While the small outfits generally don't have as sophisticated copiers as the larger shops, nearly everybody is keen to digital technology and wants to keep up. The number one answer we got was reliability. Over and over again, shop owners said they value reliability above all else. Diazo machines are legendary for their reliability, and nearly everybody we interviewed still does a lot of diazo printing. Polatas says AA Blueprint constantly runs two shifts on its two Meteor-Siegen and one Ozalid diazo printers, and the trusty battlewagons just keep pumping out the prints.
Simplicity is what makes diazo machines so reliable.
There's no computer to go out, and few moving parts. Maintain it properly and it will last forever. But if you're looking for a new diazo machine, you're in the minority and virtually out of luck. All our interviewees had expanded most recently with plain paper copiers, many taking the extra step by investing in digital copiers. One partially successful way is to locate a demo unit in a dealer's showroom or at a trade show and put it through its paces.