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.
ANOTHER 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
