It’s no secret that we live in an on-demand world. Technology has provided us with immediate gratification in nearly all aspects of our lives. Print on demand is a perfect example of how the digital age has redefined the what, how and when of our printing needs.
Albeit a less popular buzz-word, short-run printing is becoming an ‘industry equivalent’ in many respects in the world of commercial and industrial printing.
Manufacturers need to enable their clients with the ability to produce smaller, customized quantities in a cost-effective manner. This is proving as necessary on the industrial printing side of the industry as it is the consumer printing side.
“Customers want to do shorter runs. They want to do shorter runs, because they want to version, or they want to have personalization, or they want to run very specific campaigns. We see those same megatrends that are happening in the core (publishing, transactional, commercial printing) are happening in the packaging industry”, said Eric Weisner (VP & GM of Hewlett Packard) in a recent interview.
The Benefits to Companies (Large and Small)
Although digital printing has been commonplace in the home and office environment for some time now, it is still referred to as a change of revolutionary measure in the professional printing world.
The efficiency and profitability that digital printing creates is stirring up a world of possibilities in the printing industry. It is driving innovation and pushing companies to new limits, all very good things.
Among short-run digital printing’s many benefits is the fact that it is not company size-centric. While the benefit to small businesses is obvious, larger companies with hundreds of products benefit equally. The ability to print the amounts needed at a particular time (and apply changes ‘on the fly’) makes short run printing just as appealing to big business.
It’s all about meeting deadlines and staying within (or below) budget, regardless of who you are.
Endless Opportunities: What the Numbers Are Saying
Commercial printing currently makes up close to 40% of the worldwide $901 billion print industry. Over the past 20 years, digital printing has literally transformed the industry (initially at the consumer level). Think about how receptive the market was to the introduction of personalized cards and calendars? We love the ability to make something ‘our own’ through personalization.
Digital printing has given us the ability to innovate endlessly. High quality, short run capabilities (with constantly improving technology), offering the ability to print on virtually anything…in small amounts and with variations as well.
Digital short run packaging has hit a high gear with the private labeling of in-demand goods, personal care products, food and beverages, seasonal packaging and special events to name a few. It has also created an affordable and flexible means for brands to test the waters with short runs of new products, as well as testing those new products in different languages.
Industrial Printing: Short Run and the Manufacturing Process
Digital short run printing (for both decorative and functionality purposes) during the manufacturing process is another large segment. Medical devices, automotive parts, textile and glass are all industries that are prospering from both digital and its short run capabilities. When it comes to innovation, market testing and customer requirements, digital short run is becoming more and more an obvious choice.
“The migration to customized digital solutions that satisfy the needs of brand owners and product managers is why equipment manufacturers are developing new and innovative solutions in imaging, inks, material deposition, and printing technologies.” says Ron Gilboa, Director of FIPS.
When we stop and take a look at the substrates that digital short run printing can print on (from both the decorative and functional perspectives) it is easy to envision the boundless opportunities and the inevitability of growth. The technology now exists to digitally short run print on metal, glass, plastic, wood, wax, fabrics, ceramic…even food.
Direct-to-Shape: Replacing the Printed Label and More!
As Marcus Timson well stated, “Printing and placing labels onto packaging and products is big business.” As a segment of the printing industry that is approaching $50 billion, there is no shortage of innovation brewing as to the possibility of replacement of the printed label. Businesses are starting to realize the economics of it, while also beginning to embrace the new possibilities that come with direct-to-shape. The flexibility of direct-to-shape compared to printed labels allows for more customization and more creative freedom. The ability to effectively print directly onto various contours opens a world of possibilities.
Decorative Examples
- Clothing
- Fabrics
- Home Furnishing
- Flooring
- Toys
- Bottles/Jars
- Helmets
- Signs
- Candles
- Glasses
Functional Examples
- Circuitry
- Sensors
- Batteries
- Catheters & IV’s
- Instruments
- Display Panels
- Antennas
- Dashboards
- Switches
…the list goes on!
Conclusion: So Much Can Be Done In the “Short Run”
Digital short run printing within the realm of industrial manufacturing is opening the doors to enormous opportunities. When technology creates the ability to innovate cost-effectively and with less and less creative limits, a renaissance of sorts occurs. Companies are able to introduce new products in a manner that is less risky, new markets are created at a faster rate, and providers of the technology are continually inspired to invent new capabilities. This is what the age of industrial digital printing is creating. A kind of new “Industrial Age” in and of itself.
The print pad is one of (if not the) most important aspects of the pad printing process. Made from silicone rubber, it is the perfect ink transfer medium when designed, used and maintained correctly.
