Machine review
Damilic Autopen (Signascript / AF line) Review
A 65-year-old US maker (Rockville, MD) of autopen and paper-fed handwriting machines, plus an in-house signing-service bureau. The Signascript AF+ handwriting machine was quoted at $8,750 plus freight, with ongoing software licensing of about $0.06 per record (e.g. ~$60 for a 1,000-piece mailing) — figures from a 2020 vendor quote, so confirm current pricing. The AF/AF+ line auto-feeds up to ~1,000 sheets/hour and writes fully variable letters and envelopes with virtually any pen.
Specs at a glance
| Type | Autopen |
|---|---|
| Tier | Production tier — meets the continuous-duty criteria in our methodology |
| Tier notes | The auto-feed AF line (~1,000 sheets/hour, US support) meets the production criteria; deployments skew to signing programs rather than commercial mail fleets. |
| Brand | Damilic |
| Price (USD) | $8,750 |
| Plot / write area | Signatures, plus variable letters/envelopes (AF line); paper 3×5 to 12×18 |
| Auto-feed | Yes — Signascript AF/AF+: ~500 sheets (250 envelopes), up to 1,000 sheets/hr |
| Pen types | Any pen — fountain, ballpoint, felt marker, pencil, even crayon |
| Software | Damilic systems; per-record software licensing (~$0.06/record) |
| OS | Windows |
| API | No |
| Throughput | High-volume; unattended runs on AF line |
| Best for | Business / production |
Pros and cons
Pros
- True auto-feed, high-throughput variable letter/envelope writing
- Very wide pen and paper compatibility
- Long-established maker
Cons
- Ongoing per-record software licensing fee on top of the machine
- Pricing from a 2020 quote — verify current cost; no public pricing
- Established/older platform — confirm current support responsiveness, parts, and machine uptime before buying
Specs and price last checked April 27, 2020. A "~" or "unverified" note means the figure came from a third party or a non-USD source — confirm with the vendor before buying.