Inkjet technology is advancing to allow for more printable materials (e.g. higher viscosity inks can now be jetted). However, there is an issue of materials that can be printed in the research lab becoming unprintable when scaled up to the industrial scale. In this review, the differences between inkjet printers that are used in academic research and those that are used in industry are discussed. In academia, there is a focus on exploring new applications where inkjet can provide an advantage, which requires the use of simple inks (e.g. a solvent). In industry, the focus is on productivity, which results in inks containing a range of additives that ensure regular, reliable printing over long cycle times. Therefore, the principal question is, how does one gain confidence in an ink's printability regardless of the printer or scale of work employed? Inkjet research uses small-scale printers whereas industry uses large-scale printers. The scale of work leads to printing conditions specific to the machine used that can change the printability of an ink (as it translates from academia to industry). This difference in printing conditions is creating a gap between academic inkjet research and industrial inkjet development. To understand how to traverse this gap, all the factors that affect the printability of an ink need to be evaluated and understood. Printability is determined by fluid properties, rheology, and printing conditions. Thus, this review investigates printability. By understanding all the factors that affect printability, and how research-lab inkjet and industrial inkjet differ, an improvement in the transfer of newly researched inkjet systems into the industrial markets can be achieved.
The use of digital printing in the printing industry continues to expand and evolve, largely due to the versatility of inkjet technology, which offers extensive possibilities in terms of customisation and a wide range of applications compared to conventional printing techniques. Moreover, growing environmental awareness drives the development of water-based inks. However, the use of aqueous inkjet inks requires considerable expertise in the drop-on-demand ejection process. Indeed, a common issue with inks of this nature is the generation of defects in printed designs, such as missing areas and lines, often caused by nozzle latency. The latency phenomenon occurs when nozzles fail to fire drops after a period of inactivity (idle time). This paper presents two innovative quantitative methods to assess the latency phenomenon of water-based inkjet inks: one involving direct observation of printed results thanks to a specific test form, and another focusing on the observation and analysis of the drop ejection. These techniques can help ensure a reliable ink ejection in an industrial production context.
To be able to make q & uuml;ality prints on & uuml;ncoated paper, it directly depends on the printin & gbreve; system, the physical properties of the s & uuml;bstrate, the ink and ink dryin & gbreve; method, the plate properties and the n & uuml;mber of prints, the printin & gbreve; room conditions, and the properties of other main and a & uuml;xiliary materials & uuml;sed in printin & gbreve;. Web offset printin & gbreve; system (heat-set), & uuml;ncoated paper, CtP plate preparation, heat-set inks, and dryin & gbreve; methods were considered in this paper. For prints made on & uuml;ncoated papers, the loss of q & uuml;ality ca & uuml;sed by the wear of the printin & gbreve; plate d & uuml;e to physical and chemical effects d & uuml;rin & gbreve; the printin & gbreve; process was examined practically by test printin & gbreve;s. For this p & uuml;rpose, 180 000 test prints were made with thermal CtP plates & uuml;sed in heat-set printin & gbreve;. Microscopic and three-dimensional/topo & gbreve;raphic ima & gbreve;es of the s & uuml;rface were taken before and after printin & gbreve;, and their areas at the level of micrometer sq & uuml;are (& micro;m2) were meas & uuml;red. Dot size deformation was also vis & uuml;ally examined and eval & uuml;ated, dependin & gbreve; on the n & uuml;mber. For hi & gbreve;h vol & uuml;me print r & uuml;n on & uuml;ncoated paper, it was determined that the plate m & uuml;st be replaced per 150 000 impressions or baked before printin & gbreve;.
During three subsequent research projects in co-operation with industrial partners, thin printed touch sensors were developed and investigated. In the first project the touch sensors employing the capacitive or pie & zcaron;oelectric principle were screen-printed as thin-film sheets of transparent polycarbonate. In the second project, these thin-film sheets were 3D-formed through thermoforming and over-moulding process. In the third project, a thin-film light source was printed onto the backside of the transparent sensors. The backlighting was achieved using either electroluminescence or an innovative technique of micro-LEDs suspended in a printed varnish, a proprietary method developed by the company NthDegree.
