Seeing 3D printing in perspective

3D printing has been around for quite some time and it has been cited as one of the fasted growing areas in the digital printing industry. With the outbreak of the Covid 19 pandemic, 3D printing became an invaluable tool for the design and manufacture of PPE, as Philip Yorke reports.

In September 2016, “Ghost Busters” buses carried the iconic ‘No-Ghost’ Logo using 3D print across the US. Each print measuring 4.30 meters in height. Recently FESPA researched the most popular 3D printers and technologies, excerpts of which are published here for the benefit of our SPN reader’s, courtesy of Sonja Angerer FESPA.

In recent years, many digital 3D printing companies spent a great deal of time and money exploring the potential of 3D printing. FESPA is a global federation of 37 national associations for the screen printing, digital printing and textile printing community.

The federation carries out regular research into market trends and opportunities, and in 2019 listed the top 20 3D prints for that year. At the beginning of 2020 when COVID-19 started to emerge globally, 3D printing technology was quickly employed to help save lives. Masks and visors were being 3D printed and it is this new technology that will most likely prove to be a life saver for printers post Covid.

“ At the beginning of 2020 when COVID-19 started to emerge globally, 3D printing technology was quickly employed to help save lives”

What market related reasons caused 3D printing technology not to be successful?

With shops, cinemas, theatres and trade shows closed in several countries, the main opportunities for 3D print applications have been halted until the pandemic situation improves. The technology industry is struggling to restore their supply chains, slowing down the development of new products. The latest 3D printers such as the new Mimaki 3DUJ-22, are much more affordable. Customers with a high demand for 3D prints are increasingly investing in their own printers. With the ongoing success of the construction industry, opportunities for outlets catering for the architectural design and real estate industry with 3D prints have flourished.

Many of these companies are not printers or repro shops but are model makers. Therefore, they have been part of the construction industry for a long time, which makes it easier to understand and to serve this market. However, this has made it harder for printers to get their foot into that particular door. Finally, there appears to be lack of attractive 3D content to print, as 3D print is not popular with everyone.

Looking to explore 3D printing?

For printers with pre-existing customers or for those looking to explore a new market, 3D printing still offers new business opportunities. Once the economy has recovered from COVID-19 these opportunities will be even more numerous, as the number of 3D printer suppliers may be low.

For other printers it may be beneficial to step back and rethink what 3D printing is and what it can provide. It is the art of creating items that previously only existed as digital data. However, this is not so different from other applications such as home décor or apparel print. While both lines of applications may require printers to change their industries, 3D printing offers end customers more unique and sustainably good products to buy. Online shopping has become the norm for customers where profound knowledge of online marketing tools still seem very much recommended.

Most printers should have most of the equipment they need to re-focus on apparel and home décor already available. Venturing into those industries therefore should require much less of an investment than buying a 3D printer, but just as much dedication! In looking at the big picture, SPN is confident that the opportunities created by the latest 3D printing technology will stimulate growth and innovative solutions for the industry for years to come.

In March 2020, during the first wave of the pandemic, parts of masks and other medical equipment were 3D printed

Photo: Isinnova

Siegwerk India

announces the launch of Mineral Oil-Free Ink

Throughout the world, companies are more committed than ever to promoting sustainability and the circular economy. This latest move is in line with Siegwerk’s commitment to offer safer more sustainable and eco-friendly inks and comes after the initiative to manufacture Toluene free inks.

Mineral Oil Aromatic Hydrocarbons (MOAH) can be considered as potential genotoxic carcinogens and can pose serious health issues including a risk of cancer for humans. Siegwerk is one of the leading global suppliers of printing inks for packaging applications and labels headquartered in Germany, has announced their decision to launch Mineral Oil free inks in India for packaging purposes.

The inks supplied by Siegwerk from its plant at Bhiwadi (Rajasthan) will not contain mineral oils as an intentionally added substance, that comprises of two fractions - Mineral oil saturated hydrocarbons (MOSH) and Mineral Oil Aromatic hydrocarbons (MOAH). Over the last 3 years, Siegwerk had taken up the pioneering initiative to remove the usage of another harmful substance, Toluene from its manufacturing process. While announcing the launch of the mineral oil-free ink, Mr. Ashish Pradhan, President of Siegwerk India and Greater China said, “Although the extent of impact on foodstuff is undetermined by the migration of mineral oil from the packaging, research shows that Mineral oil saturated hydrocarbons (MOSH) and Mineral oil aromatic hydrocarbons (MOAH) chemicals are likely to be easily absorbed by different tissues in humans. Siegwerk champions the use of Toluene free inks in India and now Siegwerk intends to offer mineral oil free inks only, thereby raising the bar on packaging safety and offering further advancements in terms of consumer safety”.

Pradhan added, “We understand the importance of safe packaging and are committed to providing safe inks for all kind of applications and hence our decision on a Mineral oil -free operation in India. Our commitment will not only further improve the end-consumer’s safety, but also environmental safety, as we will not contribute anymore to the presence of mineral oils in the recycled stream”.

“ We understand the importance of safe packaging and are committed to providing safe inks”

The true value of printing inks

Take a look around your office and what do you see? A calendar on your wall. A newspaper on the table. That beautiful wallpaper you spent hours choosing. A carton of fruit juice. The latest novel you’re reading. Magazines, the holiday brochure for next year’s vacation, CDs, DVDs, a chocolate bar, your children’s school books. All the bright, colourful things in life depend on it, and we consume it without even noticing. Ink is the most important medium of communication, education and decoration in our society today.

In today’s marketplace, ink, clear varnishes and coatings that are used to protect printed images, have to deal with a huge variety of conditions and requirements. We need ink to print on thousands of different substrates, and it has to withstand extremes of temperatures, humidity and weather conditions, being handled without rubbing off, or deliberately coming off when needed.

In some of its more specialist applications ink conducts electricity, changes colour depending on temperature and helps protect against counterfeit and fraud. Nevertheless, the integrity of the printed image must always remain intact, as it is there to serve a purpose.

On food packaging for example it displays dietary information, or storage and handling instructions to reduce the chance of wasted produce. In its most serious role, ink educates and informs, updating us on world events and warning us of danger.

Ink also helps us to make life choices; which products to buy, what direction to travel in, what message to send our loved ones. In its most dramatic role it colours our lives and enhances a beautiful world for us to live in.

Tailor-made ink technology

Modern inks are developed to meet specific print technology requirements and consumer preferences. In order to serve these demands, there are more than one million individual ink formulations in use today.

These formulations are applied in all the different printing and/or coating processes; such as flexography, gravure, offset, screen, letterpress, non-impact printing and roller coating, and, depending on the process, they can be solvent-borne, water-borne, oleo-resinous or energy-curing (UV or electron beam) mixtures.

Since one single formulation can never meet all the possible technological and end use requirements - for example an ink that perfectly meets the high demands for printing a newspaper on very high speed presses, will not be suitable for printing on plastic carrier bags - the manufacturers have formulated solutions to suit almost every known requirement of a printing ink. SPN also believes that for all these reasons, inks and coatings which protect, educate and enhance the lives of every one of us should not be taken for granted, but should be celebrated and enjoyed.