Digital ceramic printing on glass

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Digital ceramic printing on glass is a technological development used for the application of imagery, pattern or text to the surface of flat glass. Like other printing on glass methods, it uses a form of printmaking. Digital ceramic printing on glass has allowed for new possibilities and improvements in flat glass decoration and treatment [1] such as high levels of customization, translucency and opacity control, light diffusion and transmission, ability to calculate solar heat gain co-efficiency, [1] electrical conductivity, slip resistance, and reduced occurences of bird collision.

Contents

History

Unlike paper or fabric, glass is nonabsorbent and transparent, so applying digital printing technology had to be adapted to overcome the challenges presented by the glass itself. Until 2007 the two main methods of printing on glass were silk screen printing and digital UV printing. Silk screen printing, where the ink is applied directly onto the surface of the glass through a mesh stencil, was patented in 1907. Screen printed transfers, where the image is transferred from a paper onto the glass, was patented in the 1930s by Johnson Mattey. Firing is necessary in both methods in order for the ink to be permanently infused with the glass. [2]

Printing on glass with UV pinning and curable inks came about almost 60 years later. In this method of printing, ultraviolet waves are applied on the inks, drying them to the glass. This method was the first to enable the digital printing on glass of any digital image including multi color and complex images. Since UV curable inks are not fused with the glass the same way ceramic inks are, the printed outcome lacks a level of durability necessary for certain projects, namely external applications for automotive glass and architectural glass. [3]

Process

Digital printing with ceramic inks, desirable for decorative, functional and environmental purposes, poses a new set of challenges addressed through technological innovations. At the most advanced level, digital glass printers, ceramic inks, and image processing software are fully integrated with one another and each contributes to the overall advancements in the digital printing on glass process. [4] The three part system allows for control and flexibility over the application of the ceramic inks. Transparency and levels of translucency and opacity can be precisely manipulated. There is a high level of control over color matching, and multiple colors can be printed simultaneously. Unlike screen printing, digital ceramic printing on glass does not require screens and the files are stored digitally making printing of all sizes and replacement of any panel simple, in high resolution, full color. [3]

When using ceramic frit based inks the glass is fired or tempered to fuse the inks with the glass. Due to the extreme temperatures of this process there is first a decomposition of organic additives and binders of the ink. Next there is a fusion of the frit to the substrate and pigments followed by the expulsion of voids to give a compacted structure. Lastly there is a formation of a surface with the desire properties. A successful firing of the glass and ceramic ink will result in a bubble free layer of constant thickness and homogeneous pigment dispersion within the glass.

Essential elements

Digital glass printer

The digital glass printer is a flatbed digital printer designed with print heads to jet ceramic inks directly onto the glass. [5] The glass remains stationary while only the printer carriage sweeps across the print table. A key feature of the printer is drop fixation in which ink droplets are dried immediately to prevent drop gain. The fixation of the ink enables a single pass of the print carriage even when printing multi layer and multi color files. The drop fixation makes inline double vision printing possible. Double vision is creating a different vision depending on which side of the glass is being viewed it is achieved by printing different graphics one on top of the other. An inline dryer was developed for real time drying to occur and to maximize factory space. A smooth color switching system in included so machine operators can easily shift between print jobs and increase throughput. The high resolution print quality - up to 720 dpi - and the precision of the printers allow glass processors to print anything from fine, sharp, small elements to complex full color images on glasses up to 3.3X18 meters in size. [4]

Digital ceramic inks

The inks used in digital printing on glass mimic the CMYK color model and are made of ceramic frit and inorganic pigments and elements. The development of inks is a highly controlled production process to remove any variability in the final product. The consistency in a replication of the inks results in high compatibility with the entire color palette of inks. The inks can therefore be digitally mixed and designers will know the precise outcome of the color every time. Printed glass panels can also be replaced when necessary without the risk of the new panels not matching the colors of the existing panels. The inks are also fully integrated with the machine and the image processing software meaning the development and the application of the inks required innovations both in science and technology. [4]