When adjusting the impression in a printing press both the maximum pressure induced and the contact length between the print form and the substrate are simultaneously altered. In the present study, lab printing was performed with controlled load cases. The load cases were chosen to achieve varying nip lengths or maximum pressure. A lab-scale printing press was augmented with a pressure sensor that measures the width of the print over a square area. By altering the print forms and the force settings in the machine, the print nip pressure pulse was controlled. Printing was performed in both solid tone and halftone, and the printed result was evaluated for mottle, density, and dot-gain. By increasing the maximum pressure, the color density increases. By increasing the nip length at a fixed maximum pressure, the color density decreases. The variation within the settings in the present study is small and appears to originate from the split pattern. The change in the nip exit angle with increased nip length is sufficient to alter the ink split point and, thereby, the density. A higher maximum pressure can instead enable a higher ink transfer.
The paper presents the results of the analysis of the sublimation printing process on fabrics by the Taguchi method and forecasting the process quality using the fuzzy logic principles. Imprints obtained in different technological modes and on textiles with different absorbency. Based on the results of the analysis, it was established that the tem-perature and the material absorption capacity have the greatest influence on the optical density of imprints. Using the Taguchi method it was determined that the optimal parameters of the printing process to achieve high optical density are the material moving speed of 18 m/h, the temperature of the printing process of 215 degrees C and the textile absorption of 19 mm. Taking into account that the influence of the material moving speed in the range of 18-32 m/h showed to be insignificant, two factors were selected to forecast the process quality: the temperature and the material absorption capacity. The formed fuzzy knowledge base made it possible to construct forecasting models of the influence of these two factors on CMYK ink printing process quality. The comparison of the simulated values of optical density with the values that were obtained experimentally shows the adequacy of the models for CMK colours. Significantly higher optical density deviations are observed for the yellow colour (Y), which indicates a less controlled thermal transfer process. This is also indicated by the value of the signal-to-noise ratio, which is minimal for yellow.
The lateral position of a continuous web can be determined by a control roller at an angle to the longitudinal direc-tion of web motion together with subsequent auxiliary rollers. However, a change in the tensile force changes this lateral position. The solution of the system of descriptive differential equations leads to a separate treatment of pure translation and pure rotation of the control roller. However, a resulting block plan for the dynamics of lateral motion was found, which is combined with the longitudinal mass flow and the retroactive effect of variable tensile forces on the lateral motion. Transverse and longitudinal register errors in the multi-roller system can be mapped together with the mass flow chain in the form of a multi-layer model. This enables extensive simulations of all sys-tem quantities as well as the design and optimization of control loops.
To improve design, reduce wear, and extend service life, lamination involves applying a thin polymer film to paper or cardboard using hot melt adhesive or a solution. Moreover, hot melt adhesive bonds well to a fairly rough or matte surface. If the surface of the paper or cardboard is smooth or glossy, then molten high molecular weight polymer adhesive does not always penetrate its micropores. Due to differences in melting temperatures between the polymer adhesive and the polymer film, the polymer adhesive does not bond strongly enough to the polymer film. In this study, in order to increase the adhesive strength between paper and polymer film, glossy paper was laminated with polypropylene film using an adhesive solution of ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA) copolymer. A polymer adhesive solution, unlike a melt, penetrates into the micropores of glossy paper and ensures strong adhesion of the polymer film to the paper surface. FT-IR spectroscopic studies of polypropylene, EVA copolymer, and laminated paper showed the absence of chemical interaction between them during the lamination process. As studies on SEM-EDS analysis have shown, the adhesion interaction between the polymer film and the adhesive occurs due to ethylene units, and between the paper and adhesive due to vinyl acetate units. In contrast to the industrial sample with hot melt adhesive, in the experimental paper sample, near the polypropylene film, micropores are filled with a polymer adhesive solution. Elemental analysis of torn layers of laminated paper shows the presence of polymer adhesive in the micropores of the paper layer. The adhesive strength between layers of laminated paper is 20 % higher, and the penetration force is 40 % greater than that of the industrial sample.