The properly molded print pad will have the following features:
- Excellent adhesion
- Flawless Ink Detachment
- Perfect Ink Transfer
- Stability of Form
- Resistance to Solvents & Inks
Printing pads comes in all shapes and sizes and are often custom designed. This is because they are created for very specific applications, both unique and specialized. Below are some important things to keep in mind when it comes to the print pad.
Pad Size
The pad itself should be at least 20% than the image that it is printing on. If the height and width of the pad is less than this, the probability of distortion near the edges of the image is more likely.
Pad Shape
The shape of the image itself is one of the most important factors in determining the shape of the pad. Use the following guidelines when considering your printing pad:
Rooftop shaped pad – for shorter, wider images (and straight text)
Round / cone pads – for flat surfaces with a round image area.
Square or Rectangular shaped pad – for square/rectangular shapes.
Half Moon pad – recommended for curved surfaces and longer text.
The other vital factor when it comes to the print pad is the contour (or angle) of the print pad. A steep, opposite angle of the print area is ideal, as to allow for clean transfer of ink by displacing air during pickup and transfer. The absence of a steep enough angle causes air to become trapped between the pad and cliché and damages the ink-to-image transfer.
Pad Hardness
The higher the number is, the harder the pad. This is also referred to as “shore”. It is determined by the amount of silicone oil when creating the pad. More silicone oil makes for a softer pad, while hard print pads are made using less silicone oil.
Hard pads – Produce sharper images (with less distortedness) and generally better coverage,
Soft pads – Produce longer image life due to more ink placement onto the image,
Pad Lifecycle
While it is easy to understand that softer pads last a little longer because of their flexibility, all pads eventually lose their image transfer quality due to silicone oil depletion inside the pad. At this point, surface application of oil is ineffective and drying out of the pad is inevitable.
While air blowers that produce clean and dry air will increase machine efficiency (and help with clean image transfer), it is important to know when your printing pad has reached its expiration.
Remember to keep your pad printing environment between 68-72 degrees Fahrenheit (which allows ink solvents to evaporate at a normal rate) and humidity between 50-60%. Maintaining this humidity level is crucial in the proper functioning of the ink and evaporation solvents.
Learn more about print pads by visiting our website at www.epsvt.com. There you can also find more information about Engineered Printing Solutions custom solutions, standard pad printers, industrial inkjet, consumables and other auxiliary equipment. Email info@epsvt.com or call 1-800-272-7764 if you would like more information.
Before the process of pad printing begins, it is important to know what kind of cup you should (and should not) be using to mix your ink. Mixing solvents with ink is a very important part of the pad printing process, as it to enables the ink to transfer and dry quickly. However, solvents are strong chemicals that will melt right through certain materials. If you’re mixing cup is made of such a material, your going to have a problem before you even get started.
What types of cups to avoid
- Styrene – weak organic compound that most solvents will melt through.
- Polystyrene foam (e.g. Styrofoam) -breaks down when exposed to a solvent.
- Wax coated – wax can mix in with solvent and affect adhesion.
- Ring cup itself – doesn’t allow for easy mixing and can result in costly damage to the cup as well.
What types of cups work well
- Waxless paper – cheap, disposable and durable material that won’t be damaged by a solvent.
- Polypropylene – strong, thermoplastic polymer that will also stand up to a solvent.
It is also highly recommended that you test the cup if you have any doubts, by allowing some thinner to sit in the cup for about an hour.
Lastly, we do not recommend reusing any cup. It is time consuming to clean and you risk leftover ink and material breakdown, both of which can affect your ink mixture.
Industrial printing is considered by many industry experts to be the greatest advancement in the printing industry in decades, and for good reason. We are seeing the opening up of endless opportunities in the personalization, geo-customization and consumer interaction of product packaging.
The ability to connect with consumers in a more personal and engaging manner than that of your competition is more important than ever now. Digital printing has become a ‘game changer’ in creating an efficient, cost-effective way for companies to make this happen.
Whether it is diverse packaging versions, multi-lingual labeling or custom messages, digital printing allows for short runs that keep your consumer loyalty high, while keeping production costs low.
Significant Growth in Industrial and Functional Print Markets
The industrial and functional printing industry is expected to grow another 62% by 2020 (becoming a 107 billion dollar industry). “Printing technology is widely used to decorate items from architectural and automotive glass to ceramics, electronics and textiles with new functions including biomedical, display and photovoltaics becoming significant”.
Although analog printing methods are still widely used, digital printing is growing most significantly here as well. New inkjet inks and fluid are creating new opportunities, and the overall efficiency and cost –effectiveness of digital printing is creating an inevitable shift in the industry.
“Industrial functional print is growing as demand grows for construction, automotive, electronics and manufactured products that use print – and there is more print involved in the manufacturing processes. This is in stark contrast to publication and commercial print, where volumes are declining,” said Sean Smyth, print consultant and author of The Future of Functional and Industrial Print to 2020.
