Wide-format digital inkjet printing helps traditional screen printing

Digital printing, either as a supplement to traditional printing, or as a brand new printing solution, is infiltrating the various commercial fields involved in traditional printing more rapidly. This is an arguable fact. The statistics of the global printing industry in 2004 showed that digital printing accounted for 10% to 12% of the global printing output value. Let's take a look at some key figures. The total output value of the commercial printing and publishing industry is 200 billion U.S. dollars, of which digital printing accounts for 18% to 23%; special printing output value is 120 billion U.S. dollars, of which digital printing accounts for 1%; The output value is 320 billion U.S. dollars, of which digital printing accounts for 0.5% to 1%; the total output value of textile printing is 80 billion U.S. dollars, of which digital printing accounts for 1% to 2%; the digital printing application has the most extensive outdoor advertising output value of 80 billion U.S. dollars. Digital printing accounted for 20% to 25%. According to the forecast of the international printing industry authority, the proportion of digital printing in the printing industry will double by 2009, from 10% to 12% in 2004 to 30%.

Wide digital printing, contains unlimited business opportunities

The advantages of the digital printing method are: quicker and easier livelihood, fewer links, and small occupied space, eliminating the need for a lengthy and cumbersome pre-press plate making process, drastically reducing production processes, saving a lot of manpower, simple operation, and realizing convenience, speed, and flexibility. WYSIWYG market needs. It is these outstanding characteristics that have prompted more and more people to see the broad prospects of digital printing. However, there are still quite a few people in the industry who are just stuck in the stage of yelling "wolf." The reason that some people still maintain an “overly cautious” attitude towards digital printing is, I think, the following two points: First, it is also limited by the existing business areas and business concepts and models that have been accustomed to over the years, and is even more focused on "Maintain" rather than "development"; Second, the current application of digital printing is still relatively narrow, the cost of supplies is relatively high, the production speed can not really meet the needs of industrialization. In fact, this is the result of the lack of understanding and judgment of the development of the demand for the print market and the development of digital printing technology. Recall the changes in the two important parameters of production cost and production speed in the development of wide-format digital printing within a few years (as shown in the following table).

From the above table, we can see that in a short period of 5 years, the speed of wide-format digital printing has increased by more than 20 times, and the production cost has been reduced by nearly 90%. The manufacturer of the world-famous wide-format digital printing equipment has competed. Angels has introduced a wide-format digital press, TURBOjet, which prints at speeds of up to 400 square meters per hour, and maintains high-precision output and low-cost operation in this high-speed production state. From the perspective of the SaiJian Angel Co., Ltd. continuously increasing investment in R&D of wide-format digital printing equipment, higher-speed, lower-cost production, and more practical digital printing equipment are expected to emerge. It is foreseeable that achieving a production capacity of thousands of square meters per hour and reducing the cost of consumables (mainly ink) to a digital printing device that is basically consistent with conventional printing is only a matter of time.

So when should we wait until we invest in digital printing equipment? I think the answer is clear enough. One technique is never topped, and two competing markets almost follow the same rule: In the start-up phase, "fast fish eat slow fish," and in the mature phase, "big fish eat small fish." From the present relative to the entire digital printing market, China's digital printing has a very low level in the entire printing industry, far below the world average. High-quality, high-speed wide-format digital printing equipment is scarce, which does not match the rapidly growing market demand, but this "mismatch" itself has great business opportunities. Timely citation of new technologies, new processes, new equipment, reducing blind spots in existing businesses, supplementing new business growth points, and improving the competitiveness of enterprises. It is the only way to keep the company's sustained and steady growth and the ever-lasting foundation.

Wide-format digital printing and screen printing, opportunities and challenges

While some screen-printing companies are threatening the use of more and more digital printing technology in the market, other companies have appreciated the convenience of wide-format digital printing as they continue to expand their businesses and expand profit growth. . Digital printing is indeed a "bottleneck" encountered by today's screen printing companies in their pursuit of development, providing a solution that is technically and economically feasible and effective. For example, in actual production, screen printing companies will have to give up a large number of “short-run” business problems because of the restrictions on the number of prints; due to restrictions on the amount of jobs from the job, the business volume is very unstable, and sometimes they are not live. The problem of sometimes unable to meet in time, as well as the additional investment in screen printing equipment can further expand the issue of productivity and so on. According to authoritative analysis, screen printing works best when dealing with a single job equal to or greater than 400 parts. However, the fact is that the print market for a single job within 200 copies is even larger. This market has been greatly limited by the existence of the above traditional production limitations. Wide-format digital printing is exactly what should happen in this area. It can provide screen printing companies with fast, high-quality, high-value-added solutions.

