Comments on: The topsy-turvy world of inkjet printing http://www.lornitropia.net/archives/2008/04/18/the-topsy-turvy-world-of-inkjet-printing/ Lor•ni•tro•pi•a (lôrn i trō΄ pēa), 1. The state of being engrossed in gathering and disseminating knowledge on a particularly interesting subject. Fri, 10 Oct 2008 23:55:54 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.2 By: Erik Nikkanen http://www.lornitropia.net/archives/2008/04/18/the-topsy-turvy-world-of-inkjet-printing/#comment-113921 Erik Nikkanen Sat, 26 Apr 2008 12:51:45 +0000 http://www.lornitropia.net/?p=414#comment-113921 Steve, There is an interesting and related article by Andy McCourt on the Australian Print21online web site. It discusses the problems of resale value of digital presses. The link is below. http://www.print21online.com/news-archive/digital-press-resale-values-time-for-change-andy-mccourt-s-commentary/ What is common in the computerized/electronics industry is the rapid obsoleting of past technology. On the other hand, printing presses do not get obsoleted quickly. They tend to get slowly refined. In this shrinking print market, developing technology that obsoletes competitive technology would be one of the only paths for press manufacturers to grow. Unfortunately, the press design industry has not been so good at this because of a lack of knowledge and this has resulted in interesting concepts (DI, Karat, Cortina, Anicolor, Single Fluid Ink (Goss) etc.), but ones that do not actually meet the desired goals and therefore a lot of resources are wasted. It also makes the press manufacturers "gun shy" because if one fails too often, then one does not really want to try too hard and stick one's neck out too far again. There are big opportunities for press manufacturers if things are done right. In my mind, it is becoming more clear that ink jet can have a hard time displacing offset. Steve,
There is an interesting and related article by Andy McCourt on the Australian Print21online web site. It discusses the problems of resale value of digital presses. The link is below.

http://www.print21online.com/news-archive/digital-press-resale-values-time-for-change-andy-mccourt-s-commentary/

What is common in the computerized/electronics industry is the rapid obsoleting of past technology. On the other hand, printing presses do not get obsoleted quickly. They tend to get slowly refined.

In this shrinking print market, developing technology that obsoletes competitive technology would be one of the only paths for press manufacturers to grow. Unfortunately, the press design industry has not been so good at this because of a lack of knowledge and this has resulted in interesting concepts (DI, Karat, Cortina, Anicolor, Single Fluid Ink (Goss) etc.), but ones that do not actually meet the desired goals and therefore a lot of resources are wasted. It also makes the press manufacturers “gun shy” because if one fails too often, then one does not really want to try too hard and stick one’s neck out too far again.

There are big opportunities for press manufacturers if things are done right. In my mind, it is becoming more clear that ink jet can have a hard time displacing offset.

]]> By: Erik Nikkanen http://www.lornitropia.net/archives/2008/04/18/the-topsy-turvy-world-of-inkjet-printing/#comment-113024 Erik Nikkanen Fri, 18 Apr 2008 23:06:02 +0000 http://www.lornitropia.net/?p=414#comment-113024 I would disagree with the idea that ink jet will replace offset when talking about non variable printing. Yes ink jet presses will get better but there is also great potential for offset to improve. In many ways, offset is quite simple. You squeeze ink between rollers. Not very high tech there and also there is nothing wrong with this. It is very economical. The offset lithographic process has suffered for decades because the closed minded industry does not allow, if it can help it, outside help. It thinks it knows better but in fact the industry does not understand its own processes. There is no reason why a large web press can not get to colour in 50 impressions and then continue to run consistently. All that is needed is for the system to be design to allow this. Even most existing web presses could be modified to do this. But to design a system one has to understand what the rules are that govern the process and this is where the graphic arts community has no idea of what the rules are. They just keep saying, year after year, that the process has so many variables that it can't be understood. This is foolish. When any new idea is presented it is rejected out of hand because it does not fit with some faulty existing view of the process. Offset has a strong future because to design it to perform better actually results in simpler technologies. This will result in improved reliability and lower costs. On the other hand, ink jet is complicated and anything so complicated will not be as reliable and may not even be serviceable or supportable. This is especially true if the technology is replaced by the next generation. I would disagree with the idea that ink jet will replace offset when talking about non variable printing. Yes ink jet presses will get better but there is also great potential for offset to improve.

In many ways, offset is quite simple. You squeeze ink between rollers. Not very high tech there and also there is nothing wrong with this. It is very economical.

The offset lithographic process has suffered for decades because the closed minded industry does not allow, if it can help it, outside help. It thinks it knows better but in fact the industry does not understand its own processes.

There is no reason why a large web press can not get to colour in 50 impressions and then continue to run consistently. All that is needed is for the system to be design to allow this. Even most existing web presses could be modified to do this.

But to design a system one has to understand what the rules are that govern the process and this is where the graphic arts community has no idea of what the rules are. They just keep saying, year after year, that the process has so many variables that it can’t be understood. This is foolish.

When any new idea is presented it is rejected out of hand because it does not fit with some faulty existing view of the process.

Offset has a strong future because to design it to perform better actually results in simpler technologies. This will result in improved reliability and lower costs. On the other hand, ink jet is complicated and anything so complicated will not be as reliable and may not even be serviceable or supportable. This is especially true if the technology is replaced by the next generation.

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