Latest Developments in Printing Technology
Printing technology is constantly evolving and changing the way we think about and use printers. Although 3D printing is being lauded as one of the 21st century greatest technological breakthroughs, there have been plenty of other recent printing advancements that are set to play an important role in how we use the technology. In this article, we look at a few of the latest advancements set to shape the way we print in the near future.
Faster, better inkjet printing
Commercial inkjet printers have come leaps and bounds in terms of quality, speed, and reliability in the last few years and are new able to render text at an impressive 4,000 words per minute.
Improved finishing options
The rendering capabilities of inkjet printers have also improved, and now include capabilities such as varying surface finishes and more realistic depth representation for three dimensional designs. An increase in the number of substrates available for commercial prints is also on the cards.
Sustainable, efficient, and environmentally sound products
Whilst cartridge recycling is already a widespread practice amongst most major printing brands, recent research has focused on making the toner and ink inside those cartridges more sustainable and energy efficient. Ink and toner evolving to use less energy, produce less waste, and remain functional for a longer period of time.
Digital printing
Digital printing (where images, documents or templates are digitally prepared prior to being sent to the printer) is a rapidly growing part of the industry that is quickly replacing the once popular offset printing. A cost effective method, digital printing enables streamlined software workloads which produce similar results to offset printing. However, the learning curve for digital printing technology is quite steep and this has slowed down the pickup rate for new commercial users. Despite this, companies who have taken on this software are benefitting in terms of both quality and efficiency.
Hybrid technologies
To manage the switchover from offset to digital processes, many manufacturers are developing hybrid technologies which integrate both with computer to print plate automation. In a hybrid model, completed digital images can be send directly to electronic plates which are able to recognise them. These hybrid models are only possible with recent advances in print plate technology, which enable more complex design projects and higher quality prints.
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