Recent trends in printing technology
J.P.Nirmala Lecturer in Printing Tech. Anna University
Recent trends
Pre-press Press Finishing Materials
Substrates Inks Coatings
Pre-Press
Prepress refers to the preparation of digital files for printing.
Conventional Pre-Press
Type setting Copy editing Proofing Proof reading Preparing Image Layout designing Imposition Film Making Layout Stripping Plate making
Conventional Pre-Press
Variable data Printing
Customized data Versioning Possible by digital presses Applications
Direct Mailing Customized transaction billing
Web to print
Bridges the gap between digital content online and commercial print production Allows a print house, a client, and possibly a graphic designer to create, edit, and approve computer-based online templates during the prepress phase PDF workflow, digital printing
Cross media publishing
Repurpose content for print, web, mobile devices XML workflow Applications
Newspapers, ENewspapers Magazines, EMagazines Books, Ebooks
Digital Pre press Work flow
Digital Pre-Press
There are four steps that make up the digital prepress process for commercial printing:
Flight checking and color correction. Prepare, RIP and impose files. Digital proofing. Direct-to-plate.
Computer to Technology
CTP : Computer to Plate
Also called Direct imaging Eliminates the use of film The production time of prepress reduced. Reducing the pre press wastes. Need skilled workers Need special sophisticated equipments Higher maintenance cost.
Work Flow Of CTP
Types of CTP
Once Image able
Thermal CTP Technology Violet CTP Technology
Master Thermal CTP Laser CTP Master less/ Surface System
Re-Image able
Thermal CTP Polarization Techniques
Once Image able CTP
Thermal CTP Technology
It changes the plate physically by either hardening the image area or removing the non image area (ablation).
Expensive than Violet CTP Plates are costlier
Ex: GTO-DI (sparc /Laser)
Thermal CTP Technology
GTO-DI sparc
In a high-voltage field the plate is so altered via the electrodes of the imaging head at the ink-accepting points due to spark erosion that the ink accepting layer beneath the inkrepellent surface is laid bare. (ablation).
Violet CTP Technology
The plates are prepared by chemical changes in the image & Non image area. Removal of non image area - developing. Economic compared to thermal CTP Needs more time for preparation. Separate plates are required for each color
Ex: TruePress
Violet CTP Technology
Each printing unit has 2 color separations on one plate. The image is formed on plate in the imaging station.
The image is created chemically.
Then goes to developing station.
Then moves to printing position.
The impression roller transfers paper after 2 revolution
Re-Image able CTP
Thermal imaging With Master
The printing plates are prepared separately on the image carrier and retained on the plate surface for the required print run, then erased for the new job.
Thermal imaging With Master
Laser imaging With Master
Process for generating a re-imageable plate suitable for offset printing.
a Laser imaging of the ink-free areas of the print image; b Dampening and inking of the plate, gradually washing out the non-image areas; c Dampening and inking up in offset printing after longer print runs; d Erasing the printed image through removal of material (based on the status shown in sequence b); e Coating with material to prepare imaging next print job
Master less /Surface system
The image is created on the cylinder surface No separate / special image carrier is used. Less changing over time Each time the image created even for the same print. Either Thermal laser or selective ionization process can be used.