Image processing software

The image processing software bridges the glass printer and the inks and is also the design tool for preparing the graphic file for printing. The software is more than a photo raster; it calculates ink usage to control levels of translucency and opacity, to control color matching and mixing, and to compensate for different glass sizes and thicknesses. The precision and complexity of the calculations and measurements executed by the software allow designers can achieve their desired outcome. Digital ceramic printing on glass has expanded the options for printing on glass. UV and silk screen printing have limitations that digital printing overcomes. Digitally printed glass can be applied both to the interior and exterior surfaces, the most simple to complex graphic illustrations can be printed in the CMYK color model. [5]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Screen printing</span> Printing technique

Screen printing is a printing technique where a mesh is used to transfer ink onto a substrate, except in areas made impermeable to the ink by a blocking stencil. A blade or squeegee is moved across the screen in a "flood stroke" to fill the open mesh apertures with ink, and a reverse stroke then causes the screen to touch the substrate momentarily along a line of contact. This causes the ink to wet the substrate and be pulled out of the mesh apertures as the screen springs back after the blade has passed. One colour is printed at a time, so several screens can be used to produce a multi-coloured image or design.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Printmaking</span> Process of creating artworks by printing, normally on paper

Printmaking is the process of creating artworks by printing, normally on paper, but also on fabric, wood, metal, and other surfaces. "Traditional printmaking" normally covers only the process of creating prints using a hand processed technique, rather than a photographic reproduction of a visual artwork which would be printed using an electronic machine ; however, there is some cross-over between traditional and digital printmaking, including risograph.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">CMYK color model</span> Subtractive color model, used in color printing

The CMYK color model is a subtractive color model, based on the CMY color model, used in color printing, and is also used to describe the printing process itself. The abbreviation CMYK refers to the four ink plates used: cyan, magenta, yellow, and key (black).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Inkjet printing</span> Type of computer printing

Inkjet printing is a type of computer printing that recreates a digital image by propelling droplets of ink onto paper and plastic substrates. Inkjet printers were the most commonly used type of printer in 2008, and range from small inexpensive consumer models to expensive professional machines. By 2019, laser printers outsold inkjet printers by nearly a 2:1 ratio, 9.6% vs 5.1% of all computer peripherals.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dye-sublimation printing</span> Digital printing technology with wide color range

Dye-sublimation printing is a term that covers several distinct digital computer printing techniques that involve using heat to transfer dye onto a substrate.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Digital printing</span> Method of printing

Digital printing is a method of printing from a digital-based image directly to a variety of media. It usually refers to professional printing where small-run jobs from desktop publishing and other digital sources are printed using large-format and/or high-volume laser or inkjet printers.

Prepress is the term used in the printing and publishing industries for the processes and procedures that occur between the creation of a print layout and the final printing. The prepress process includes the preparation of artwork for press, media selection, proofing, quality control checks and the production of printing plates if required. The artwork is quite often provided by the customer as a print-ready PDF file created in desktop publishing.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Offset printing</span> Printing technique

Offset printing is a common printing technique in which the inked image is transferred from a plate to a rubber blanket and then to the printing surface. When used in combination with the lithographic process, which is based on the repulsion of oil and water, the offset technique employs a flat (planographic) image carrier. Ink rollers transfer ink to the image areas of the image carrier, while a water roller applies a water-based film to the non-image areas.

Hexachrome is a discontinued six-color printing process designed by Pantone. In addition to custom CMYK inks, Hexachrome uses orange and green inks to expand the color gamut for better color reproduction. It is therefore also known as a CMYKOG process.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Spot color</span> Type of ink or pigment used in printing

In offset printing, a spot color or solid color is any color generated by an ink that is printed using a single run, whereas a process color is produced by printing a series of dots of different colors.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Photogravure</span> Photographic printing technique

Photogravure is a process for printing photographs, also sometimes used for reproductive intaglio printmaking. It is a photo-mechanical process whereby a copper plate is grained and then coated with a light-sensitive gelatin tissue which had been exposed to a film positive, and then etched, resulting in a high quality intaglio plate that can reproduce detailed continuous tones of a photograph.