Plant dyes are increasingly finding applications across a broad spectrum of print technologies, leading to replace- ment of conventional synthetic dyes and pigmented inks for a range of print media. Despite technical advances, industrial application faces some fundamental challenges of achieving the necessary critical print properties demanded when using such dyes. These include maintaining runnability, colour definition and fastness while retain- ing functional stability, the latter being particularly challenging since many prints are based on digital patterning adopting inkjet or flexographic methods. This study explores the fundamental interactions between an example pure dye ink, derived from Aronia melanocarpa, a member of the family Rosaceae commonly known as chokeberry, and specific substrate filler and coating components. Key interactive factors include ink formulation, the nature of dye chemistry in relation to substrate structure, its optical properties and constituent components. The acidity of the juice-based ink is mainly dependent on the amount of anthocyanin (ANC), a water-soluble phytochemical plant protective flavonoid, occurring together with other phenolic compounds. Novel experiments are reported in which interactive substrate components are isolated and studied directly in contact with the naturally acidic antho- cyanin-rich ink. Coloration of the dye is confirmed to be pH-dependent, and, as a result, major challenges arise when acidic ink contacts alkaline substrate, which covers the majority of paper, board and cellulose-based pack- aging materials today, due to the dominance of calcium carbonate as the filler and coating pigment of choice. In parallel, dye imbibed into substrate pores surrounded by materials of contrasting refractive index lead to effective colour gamut changes as the ratio of transmitted light through dye and scattered light from surrounding materials changes. This effect is exemplified comparing high refractive index titanium dioxide (TiO2) versus lower refractive index calcium carbonate (CaCO3). Finally, a strategy is proposed aimed at controlling the interaction and enhancing the overall printing performance.
The article presents a mathematical model of imprint formation in gravure printing on cardboard substrates. The focus is on ensuring imprint quality by balancing interactions between the structural subsystems of the printing press, specifically the plate cylinder, ink, printing system, and substrate. Using mathematical models, the behavior of the printing substrate and printing plate elements system is investigated by determining the stress-strain state of the contacting elements during imprint formation. The study describes the ink transfer process from the gravure printing plate to the substrate, considering factors such as substrate weight and structure, technical characteristics of the printing press, and its structural subsystems. The method for calculating printing pressure is also examined. At higher printing speeds and pressures, cylinder coatings can be damaged, leading to overheating and cracking, which necessitates cylinder cooling. Increased press width requires greater pressure to achieve the desired con- tact area, causing cylinder deflection and uneven pressure distribution, affecting image quality and color matching. Morphological analysis confirmed the significant influence of the printing and inking systems of web-fed gravure presses on pressure distribution in the printing zone. The stress-strain state of objects in direct contact is a key fac- tor in imprint quality. Therefore, studying the micromechanics of contacting surfaces during printing is crucial for high-quality images. Mathematical modeling allows calculation and control of the load in the contact zone between the substrate and ink-filled printing elements, ensuring the quality of gravure imprints on various materials.
Organisational resilience has gained significant prominence as a result of unprecedented shocks in the corporate marketplace, where print and media enterprises are particularly vulnerable. Therefore, print and media enterprises are required to develop organisational resilience strategically, focusing on fostering business resilience. In this context, the theory of dynamic capability offers a framework for print and media enterprise leaders to navigate capabilities toward potential opportunities. This research provides an extensive framework to examine the relationship between organisational resilience and dynamic capability. Primary data were gathered from 300 print and media enterprise leaders in Sri Lanka using a structured questionnaire. The data was analysed using SPSS and AMOS. The findings indicate that a well-combined set of dynamic capabilities, centered around seizing new opportunities, has a significant effect on improving company resilience in the PME sector. Moreover, strategic orientation plays a significant role as a mediator between dynamic capability and organisational resilience. A key finding of this study further reveals that company characteristics and market conditions also have a considerable effect on fostering organisational resilience. The study suggests that older print and media enterprises must adopt a more strategic orientation and reforms must be implemented to enhance company resilience in the print and media industry in Sri Lanka.
