16
The Larger Chunk
The introduction of wider print heads and multiple
arrays coupled with the availability of increasingly high
performance inks - UV curing, water-resistant,
pigmented inks (see Putting the Ink into Inkjet, pages
8-10) - have brought about a revolution in the large
format application capabilities of inkjet. And, as a
considerably faster printing technology with a wider
colour spectrum (now up to 8 colours) than, for example,
screen printing, there has been an understandable
explosion of interest in large format inkjet printing
systems.
A
NOTHER MARKET SECTOR WHERE INKJET PRINTING
HAS MADE HUGE INROADS IN RECENT YEARS IS LARGE
FORMAT PRINTING
.
Inkjet’s inherent economies of scale and its capacity for photo-realistic
image quality at speed and at a reasonable cost per page, have also
recently led to an inkjet assault on the world of colour proofing, where
optimum colour quality is an essential as distinct from a value-added
component (see Colour in Profile, on the next page).
With this and other large format inkjet applications in mind, paper
demands for large format inkjet printing centre around:
• Appropriate print quality for a specific application (e.g. CAD paper,
photo paper, etc)
• Fast ink drying time
• Good light stability and lightfastness
• High dimensional stability (i.e. low or no cockling/curling)
• High ink absorption capability
• Proper surface friction
• Suitability for hot and cold laminating
• High opacity
• Water resistance
•
Point of sale displays
•
Banners and signs
•
Architectural renderings
•
Project plans
•
Packaging prototypes
•
Comps and proofs
•
Posters and Photos
•
Vehicle graphics
•
Trade show graphics
•
Maps
•
Entertainment industry
•
Museums and art galleries
•
Wall coverings
•
Fine art
•
Proofing
Large format Applications