Color printing or colour printing is the reproduction of an image or text in color.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wide-format printer</span> Computer-controlled printing machine

Wide format printers are generally accepted to be any computer-controlled printing machines (printers) that support a maximum print roll width of between 18 and 100 inches. Printers with capacities over 100 in wide are considered super-wide or grand format. Wide-format printers are used to print banners, posters, trade show graphics, wallpaper, murals, backlit film (duratrans), vehicle image wraps, electronic circuit schematics, architectural drawings, construction plans, backdrops for theatrical and media sets, and any other large format artwork or signage. Wide-format printers usually employ some variant of inkjet or toner-based technology to produce the printed image; and are more economical than other print methods such as screen printing for most short-run print projects, depending on print size, run length, and the type of substrate or print medium. Wide-format printers are usually designed for printing onto a roll of print media that feeds incrementally during the print process, rather than onto individual sheets.

Vinyl banners are a form of banners made of vinyl. The most commonly used material is PVC. Most banners are now digitally printed on large format inkjet printers which are capable of printing a full color outdoor billboard on a single piece of material. They are used for outdoor advertising.

Flatbed digital printers, also known as flatbed printers or flatbed UV printers, are printers characterized by a flat surface upon which a material is placed to be printed on. Flatbed printers are capable of printing on a wide variety of materials such as photographic paper, film, cloth, plastic, pvc, acrylic, glass, ceramic, metal, wood, leather, etc.). Flatbed digital printers usually use UV curable inks made of acrylic monomers that are then exposed to strong UV-light to cure, or polymerize them. This process allows for printing on a wide variety of surfaces such as wood or canvas, carpet, tile, and even glass. The adjustable printing bed makes it possible to print on surfaces ranging in thickness from a sheet of paper often up to as much as several inches. Typically used for commercial applications, flatbed printing is often a substitute for screen-printing. Since no printing plates or silkscreens must be produced, digital printing technology allows shorter runs of signs to be produced economically. Many of the high-end flatbed printers allow for roll-feed, allowing for unattended printing.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Transfer paper</span> Type of paper

Transfer paper is used in textiles and arts and crafts projects. Transfer paper is a thin piece of paper coated with wax and pigment. Often, an ink-jet or other printer is used to print the image on the transfer paper. A heat press can transfer the image onto clothing, canvas, or other surface. Transfer paper is used in creating iron-ons. Transfer papers can also be used for the application of rhinestones to clothing and other arts and crafts projects.

Digital textile printing is described as any ink jet based method of printing colorants onto fabric. Most notably, digital textile printing is referred to when identifying either printing smaller designs onto garments and printing larger designs onto large format rolls of textile. The latter is a growing trend in visual communication, where advertisement and corporate branding is printed onto polyester media. Examples are: flags, banners, signs, retail graphics.

A contract proof usually serves as an agreement between customer and printer and as a color reference guide for adjusting the press before the final press run. Most contract proofs are a prepress proof.

Kornit Digital Ltd. is an Israeli-American international manufacturing company. It produces high-speed industrial inkjet printers, pigmented ink and chemical products for the garment and apparel, home goods, textile accessories and decorating industry.

Glass printing involves applying images, patterns, or text to glass surfaces. Various techniques can be used, each offering distinct aesthetic and functional results. This specialized field encompasses methods such as screen printing, digital printing, and pad printing, among others. Each technique offers distinct advantages in terms of durability, resolution, and application. Glass printing is used in numerous industries, including architecture, automotive, interior design, and consumer electronics, where it is valued for its aesthetic appeal, functionality, and ability to enhance the visual and physical properties of glass products. Technological advances have expanded the possibilities of glass printing, allowing for intricate designs, vibrant colors, and improved adhesion, making it an integral part of modern manufacturing and design.

References

  1. 1 2 Devlin, Katy. "Dare to Go Digital", "Glass Magazine", May 2013
  2. ↑ Petrie, Kevin. [www.glassandprint.info/pdf/petrie.pdf "Glass and Print Precedents and Perspectives"], "Glass and Print Symposium", October 2006
  3. 1 2 Davey, Mike. "Glass Printing Comes of Age", "Glass Canada", April 2010
  4. 1 2 3 Hoffmann, Bernd. "The Impact of Digital Printing with Ceramic Inks on Decorative and Functional Glass", "Glass International", October 2013
  5. 1 2 Savage, Brian."Expanding the Glass Canvas", "Sign Media Canada", September 2013
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