Why Digital Printing is Making a Difference
Although digital printing is still in its relative infancy, it is unquestionably one of, if not the most revolutionary advancements in the history of printing. Digital printings superior accuracy, speed and short run capability has created an industry game changer…and we’re just getting started. Its many benefits include the following:
Speed
Digital printing eliminates the need for any press preparation. The printing process is extremely simpler. No plate mounting, no adjustments, no ink keys and minimal setup. This means production begins almost immediately and the finished product is delivered much more quickly. As the saying goes, time is money. Digital printing saves a ton of it!
Cost
The financial savings provided by digital printing is monumental. The ability to provide short-run print jobs eliminates the need for minimum quotas, prep time (associated with offset printing) and results in quicker delivery. This all equates to lower overall costs and the ability to offer your services to a wider range of businesses.
Green
When you go digital, your company’s green status is elevated right away. This is because (unlike conventional printing) the pre-press stages involving photo chemicals, plates, ink keys and other materials no longer exist.
Flexibility
Due to the non-existence of plate changes and setup fees, digital printing offers the ability to make design changes quickly and with minimal effort. This is becoming increasingly essential in a world where Web-to-Print and Print-on-Demand markets are growing rapidly.
The Future of Digital Printing
The digital printing industry has increased by more than 400% over the past 10 years. According to Smithers Pira, the digital print market will reach 225% of its 2013 value by 2024. Reasons for the growth cited their report The Future of Digital Printing to 2024 include the following:
- Improved customer service levels
- Increased personalization and versioning
- New revenue streams for customers
- The ability to produce high quality short runs
- Impact on labeling and packaging industry
The report also states that while electrophotography is currently a leading contributor to the growth of the digital market, inkjet is the sector that is growing more rapidly. It is expected to account for 53% of the digital print volume by 2024.
The future appears very bright for the digital printing industry, as increased volume is expected in printed packaging, electronics, medical, automotive, glass and textiles.
Engineered Printing Solutions designs and builds specialized machines to fit whatever unique application you can dream up. We partner with you to create a machine that satisfies your requirement 100%. Visit us at www.epsvt.com
EPS proudly offers The XD-70 Multi-Color Industrial Inkjet “image direct” from computer to print. The perfect solution for short or long runs with quick changeovers Single Pass Inkjet Printing and variable data. This printer is ideal for multicolor printing on flat and semi-flat surfaces on a variety of substrates and can be customized to meet your printing needs.
I am a “new guy” that has plans to do in house pad printing.
I know a closed system is the best for me and in general. I plan to do small amount lots of 250 to 500 printing at a time, as low as 50 at a time. Working with my budget, is is possible to be a multi-color printing one color at a time? To explain a little more: print one color, then print another color on the same piece.
Certainly, it is possible to do short run multi-color printing with a single-color printer provided the following:
1) Your product must have some part that is shaped in such a way to allow it to be used as a point of consistent registration and re-registration.
2) The fixture (or nest) is made in such a way to provide tight and consistent registration on the product. This is usually achieved by making a mold from the actual parts to be printed.
3) The entire lot of product is consistent in shape and the position of the point of registration is also consistent.
Check out our website www.epsvt.com. There you can also find more information about Engineered Printing Solutions custom solutions, standard pad printers, industrial inkjet, consumables and other auxiliary equipment. Email info@epsvt.com or call 1-800-272-7764 if you would like more information.
I have etched thin steel plates that are etched to about 30 microns and am using a sealed cup pad printer.
I run and print 5-10 parts that look great and then the image starts becoming washed out looking with voids. If I leave the machine for a few minutes the print looks good again and then goes back to missing pieces syndrome. I am new to pad printing and would appreciate some advice.
This is indicative of an ink viscosity problem. If your ink is drying too fast, the pad won’t be able to pick the entire image up from the etched area of the cliché. In that case, you’d add a little thinner to the ink – or retarder if the ink is already quite thin. Another option would be to remove any pauses that may be set in the printer controls to slow the drying process a little. If, however, your ink is too thin it will not completely release from the pad. Then, when the pad goes to pick up the image for the next print cycle it will deposit some of the previous image back into the cliché. To remedy this, either slow the print cycle down – putting a pause on the print side of the cycle (and maybe even one on the pickup side) or try directing some hot air at the pad after it has picked up the image to help the ink dry a little more before printing. If this doesn’t help you may want to start with a fresh batch of ink that you know has been set to the correct viscosity.
Check out our ink options at www.epsvt.com. There you can also find more information about Engineered Printing Solutions custom solutions, standard pad printers, industrial inkjet, consumables and other auxiliary equipment. Email info@epsvt.com or call 1-800-272-7764 if you would like more information.
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