The reconstruction of spectral reflectance from RGB triplets created by digital cameras is a topic of great interest. Different approaches dealing with this topic have been published. In the recent years, most approaches utilize neural networks. These approaches mainly differ in the chosen network architecture, the way of obtaining the dataset and the used hardware. While the most approaches aim for generalized applicability on a wide range of spectra, this paper aims for applicability on a limited set of spectra given by a typical use case of the printing industry. In this paper a neural network was trained to predict the spectral reflectance of prints. Therefore, 10 800 color patches were printed, measured by a spectrophotometer and captured by an RGB camera under different light sources generated with a DLP projector. The performance of the trained network was tested by determining the CIEDE2000 color dif- ference as well as the mean squared error between the predicted and the measured spectral reflectance. The dataset was systematically reduced to examine how the number of color patches and light sources used for training influ- ences the performance of a network. This paper shows that a network performed best when confronted with prints printed on the same substrate using the same color management settings as the dataset used for training. Training a network with multiple datasets on different substrates increased the generalization of a network, but decreased the performance compared to a network trained with a single combination of substrate and color management settings. Reducing the number of color patches as well as reducing the number of light sources influenced the performance of a network negatively, but still leads to decent results.
Generative artificial intelligence (AI) systems are changing the landscape of communication in every capacity. This is seen in written, oral, and visual methods of communication. For educational degree programs such as graphic communication programs, like those found at Clemson and Cal Poly, this is a difficult technology advancement to navigate. Previously, these programs have been a home for creative students' hopeful to pursue a career in a science and creative communication field within the printing or digital media industries. New technology integrating into the classroom daily such as Chat GPT, Adobe Firefly, and Midjourney are quickly changing the education landscape. This leaves students and educators left to answer the questions of how to adapt these new technologies into the classroom and if it should be part of a formal education program. The first step in making these informed decisions is to better understand the attitudes, apprehensions, and level of comfort of students in Clemson and Cal Poly degree programs toward generative AI systems. To collect metrics on these attitudes, a five-point Likert Scale survey that was distributed to students enrolled in Clemson and Cal Poly graphic communication programs has been formulated. The data collected provided clarity that students have a high level of ethical apprehension toward generative AI systems despite adopting the technology in their everyday lives. In addition, the data results provided clarity that students, regardless of class standing, have a high level of fear surrounding job security and the impact that generative Artificial Intelligence will have on the communication job market post-graduation.
This study provides a holistic overview of integrated technologies, covering examples such as automation, artificial intelligence (AI), the internet of things (IoT), big data (BD), machine learning (ML), and extended reality (XR) and their applications within the graphic communications industry. By leveraging a systematic literature review utilizing both quantitative and qualitative publications, this study aims to answer the following question: " In the graphic communications industry, do the implementations of integrated technologies have an impact on the quality of performance of organizations and the users who have adopted them in the previous 10 years ?". Identified publications are selected in order to contain a variety of different perspectives from a multitude of authors to make it clear that new approaches containing unprecedented use of integrated technologies are bringing continuous development and change, both positive and negative. They will reshape our current approach to technology in the graphic communications industry and will therefore transform the way lives are lived. A pilot study was conducted by Syeda and El Asaleh in 2022 about the integrated technologies available in the graphic communications industry. This study expands on previously existing research, now encompassing a more in-depth analysis to continue to shed light on existing implementation. These new opportunities and existing limitations will aid in determining the path the future of the graphic communications industry will take in the revolution of Industry 5.0. This paper is part of ongoing research at The Creative School of Toronto Metropolitan University (Formerly known as Ryerson). It will serve as a basis on which further research will be conducted, as the topic is one that is often neglected and overlooked within the field of graphic communications.
