The Evolution Of Digital Printing

The Evolution Of Digital Printing

August 19, 2011 at 8:27 AM

Not too long ago, if you wanted something printed, you would have needed access to all sorts of large equipment. From printing presses and vats of ink to large spools of paper material, printing something was no small task and certainly not something to be attempted by any layman. Fortunately, times have changed, and it’s now possible to print nearly anything from nearly anywhere thanks to the miracle of digital printing. The key difference between digital printing and other traditional methods is that in digital printing, no printing plates are used. This makes the whole process quicker and more inexpensive. Instead, digital printing utilizes inkjet and laser printers to impress pigments or toners onto a variety of materials from cloth to metal. This technology is used professionally, but is also easily available to any consumer off the street. The accessibility of digital printing is a huge reason for its success. There are two key types of digital printing: inkjet and laser. Inkjet printing was probably the first major development in the digital printing world. This method uses dye-based inks which can then be deposited onto a wide array of materials (various types of paper, canvas, and parchment mediums). Laser printing is a newer development, and a different vein of technology entirely. This method uses genuine, light-sensitive paper for photography and generally must be processed in a photography development studio. Lasers expose digital images onto this photographic paper and create a clean, archival quality print with hardly any flaws or noticeable detail distortion. Because of the incredible quality of this method of digital printing, laser printing is considered the best possible method for photographers and large format prints. Because of its evolved technology, digital printing offers incredible benefits over traditional printing methods. Digital printing is inexpensive, easily accessible, and easy to understand. There is a wealth of information available for those who are interested in utilizing digital printing. Because of its accessibility, digital printing has opened the printing world to consumers. An industry which was once only open to trained artisans has now been shared with the general public. Digital printing has also made a major impact on the photography industry. Without digital tools, photographers had to simply work with the shots that they had. Now with new technology, artists can retouch, modify, and edit their photographs before the printing process has even begun. Gone are the days of lingering in a high-school darkroom, hoping that a roll of film yields some worthwhile content. Thanks to the digital realm, photography has grown by leaps and bounds. Digital printing is the new frontier for content creation, and thanks to its advent, millions can share in the joy of printed work. If you’re seeking professional digital printing Perth, trust Clockwork Print. They’ll ensure you job is done right the first time, on time.

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Some call it 3D printing, others refer to the process by its generic name, stereo lithography. And while auto makers are using the process, so are other industries like medical and the movie industry.
Per its press release dated April 13 from Rehovot, Israel, Objet Geometries Ltd. is the innovation leader in 3D printing for rapid prototyping and additive manufacturing, because it owns more than 50 patents and patent pending inventions. Founded in 1998, Objet serves its growing global customer base, though, through offices in USA, Mexico, Europe, Japan, China and Hong Kong, and a global network of distribution partners.


The company provides 3-dimensional printing systems that enable manufacturers and industrial designers to reduce cost of product development and dramatically shorten time-to-market of new products. No doubt, their presence at SAE is their way making themselves known better to automakers.
And while companies like GM, Ford and Chrysler tout they have SLA equipment, how many can produce a two-piece assembly like a shifter knob with a hard substrate under a soft rubber-like material? Fact is, Objet can.

With the major automakers needing to reduce development time, you can see where rapid prototyping is a major tool in its product development processes. As a former design engineer once assigned to the GM Studio, I concur that the very presence of this technology in the auto industry has literally exploded. Now with new materials being introduced all the time, the process and capabilities are getting better.
That is why Objet’s announcement of new materials at SAE 2011 World Congress is such a win for the company and the industry. Again, stereolithography has been around for some time, but it is the availability of new materials that are now taking center stage.

Objet now touts the commercial availability of three new advanced materials:
a new ABS-like Digital Material (RGD5160-DM),
a new clear transparent material (Objet VeroClear), and
a new addition to the Objet Vero family; the Objet VeroWhitePlus.
With these new additions, the number of Objet 3D printing materials is brought to a total of 65, including 51 composite materials (Digital Materials), for a wide range of rapid prototyping purposes, covering from realistic product visualization all the way to advanced functional verification.

The Objet ABS-like Digital Material is a high-impact (65-80J/m or 1.22-1.50 ft lb/in), high-temperature-resistant (65°C or 149°F and after thermal post treatment 90°C or 194°F) material ideal for manufacturers and engineers looking to functionally simulate products made of ABS-grade engineering plastics, including snap-fit parts, durable and movable parts and products requiring drop-testing.
The Objet Clear material provides clear optical and visual transparency combined with great dimensional stability enabling designers to simulate PMMA in glass-like applications such as lighting cases, lenses and cosmetics containers.

The Objet VeroWhitePlus all-round general purpose material that was recently released for Objet's desktop family 3D printers is now available for the Objet Eden professional line of 3D printers and the Objet Connex line of multi-material 3D printers. The Objet VeroWhitePlus is ideal for fit and form testing for a wide range of industries and for validating model design.
When asked about availability, Objet makes it clear that not all released materials are currently available for all platforms/systems. Objet will update its website further as releases become available and/or compatible with specific platforms/systems.

About New Age Learning
New Age Learning provides interactive learning technology to K-12 schools, universities, museums, and corporate training centers nationwide. With products like interactive whiteboards, Promethean ActivClassroom, projectors, 3D printers, learner/audience response systems (LRS), document cameras and a host of business presentation tools, we are not just installing, but effectively training and maintaining systems for our clients. Everything we provide gets used to its fullest potential and we remain in close contact with customers to ensure that. We don’t just sell technology; we make it work for you.