As with the majority of professional digital printing systems on the market, the high production Océ TCS500 wide format system is designed predominantly for use with a PC interface.  Although a time consuming and complex project, Océ has worked on site at PBWC to adapt its TCS500 system, which is also linked to CAD accounting software, so that the company is equipped to run and manage printing jobs via its Macintosh systems as seamlessly as with a PC. 

PBWC, which is one of the largest architects' practices in the region, has been Mac-based since the mid-1980s.  The company found sourcing a compatible high-quality wide format colour printer a near-impossible task and asked Westec to find a suitable high-production printing system several years ago.

According to Westec's Peter Boyle, the problem was that some manufacturers' technology could potentially be converted to work with Macintosh computers, but suppliers do not have either the expertise or the desire to go down this route.  He said:  "We initially thought we'd found an answer to the problem with another make and model, but, as it turned out, the supplier wasn't prepared to spend the time properly looking into the conversion.

"We were over the moon when we identified the Océ TCS500 as another option.  The people at Océ have been very generous with the time they have dedicated to this project, ever since proving that if something is possible, they are prepared to go the extra mile for customers wishing to adopt Océ's technology."

Since its installation, the Océ TCS500 has solved many production problems for PBWC, for instance the company's old system would require sending each print job to the printer individually, which was a time-consuming and manually-intensive process.  The Océ TCS500, which manages the print queue automatically, is making the printing process a more streamlined procedure.

As a machine able to produce just under 60 colour A0 prints per hour, the Océ TCS500 is also comfortably able to take on the 200 plus A0 colour prints and plots that PBWC requires per day.  Cedric Wynter, director at PBWC, said:  "Our old system was so slow we would have to print off one master document and then run downstairs to photocopy extra sheets because using it for any more than one item at a time was not a cost effective option.  Now everything is printed out at speed solely on the Océ TCS500.  We also have the added advantage that we are running it with CAD accounting software, which is helping us keep a close track of what we are producing for our clients and invoice them accordingly.  Everything considered Océ's TCS500 is the printing system we've been waiting for years."

Duncan Smith, director of wide format printing systems at Océ UK, said: "We always strive to meet the needs of our customers, and PBWC was no exception.  We rose to the challenge of converting our traditionally PC-based interface so it could be used with a Mac and we are delighted that PBWC is now reaping the rewards through the use of the Océ TCS500."

Functioning from converted sail lofts that overlook the Cornish coastline, award-winning PBWC employs 24 people and provides sustainable and innovative architectural solutions.  Projects tend to fall into the £2million - £25million price range and span across a wide range of industries including recreation, education, residential and commercial sectors.