However, for those keen to get into 3D printing and offer it as a service, key manufacturers including Roland DG, Mimaki and HP are all capable of helping find the right machinery for you and your clientele. The possibilities of offering 3D printing good for clients and customers is immeasurable – especially for those looking to branch out into promotional objects.

Mimaki’s rise of 3D UV ink printing

An innovative way to use UV gel, would be Mimaki’s 3DUJ-2207 3D printer, which can reproduce more than 10 million colours, create realistic skin tones, subtle gradients and fine details.

The modelling technology utilised is UV-curable inkjet printing, and allows printers the chance to print in clear and colour inks. This is a great introductory piece of 3D printing equipment as it’s compact and allows for PSPs to understand what they want to achieve with their 3D printing offering little by little.

It focuses more specifically on personalised goods, models and smaller pieces – which can allow a PSP to offer a client a model of their product before it is finished or a offer personalised piece alongside wider signage and graphics, for instance, a client asks for window graphics, a 3D printed object that could do along side that could be store numbers or a name – or for something within the shop a business card holder.

A recent use of the Mimaki 3D printer comes from Hybrid Services and its partnership with Crewe Alexander F.C.

To help the football club and Hybrid see the vision of the new football kit or the 2026-27 season, they used the 3D printer to create a miniature version of club captain Mickey Demetriou using high-fidelity 3D scanning and full colour 3D printing technology. Mickey was scanned at the club using an Artec Leo 3D Scanner from Europac 3D, first in the outgoing shirt and then again in the new home kit.

The model that was created by the Mimaki technology was then used in the club’s campaign for the new kit.

James Beckett, head of commercial for Crewe Alexandra, said: “We’re constantly amazed at the capabilities of the various Mimaki technologies, and
ever since we first saw the full colour 3D printer in action, we had an idea to somehow include it in a big production for the club.”

HP Jet Fusion and functional plastic printing

Another wide-format manufacturer that produces 3D printing hardware is HP.

HP’s Jet Fusion 5000 3D printer is certainly noteworthy as it prints with a polymer, and has the potential to produce lightboxes and similar components. This points to another important aspect of 3D printing: functional manufacturing.

While promotional products attract attention, many businesses also need practical components, prototypes and custom parts. HP’s Jet Fusion technology is known for producing durable plastic parts. For PSPs, this could mean manufacturing brackets, display components, signage accessories or replacement parts alongside printed graphics.

A company that already supplies retail displays, for example, could also produce the structural elements that support those displays. This integration of graphics and functional components creates a more complete service offering. Instead of outsourcing parts to external manufacturers, a PSP can keep production in-house, reduce lead times and increase margins.

It also strengthens customer relationships by positioning the printer as a broader production partner rather that can support all aspects of the product and installation needs.

Roland DG and the ceramic printer

A new type of 3D printing technology comes from wide-format titan, Roland DG.

It’s Roland DG’s PB-400 Powder 3D printer, has binder jet technology to produce ceramic objects layer by layer at 0.1mm resolution. Unlike traditional ceramic manufacturing, which relies heavily on moulds and manual craftsmanship, the PB-400 can create intricate forms directly from
CAD data.

Short production runs become economically viable, and design changes no longer require starting from scratch with new moulds. The technology also offers strong process control: Less than 1% shrinkage during firing, predictable dimensional accuracy and high-quality surfaces suitable for glazing.

For PSPs, this offering is more catered towards those who are looking for that truly unique offering for customers. A wide curve away from traditional printing this type of 3D printing offers a way to break into other areas of the wide-format industry and produce not only personalised goods but a new way to utilise already well-honed skills.

An important principle about 3D printing is that the technology often works best when combined with existing expertise rather than treated as a total
replacement for established methods, and the use of ceramic printing is no different.

3D printing in wide-format printing

Despite its potential, 3D printing is not without challenges. The investment in 3D printer is high and should only be considered if the company can truly benefit from further offerings.

There are also practical considerations such as material handling, print times and post-processing. Some technologies require support removal, curing
or sanding, which adds labour and complexity, and PSPs must carefully evaluate which applications align with their customer base and operational
capabilities.

Another challenge is market education. Many customers still associate printers only with paper and signage. PSPs adopting 3D printing will need
to demonstrate the value of additive manufacturing through samples, case studies and creative campaigns.

However, despite its challenges, for those interested 3D printing it offers an opportunity in not merely in owning a 3D printer, but in rethinking what
a print business can offer. A company might combine wide-format graphics, packaging, signage, promotional merchandise and 3D-printed objects into a single creative service.

This all-encompassing approach can differentiate businesses in a competitive market.