imagePROGRAF TM-500

The imagePROGRAF TM-500 is the 24-inch entry point to Canon's new TM Series, a compact printer for CAD drawings, posters, banners, and flyers. It prints up to 2.4 ARCH D (24 × 36 inch) pages a minute from one top-loading roll 8 to 24 inches wide, and at about 38.5 inches wide and 88 lb it can sit on a desktop or on the optional SD-24 stand with catch basket.

Its five-color LUCIA TD pigment ink set includes an updated Matte Black that produces crisper lines, sharper text, and more vivid posters on plain paper than the previous TM Series. Gravity-fed sub ink tanks use virtually every drop and can be changed while the printer keeps printing, and the printer detects media type, length, and width automatically when you load a roll.

Security is built in, with Secure Boot, TLS 1.3, SNMPv3, 802.1X, a secure event log, pattern printing, and PIN code authorization. USB, Gigabit Ethernet, and Wi-Fi are standard, Mopria and AirPrint let people print from phones and tablets without installing drivers, and PosterArtist, Direct Print Plus, Free Layout Plus, and Accounting Manager are included. The TM-500 is EPEAT Gold registered, ENERGY STAR certified, and Mopria certified.

The imagePROGRAF TM-500 is for offices that print D-size drawings and posters some days but not all day: small architecture and engineering practices, contractors, schools, real estate offices, and retail or restaurant locations that make their own signage. It reads CAD files natively through HP-GL/2 and HP RTL, the updated Matte Black keeps fine lines crisp on plain paper, and its 38.5-inch-wide body fits on a desk when floor space is tight.

The trade-off is ink capacity and speed. The TM-500 ships with 55 ml color tanks and an 80 ml Matte Black, and every replacement tank is 55 ml, which suits light, occasional printing. If you print daily, the TM-510 takes 130 ml or 300 ml tanks and runs faster at 2.9 D-size prints a minute. If you need E-size sheets, the TM-600 gives the same compact design 36 inches of width.