As leaders in the consumer goods industry embrace compostable flexible packaging, the challenge lies in maintaining the fidelity of the design colors printed on it. When printing transparent flexible substrates, a white ink underlayer is necessary to reproduce saturated colors. Nevertheless, to comply with American and European compostability standards, white ink coating weight (Ctg Wt) cannot exceed 1 % of the total weight of the package, a limitation that restricts the amount of white ink used in reverse printed compostable packaging to as little as 25 % of the Ctg Wt used today. The objective of this study is to investigate the influence of background color, design color, and Ctg Wt on resulting design color deviations (Delta E 00 ). A supermarket survey was conducted to identify problematic design and background colors used in retail packages. The supermarket survey confirmed that maintaining the fidelity of design colors on reverse printed flexible packages is a problem, even for packages using today's standard Ctg Wt. The survey identified 91 collation packages where design color fidelity was compromised by the background color. For these packages, blue (in 40 % of the packages), black (in 34 %), and red/brown (in 14 %) were the most commonly encountered background colors. The most commonly compromised design colors were white (41 %), yellow (15 %), green (11 %), orange (11 %), and red (9 %). To analyze the influence of background color, design color, and Ctg Wt on design color deviations (Delta E 00 ), a designed experiment (DOE) was conducted. The DOE explored the relationship between design color deviations and six levels of background color, six levels of design color, and two levels of Ctg Wt. The DOE showed that all three main effects (background color, design color, Ctg Wt) are significant at the .001 level. The DOE also showed that all of the interactions (three two-way interactions and one three-way interaction) are significant at the 0.05 level. After adjusting for the number of degrees of freedom, Ctg Wt had the most pronounced influence on design color deviations (Delta E 00 ), followed by design color, and, more distantly, by the background. The strongest interaction was shown to be design color cross background color. Finally, the psychophysical causes of this interaction were identified for several design color cross background color pairs (e.g. yellow design color cross bright red background color).
Optical density measurements are critical for process control and quality assurance during print production. Use of scanners and cameras for color correction and colorimetric measurements have been reported earlier in literature. This paper presents a procedure for using a scanner as a densitometer. Density of printed patches were calculated using the pixel intensity values obtained from scanning a test target. Optical density was measured simultaneously from a densitometer and also computed from the L* measurements for the same patches. Four regression algorithms were used for modeling the behavior of the scanner using these two models. The models were tested and validated. The accuracy and performance of these models were compared. Results convey that the scanner can indeed be used for taking densitometric measurements obtained from the L*, under the presented method.
Projection mapping has emerged as a compelling new medium, experiencing continual growth due to technological innovations across diverse fields, including medicine, communication, and science. Consequently, the volume of articles addressing technological advancements in projection mapping has surged over the past two decades. This article conducts a comprehensive bibliometric analysis on projection mapping technology, employing statistical and publication characteristic analyses to offer insights into research progress and trends spanning from 2003 to 2022. The results, based on 440 documents ( journal articles, conference papers, book chapters, conference reviews, reviews, and books) retrieved from the Scopus database on February 9, 2023, indicate a consistent increase in publications on projection mapping technology, although research remains somewhat limited. Utilizing VOSviewer, Microsoft Excel, and Tableau Public, the bibliometric analysis unveils notable authors in the field, highlighting metrics such as the number of citations, country productivity, and key periodicals publishing projection mapping technology content. Iwai, D., from Osaka University emerges as the most prolific author on projection mapping technology, while Ishikawa, M., stands out as the researcher with the highest citation frequency. Japan is identified as the most productive and cited country of origin for researchers in this domain. Notably, "IEEE Transactions on Visualization and Computer Graphics" holds significant influence, having the highest citation count and serving as a vital reference source. Empirical researchers can leverage articles from this journal to track the evolving research topics in projection mapping technology year by year.
Earlier research demonstrated the dependence of 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTES) wetting properties on cleaning, functionalization, and post-treatment processes on oxide surfaces, e.g., glass surfaces or Si wafer surfaces, but not on float glass surfaces. Also, oxide glass surfaces were functionalized by different silanes and were applied with ultraviolet (UV) radiation-curable inks or adhesives. The resulting adhesion forces differed depending on the silane and the UV-curable ink or adhesive used. The chemical diversity of silanes leads to different surface energy on glass surfaces and was used to gain further insights into a correlation between wetting properties and the resulting adhesion forces. This work investigates the suitability of dynamic contact angle measurement (DCA) for indicating adhesion forces via contact angle hysteresis and the resulting drop age. Two types of test fluids (diiodomethane and water) are applied on hydrophilic float glass surfaces (air side and tin side) and on a hydrophobic PE foil surface. The functionalization of glass substrates is realised by reproducible vapour and solution deposition of APTES, which results in different wetting properties of float glass surfaces. The investigations are complemented by static contact angle measurements of different test fluids, and the appropriate surface energies are evaluated via the Owens, Wendt, Rabel, and Kaelble method. The polar and non-polar surfaces are clearly differentiable by contact angle hysteresis and drop age. The DCA results of the hydrophilic float glass surfaces and the hydrophobic PE foil surface confirm the suitability of using the DCA parameters hysteresis and drop age for indicating adhesion forces on functionalized float glass surfaces. The hysteresis and drop age of assumed completely APTES-functionalized float glass surfaces confirm the suitability of the DCA measurement for indicating adhesion forces, too. The test fluid diiodomethane is suitable for indicating adhesion forces on the air side of the float glass, and the test fluid water is suitable for indicating adhesion forces on the tin side of the float glass. With the increased water contact angle, the hysteresis and drop age increased using the polar test fluid water. This does not support the polarity theory of de Bruyne. By using the non-polar test fluid diiodomethane, the hysteresis and drop age decrease with increasing contact angle and also do not support the adhesion theory of de Bryne. The research results show a way of indicating the adhesion forces of different functionalized float glass surfaces, by using only one silane, and serves as a pre-step for better understanding of e.g. UV- ink adhesion forces dependent on glass surface wetting properties.
