Category: Tech Knowledge

This year’s Widthwise survey showed that when it came to R&D, you wanted manufacturers to place an onus on reducing the running costs of large-format printers. So are they?

One of the key findings in the technology section of Image Reports’ annual Widthwise survey was that when it came to where print companies most wanted to see printer manufacturers put their R&D spend, it was in reducing the running costs of the large-format printers they make. So of course, we asked a number of key players about where this issue currently figures in their R&D strategy and what they are doing to try and make the kit more efficient. Some where happy to outline their thoughts and actions, but from many quarters the response was a deafening silence which can only leave one to wonder about the kind of feedback potential customers get from suppliers when they ask the sam, increasingly asked, question!

Have you a slick workflow that harnesses the full potential of your kit line-up or is there room for manoeuvre?

“When customers first look at investment they tend to focus on the biggest capital expense and how they expect that to add to their bottom line,” states Paul Bates, EskoArtwork regional business manager UK and Eire. “But what they often don’t consider is the added pressure this puts on all their departments and the potential bottlenecks this could introduce into their workflow.

Sophie Matthews-Paul looks at how developments have impacted upon inks and substrates for digitally printed textiles.

Perhaps it became a myth as the years passed that a textile coming under the digital heading is a material that has been used in conjunction with a machine which can print inks or dyes specifically for fabrics. Where this misconception originated is anyone’s guess but, depending on the end application desired, there’s no reason why many applications can’t be produced using other chemistries.