Column
What’s next for large-format opportunities?
Peter Dulis
Applications and volumes continue to grow, but which is right for you?
No matter where we go today, wide-format printing surrounds
us. It drives growth in all sectors of the business landscape.
The beauty of inkjet large-format printing is that it provides
mass-customization and just-in-time printing with the option
of doing long or short print runs. But the key to higher profit
margins is to have an efficient workflow where one operator
can run many devices, and where colour management, nest-
ing/tiling, and managing job output can be automated.
According to U.S. research firm Keypoint Intelligence, the
global value of digital print shipments and services will grow
from just under $50 billion in 1989 to an expected $270 billion
in 2020. So which large-format printing technology is right
for you? Well it depends on your application.
AQUEOUS PRINTING
Aqueous-based large-format printers still have the largest
share of the volume by units sold in North America. The image
quality is excellent and the initial investment needed is very
low. The cons are higher running costs and media that are
limited mainly to indoor usage. Manufacturers include Canon,
Epson and HP.
SINGLE-PASS AQUEOUS
Single-pass aqueous printing, from suppliers like Memjet, has
been gaining popularity with higher-volume accounts. Speed
is the main advantage, but the cons are image durability,
media selection and image quality. Manufacturers include
Canon-Oce, HP, and Xerox. According to Keypoint Intelli-
gence, banners, posters, POP, and sign graphics represent
80% of the volume. There seems to be a shift out of technical
usage to graphics production by many of the repro houses
still around. Single-pass large-format printers are being repur-
posed to suit newer needs, such as photo, canvas, floor
graphics (with laminate), etc.
LATEX PRINTING
Latex has grown in popularity over the years. There is a low
initial investment and a good variety of media to print on. The
con is the power consumption. HP printers use thermal print
heads that generally have larger dot size and faster print
speed. The piezo print heads that Ricoh and Mimaki use are
slower but offer higher resolution. Latex printers can be used
with a wide range of media such as paper and vinyl, as well
as textile media.
UV-CURABLE
The UV-curable market has been growing due to direct-to-
substrate printing. You can image foam core and sintra, wood
or acrylic, glass, cell phone covers or print on corrugated
packaging – the applications are endless. UV is the most
versatile wide-format inkjet category out there. The cons are
a higher initial investment and the space that’s needed. Manu-
facturers include Canon-Oce, HP, EFI, Durst, Mimaki and
Roland. Canon-Oce has the highest concentration of UV
printers of all the vendors.
DYE-SUB
A dye-sublimation printer uses heat to transfer dye onto
materials such as a plastic, card, paper, or fabric. Durability
and quality are good but cons are that specialized equipment
is required and outdoor durability is not good. Manufacturers
include Mimaki, Epson, Mutoh, VARS.
UV-GEL
Canon-Oce has introduced a new printing technology called
the Colorado 1640 - creating a unique printing category. Gel
inks offer the lowest UV ink deposition and running costs,
with about 40% savings. A unique form factor mimics single-
pass aqueous PageWide but with higher-quality images. Print
speeds are increased by 60% by using opposing gantries for
printing and curing. A very novel concept and one to keep an
eye on.
Emerging Wide-Format Applications
Soft signage is still set for continued growth as consumers
like the look and feel of graphics on fabrics. Backlit fabric
applications have become very popular but finishing and
sewing need to be considered as finishing solutions. Emerging
wide-format decorative applications will also grow to include
glass, tile, laminates, décor and customized apparel. Value
added services can include design services, CNC routing,
interactive displays, installation and augmented reality. Wide-
format placements are poised to grow by 6% CAGR from 2016
to 2021.
If you are not already enjoying the extra revenue from wide-
format printing, perhaps it’s time to take a look.
ECO-SOLVENT and SOLVENT
This technology has been around for a while and offers a low
initial investment and a good variety of media to print on with
good image quality. The cons are speed, and more import-
antly, environmental concerns. Manufacturers include Agfa,
Roland, Mimaki, Mutoh, and Epson.
30 | February 2018 | GRAPHIC ARTS MAGAZINE
Peter Dulis
Wide Format Printing Specialist
[email protected]
graphicartsmag.com