Taxonomies are a formal method of semantically structuring information using hierarchically ordered concepts. Those play a crucial role in omni-channel retailing to publish product catalogs across media channels, i.e. digital (portal-based, paper-based) media channels, and print media (paper-based) media channels. Portal-based media channels use taxonomies to structure product-related content by concepts to facilitate customers navigate through the e-commerce site. That are the product categories. Paper-based media channels require taxonomies for automatic layout setting using data-driven publishing software. When recommender systems are additionally used, products are published individually on the e-commerce site. Printed product catalogs, on the other hand, currently only display content regardless of dynamic preferences, unless the layout is set manually. That is, as in an industrial context, personalization is of no interest if the necessary processes cannot be automated. The only recent industrially relevant method of taking preferences into account is to print sub-catalogs. However, these only contain certain product categories, resulting in a loss of information and sales, as preferences change dynamically today. With TaxoCatalog, an expert system is presented in this paper, capable of semantically personalizing product taxonomies to layout printed product catalogs according to the dynamic preferences of customers. The proposed expert system considers three layers to achieve full automation of relevant processes. The first layer uses background knowledge to consider a memory-based analysis of preferences, and a content-based analysis of possible semantic modifications. The second layer infers semantically personalized taxonomies using different modification rules. The third layer transforms the individual taxonomy paths into XML. This allows that the output of TaxoCatalog can be processed by any standard data-driven publishing software for automatic layout setting. A case study and a comprehensive evaluation, which discusses the strengths and limitations of previous research in the field, as well as the expert system in terms of quantitative and qualitative criteria, underline the efficiency of TaxoCatalog.
Nowadays offset printing method is actively used in modern printing houses for printing graphic arts products, and makes it possible to obtain large print runs of high-quality full-color images. Offset printing technology allows to automate a large number of processes and due to this get a low cost of production, and equipment utilization rate. The purpose of this research is to create a scientific basis for structural and mathematical modeling of the inking apparatus of an offset printing machine. To achieve this goal, a discrete model of the ink apparatus was built as a control object associated with the movement and ink flow of the printing process, and the research results were summarized in the form of a mathematical model. Also, a methodology for the distribution of ink layers in the inking apparatus was developed. The inking apparatus is considered a dynamic system formed by a set of rollers and cylinders. The discrete model is based on the actual movement pattern of ink layers, considered as a directed graph. The sections of the trajectory of the ink layer movement are considered as arcs of the graph, and the contact points of rollers are considered as nodes of the graph, which correspond to the thickness of the ink layer for certain nodes and discrete moments of time. The necessary mathematical basis for computer modeling of an inking apparatus of complex structure has been created. The process of dividing the ink layer was described using difference equations. For computer implementation, based on the Gauss method of numerical solution of the systems of linear algebraic equations, software has been developed using the Visual Basic program, which allows to determine the divisions and thickness of the ink layer on the surfaces of the elements of the inking system. The discrete model with the help of difference equations describes the discrete process of division of the ink layer taking into account the time of displacement of the layer on the surfaces of rollers and cylinders. The result of modeling is cyclic processes of ink layer division, generalized in the form of dynamic characteristics. The extension of the proposed methodology to the inking apparatus of complex structure makes it possible to apply this methodology to the study of the inking apparatus of different designs.