Thermal imaging Without Master
Polarization on surface
1. The initial state the entire surface is neutral
2. An ionographic image created by selective polarization.
3. Liquid toner is charged on the image.
4. Erasing is through uniform homogeneous polarization.
Press
The actual form of printing on the required copy & substrate
Digital Presses
Computer to Print Wide array of paper stocks Inline Finishing
Thermal Binder Stacking, punching Trimming, scoring, Wire stitching, folding
Computer to Print Digital Press
Electro Photography
Liquid Toner Powder Toner
Ink Jet Technology
Electro-Photography- Liquid toner
Electro-Photography- Powder toner
Ink-Jet Digital Printer
Digital Presses
Key Applications
Short-run, on demand printing of books, high-end collateral, photo specialty products, brochures, flyers, postcards, newsletters, catalogs, manuals, point of purchase materials, and sell sheets Variable data pieces Cross-media campaigns
Hybrid Presses
Flexo & Offset Inkjet & Offset/Flexo Inline surface finishing
Die cutting, Foil stamping Conventional inks, Water based coatings, UV coatings, special coatings such as Iriodin or Metalure
Coating units
Distributed Production
Possible by using digital technologies Centralized Prepress, production at many sites Print On Demand Books, Newspapers Production places Homes, small shops
Large Format Printing
Wide format ink jet Printers are used Width of 135 cm to 5/8 m can be printed. Paper textile and plastics can be printed. Bill boards, Hoardings, Posters and Advertisement .
Trends in Material
E-ink E-Paper E-Book
EInk, EPaper
Aims to marry the qualities of paper with the advantages of an updateable electronic display. Displays maintain their image without power Displays are reflective so work from ambient light. Readable from any angle
EInk, EPaper
E-ink , Gyricon. E-ink uses liquid filled microcapsules filled with black and white chips that move to the top or bottom when a current is applied. Gyricons paper uses bi-chromal microcapsules in liquid which rotate.
EInk, EPaper
EInk, EPaper
Application
EReaders Medical devices Electronic shelf displays Smart cards
EInk, EPaper: Applications
Iriodin
Iriodin coatings can create interesting iridescent color effects, for example the color impression created by pigment changes when viewed from a different angle. The thicker the layer of pigment applied, the more pronounced the effect.
Iriodin
The image on the packaging is underlaid with a full-area silver-white Iriodin pearly luster to give it a special sheen. Iriodin with a gold gloss effect has been applied to the part of the image above the eyelid.
Cold Foiling
Apply the cold foil using two conventional offset printing units
Inline Die Cutting
The adjacent sheet with stickers was produced in a single pass on a offset m/c with coating unit and inline diecutting unit.
Hybrid and UV Spot Coatings
A printing unit applies a hybrid special-effect print varnish to the parts of the motif that are to have a matt appearance. Next, the coating unit is used to apply a full-area UV highgloss coating. The matt effect is created where the gloss coating "sinks" into the special-effect print varnish.
Drip-off
A special-effect print varnish is applied to the areas that are to have a matt appearance. Next, full-area high-gloss coating is applied that drips off the areas previously given a matt coating. This maintains the matt effect of these areas and gives the remaining areas a gloss surface.
Scented coating
Makes it possible to convey a fragrance as well as a visual and content-based message, thereby appealing to another of the customers senses. Scented coatings contain microencapsulated scents. The fragrance is released by rubbing the surface of the product.
Scented coatings
The scented print varnish is applied, for example, to the upper part of the product packaging as a spot coating using the last printing unit. Spot coating with a matt dispersion varnish can be applied to the part of the packaging not covered with the scented varnish
Micro-flute Printing
Less raw material is required to achieve a given level of stability. Better stacking and flexural strength and weighs less. Its superior insulating properties also make it ideal for deep-freeze fast-food packaging.
Metal FX
With Metal FX metal pigment ink, versatile metallic tones can be obtained from just one basic metallic ink. MFX basic silver or basic gold is printed first and then overprinted with transparent offset inks. A million different metallic tones to be created with just one basic pigment.
Security printing
Special paper Watermarks Intaglio printing Microprinting Color-changing inks Holograms Security threads Magnetic ink
Serial numbers Anti-copying marks Copy-evident paper Registration of features on both sides RFID
Biodegradable Materials
Definition: Free of plastic coatings, harmful chemicals, do not need an incredible amount of energy to create them, and do not use any tree resources at all. Polymers made from plants, micro-organism, agricultural residues eg. Corn, wheatflour Fiber based materials eg. Jute Recycled paper
Green Printing
Bindings, adhesives, foils, laminates difficult to recycle / biodegrade Post-consumer recycled content, nonchlorine-bleached papers Vegetable & Soy based inks
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Imposition