The screen printing company that owns this digital printing technology can fully handle the short and mid-range printing business other than the traditional business, such as point-of-sale posters, shelter advertising, light boxes, and bodywork. Particularly important is that supporting such digital printing equipment can also transform the traditional screen printing operation process into a "one-stop operation", enabling printing companies to provide our customers with more convenient, efficient and on-demand personalized services. , not only can better maintain old customers, but also to attract more new customers. Screen-printing companies can take this into account in terms of plate-making time (and cost) and the number of prints, classify the businesses they receive, in order to choose a more suitable printing method (digital printing or traditional printing), to better save costs and improve efficiency. .

In addition to providing wide-format digital printing with “one-stop” convenience services for customers, screen printing companies with digital printing capabilities can also provide their customers with more high-margin, high-value-added services. In today's increasingly fierce market competition, it is of utmost importance whether we have the strength to “quickly respond”. Digital printing as a most flexible and convenient printing method is very consistent with this very challenging market demand.

Of course, digital printing also has certain limitations. It can be said that for a long time in the future, it can only be an effective supplement to the screen printing method, rather than completely replaced. In other words, digital printing brings opportunities for screen printing that are greater than challenges. The key lies in whether or not these two different printing methods can be effectively combined to give play to their respective strengths and maximize the “performance”. For example, the small-volume, multi-variety, time-sensitive, and complicated and varied jobs are completed through digital printing, and screen printing is “liberated” to focus on those large-volume or print products that require special spot color effects. It is a good choice.

Wide-format inkjet printing brings more business opportunities to traditional printing

As a complement to screen printing, the advantages of wide-format inkjet printing are obvious. As a new high-tech printing method, inkjet printing does not contain the familiar printing civilization, but it has provided a very effective method and approach for the challenges faced by silk screen companies.

Supporting wide-format ink-jet printing equipment will speed up screen printing companies to rapidly expand a broader, high-value-added market segment, such as: medium and short-range adhesive-backed materials printing; tight delivery point of sale poster printing; medium and short-term Version of hard materials and some special applications such as printing. Inkjet printing not only brings a good market for screen printing companies, but also allows this company to provide its customers with "one-stop service" to attract more customers.

Ink jet printing is directly printed by digital files (standard format) without plate making, and a business can print within minutes of receiving an order.

The process of inkjet printing is convenient and efficient: documents are queued, the previous document is printed, and the next document is queued up for printing. If a printing machine is equipped with a drying system, the previous job is also online and the next job has already started printing.

Inkjet printing saves space and manpower, and management of the printing process is easier. Inkjet printing can be printed according to the exact amount needed for the job, completely avoiding the waste of printed materials during the color calibration process. Wide-format inkjet printing can also provide proofing support for screen printing processes by providing fast, high quality and accurate proofing on the final material.

Although inkjet printing has its unique advantages, it does not pose a direct threat to screen printing. On the contrary, it is precisely complementary to screen printing. Screen printing companies can comprehensively consider the time, cost, and number of prints, and choose the appropriate printing method (faster, lower cost printing) based on the type of business. In general, screen printers should consider converting those types of products that are of a small variety and size, that cannot be made with silk screen printing or made with screen printing, or even unprofitable, to inkjet printing, so that existing screen printing equipment can focus on making those products. Large batches, as well as jobs that require special spot colors or effects. Of course, for some businesses, such as back-lit two-sided printing jobs, inkjet printing can be beneficially combined with screen printing.

The potential of inkjet printing technology is endless, and it has a very broad market prospect. According to a survey report of "IT Strategy", screen printing currently accounts for about 50% of the entire POP market. Digital inkjet printing and flexo printing roughly equalize the remaining markets. However, by 2008, the market demand for large-format inkjet print will double compared to 2003. In 2003, about 1.1 billion square feet of material was used for inkjet printing, and by 2008, this demand is expected to increase to 3.3 billion. The corresponding sales value of the market is expected to increase from 2.03 billion U.S. dollars in 2003 to 5.13 billion U.S. dollars in 2008.

The development trend of the printing industry is: multiple varieties, small batches, on-demand printing, the use of outdoor printed matter is getting shorter and shorter, requiring more types of materials, higher quality requirements and so on. Not only that, digital inkjet printing is also widely used in various fields to provide personalized wallpapers and photo products of various materials including cork, wood, glass, metal, corrugated, textiles and many other non-contact only Printed media. These undoubtedly provide great opportunities for digital inkjet printing.

All in all, digital ink jet printing is not a threat to screen printing. It is an opportunity. It brings more profitable opportunities for traditional screen printing.

At present, the majority of people in the screen industry have faced unavoidable challenges, but the challenge has brought us a new round of opportunities. Whether or not we can manage strategies, seize opportunities, and lead business opportunities depends to a large extent on the vision and strategic courage of the prophet's prophets. The mall tolerates our waiting and there are not many opportunities to wait and see. Don't wait until the “wolf” really comes.

Reprinted from: Shenzhen Printing Network