varioPRINT iX1700

In our development work, we in the design team set an ambitious goal: to create an unprecedented design that represents the ultimate in refinement and usability, opening up new horizons in commercial printing. We wanted to make a tool that would be a pleasure to use, that would produce value for owners, and that would be worthy of being called a 'professional partner.' To achieve this, our designers paid close attention to the feelings of users, designing each and every aspect of the device without compromise.

The iX1700 is made up of a white body, composed of vertical and horizontal lines, and a contrasting black cubic unit. Black and silver lines span the device, from left to right. The intuitive beauty of the iX1700 permeates every detail of the system, both those that are visible and those that are hidden from view. It resonates with the sensibilities of users. The iX1700's design is carefully thought out and deliberate. Through our pursuit of the pinnacle of usability, we arrived at a product design with the aesthetic beauty of simplicity.

"We have no idea what's going on inside our digital printer." When our designers heard began preparing for design development by going onsite to locations where digital presses were actually used, that's what they heard from users.

Typically, digital printers are completely covered by opaque metal panels, making it impossible to see the state of the operations going on within. Our designers wondered "What if, instead of the engine being a black box, we made it possible to directly observe printing while it's in progress?" That would allow users to keep an eye on operations with the discerning eye of a professional, giving them a better feel for the system's operations and enabling them to rapidly respond in the event of an error.

Visualizing the heart of the printer—led by this bold concept, the designers explored ways to meet the needs of printer operators for a true feel for how their printers are working. The solution we arrived at was a three-dimensional print module with an openable window.

The height of this window, and the way it opens, were closely deliberated based on the principles of ergonomics. The window design makes it easy to handle everyday tasks like print head maintenance and ink replenishment. The fact that the window swings open upwards means that it doesn't get in the way of user movement to the left or right. The transparent design also ensures that the work area remains bright and visible when the window is open.

The iX1700's overall design is white, which makes the black cubic print module stand out. The bezel around the window acts as a frame, emphasizing the advanced printing technologies featured within. The distinctive design of the bezel, which curves diagonally inward, creates a sharp impression while also making the unit sturdier. This shape is shared by all of the commercial printers in the Canon varioPRINT iX series, giving the entire series a sense of unity.

The monochromatic design, with its white base and its black highlights, makes the high definition and bright colors of printed materials stand out. It also ensures that users can keep their attention focused on operations such as print confirmation prints. Despite the system's large size, the white design gives it a sense of lightness in the spaces where it's installed. This helps lighten the psychological pressure felt in workplaces where every second counts. The flat, smooth top was also designed for ease of use in operations such as sorting printed materials.

The black and metallic line that spans the front of the device represents the flow of paper as it goes from the paper feed unit at far right to the paper output at far left, while at the same time representing the simple, linear flow of work. The visual appearance of printers often focuses exclusively on practicality, but the iX1700's visual design is not only practical, but also provides it with a stylish appearance and identity.

Along the black line are Navigation LEDs. They show the status of each unit: when an error occurs, they turn red, and when there is a warning, they turn orange. The LEDs are all placed on the handles of their respective unit's doors, so even from far away, operators can see the locations of issues that need to be addressed and get right to work.

The Navigation LEDs have also been designed with a soft light gradation. A glaring red error light or orange warning light can make people anxious. Our designers lavished care even on details such as these. The upper panels of the units have open- and close-assist functions with dampers, and the handles are designed to make it easy to open and close panels with a gentle touch. This makes opening and closing panels easy and natural, so that operators don't need to give it a second thought as they carry out their busy workloads.

Our designers' attention was poured into every aspect of the iX1700's design, and each design decision was meaningful. Beauty. Ease of use and functionality. Reliability. Heightened motivation for both system users and owners.

When developing the design of the iX1700, Canon's designers went to sites where printing was done and identified the needs of those in the field. We were able to create a design that realized our vision of a tool that operators would be proud to use. There's a tremendous gulf between devices that simply meet functional requirements and devices whose designs also pay close attention to how operators feel. We believe that this is what makes it so important for designers to reflect users' feelings in their design and mechanism proposals.

Canon works with designers overseas, such as designers in Europe, to develop and manufacture products in Japan and other markets. The designers collaborate, aligning the directions of their designs to give birth to new Canon brand products. We believe that the global product identity of the iX1700 has further demonstrated the power of the Canon brand, which overflows with functionality and originality. Our corporate design team has paid close care to design ever since Canon was founded, and we will continue to carry on Canon's distinctive identity, further polishing its design capabilities and driving its evolution.