The Larger Chunk

ANOTHER MARKET SECTOR WHERE INKJET PRINTING

HAS MADE HUGE INROADS IN RECENT YEARS IS LARGE

FORMAT PRINTING.

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.

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

Large format Applications

•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

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