Rafi Bronstein Inkjet Printing Substrates Rafi Bronstein Inkjet Printing

Rafi Bronstein Inkjet ink An inkjet ink is a low viscosity liquid containing various pigments and/or dyes and some other components. It is used for coloring a surface to produce an image Spreads faster than it dries/cures

Rafi Bronstein Inkjet Inks Inkjet inks are absorbent substances and require specially coated paper for optimum results. “Photographic" inkjet papers “work” with the characteristics of the ink to reproduce photo-quality images. Inkjet paper should have excellent ink adherence, high scratch and kink resistance, bleed control for sharp edges and high densities for more vibrant colours.

Rafi Bronstein Types of Inkjet Printing Substrates Substrate is a term used in industrial printing to describe the base material onto which images will be printed. Base materials include (though are not limited to):  films,  foils,  textiles,  fabrics,  plastics,  any variety of paper and others

Rafi Bronstein Substrate Requirements Runnability - the ability of the paper to be transported smoothly through the print engine; Printability - the ability of the media, interacting with the marking material, to produce an image of the desired quality; Usability - a variety of characteristics such as overall look and feel, freedom from curl, cockle and bleed-through, image permanence, and readiness for finishing operations such as folding, creasing and binding. Lightfastness - ultraviolet or UV stability is a very important feature that is completely determined by the inks and media.

Rafi Bronstein Substrate Requirements Porosity – special coating providing fast ink absorption Gloss – type of finishing/coating that ensures special image quality Minimal delta E

Rafi Bronstein Inkjet Paper Inkjet paper is paper designed for inkjet printers, typically classified by its weight (gram/m 2 ), brightness and smoothness, and sometimes by its opacity. Inkjet printing requires the paper to have exactly the right degree of absorbency to accept the ink but prevent its sideways spread.

Rafi Bronstein Coated paper properties - Limits and controls dot size and shape - Holds colorant on surface, control the absorption rate - Provide brilliant and neutral reflective background - Reduces "curling" - Provide various textures, and appearance

Rafi Bronstein Examples of Substrate Caused Print Defects Curl Puddling

Rafi Bronstein Examples of Substrate Caused Print Defects Banding Mottling

Rafi Bronstein Examples of Substrate Caused Print Defects Bleed

Rafi Bronstein Types of coatings Barrier coating (prevents saturation) Reflective coating Sealer coating Texture/Finish coating Gloss coating

Rafi Bronstein Ink Receptive Coatings Base substrate:  paper, PE film, fabric, vinyl … Fiber based: coated Photo based: glossy coating Synthetic base: coated

Rafi Bronstein Inkjet Receptive Coating Top coating Back coat Control coat Cellulose fibers PAPER CROSS SECTION

Rafi Bronstein Inkjet Receptive Coating Functions Before printing:  Tactile properties improvement (smoothness, stickiness), optical properties (brightness, whiteness), mechanical properties (curl, coefficient of friction) In course of printing  Control the movement of ink vehicle on the surface, to affect image quality and ink absorption rate After printing:  Durability, handleability

Rafi Bronstein Receptive Coating Components Polymer coating  Improves strength, affects wettability, holds colorant at the surface, improves smoothness Pigment coating  Increases stiffness, affects porosity, absorbs water, increases brightness and opacity Additives  Improves manufacturing conditions

Rafi Bronstein Types of Inkjet Receptive Coating Porous coating H 2 O/Solvent evaporation SUBSTRATE

Rafi Bronstein Types of Inkjet Receptive Coating Swellable coating H 2 O/Solvent evaporation SUBSTRATE Hybrid coating

Rafi Bronstein Porous Coating Absorbs ink via capillary pressure Fast ink absorption Limited ink holding capacity Potentially high water resistance Low lightfastness with dye inks Colorant penetration Limited substrate choice

Rafi Bronstein Swellable Coating Absorbs ink via solvation and diffusion Slow ink absorption Large ink holding capacity Potentially low water resistance High lightfastness with dye inks Suitable for a variety of substrates

Rafi Bronstein Hybrid Coating A subclass of swellable coating Requires large amount of coating pigment

Rafi Bronstein Photographic inkjet paper

Rafi Bronstein Film substrates TRANSPARENCY FILM  Special surface to hold the ink SILVER REFLECTIVE FILM  Excellent special affects;  Applications include marketing, certificates, crafts, business cards WINDOW DECAL  Clear film with an adhesive backing Backlit film  Is a unique translucent flexible sign face material,

Rafi Bronstein Film substrates Mesh - A unique open-weave flexible sign face material.  Bright white background for accurate colors  Material consistency for image quality  Strong lightweight flexible material  Stretch-free for long-term mechanical stability  Semi-gloss finish for luminescent graphics  Resists scratches, punctures, wrinkles and folds  Seamable Canvas - An environmentally friendly polyester fabric. Coated for optimized ink adhesion and color reproduction  Bright white background for accurate colors  Unique texture for optimized print results  Stretchable fabric for framing  Optimized tensile strength for Matte finish for indoor application  Sewable  Repels pollution and washes clean in water  Tolerates repeated rolling and unrolling

Rafi Bronstein Polyester Substrate Image printed on uncoated (left) and coated (right) polyester films Imaged polyester with cracked coating in printed area

Rafi Bronstein Finishing Hem Seaming Sewing Pole Pockets Grommets In panels No finishing

Rafi Bronstein New substrates drives Digital printing New applications enabled

Rafi Bronstein Ink jet Printing Substrates Paper Mylar Paper CAD GA Wide Format Security Paper Textile Rigid Signage Floor covering Wall Covering POP Fabricated products Printed glass

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