The weekly Verdigris blog by Laurel Brunner
A revolutionary inkjet printhead under development in the San Fernando Valley, USA is expected to completely upend the graphics industry. It will cut the cost on printed matter dramatically and create unprecedented new business opportunities. The new head, now in beta testing, creates printed matter that is substrate independent. The technology uses triple cavity wall speckles and a special radiating ink to created print that requires no carrier medium. It is expected to devastate the pulp and paper industry.
Based on the principles of brachiopodist hingeing, the Airtech inkjet printhead uses a special self-modulating intelligent ink to render absolutely accurate colour data. Intelligent particles calculate colour appearance according to the viewing environment and compounding factors such as backlighting and metameric fantasies.
Airtech will be introduced in the coming weeks and will be sold on an OEM basis. Leading printing system developers have confirmed plans to present products based on Airtech at the forthcoming drupa online show. This technology is expected to be the foundation of the next generation printing systems in all areas of the graphics industry, with the obvious exception of packaging. The drop-on-demand ink jetting system comprises a dedicated series of inkjet printheads that deliver water or volatile solvents to an airborne matrix based on compounds of 78% nitrogen and 21% oxygen, plus carbon dioxide and limited amounts of water vapour.
The head has an innovative multivalenced chamber with five inlet valves and an indefinite range of hinged revitulating outlet risers. It can be used in inkjet printing presses to produce the equivalent of printed sheets, however no physical substrates are required. The printed “sheets” can be stacked in a conventional stacker and require no finishing since there is no actual material to cut, trim, fold or stitch. There is also no need for dedicated coating systems as all elements of the print data can be controlled using the Airtech heads.
In early trials users have embraced prints produced with Airtech on the basis of their convenience and lightness, flexibility and easy storage. They are also thrilled that the environmental impact of these on demand printed products is virtually nil thanks to the organic radiative evaporative inks.
The paper industry has dismissed the Airtech technology on the basis that no scientist can be allowed to pose an existential threat to its business. Wayne Kerrera, liaison officer for the industries declining leaders said “the Airtech device is all just hot air, printed hot air but hot air even so”.
– Laurel Brunner
This article was produced by the Verdigris Project, an industry initiative intended to raise awareness of print’s positive environmental impact. This weekly commentary helps printing companies keep up to date with environmental standards, and how environmentally friendly business management can help improve their bottom lines. Verdigris is supported by the following companies: Agfa Graphics, EFI, Fespa, Fujifilm, HP, Kodak, Miraclon, Ricoh, Spindrift, Splash PR, Unity Publishingand Xeikon.
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