Model for Print Quality Evaluation of Hybrid Printer Matter

Magnus Viström, Åsa Gidlund

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingPaper in conference proceedingpeer-review

Abstract

Pressure on reducing prices and a market demand for customisation and shorter production runs give cause for investigating alternatives to conventional printing. Traditional technologies, such as flexography and offset, are all using static printing forms, while a digital printing unit prints information directly from the data file. Hence, the latter alternative makes it possible to produce short runs, even providing every printed copy with a specific design. However, one disadvantage, when high volumes are produced, is the higher cost per copy for digital printing.
Another approach is to use hybrid printing, where digital printing is used to add information onto substrates, pre-printed using conventional printing technology. Conventional technology can then be used to gain large-scale advantages, while digital printing makes it is possible to customise certain parts of the original design for any printed copy, if desired. Hence, information can be tailored to lit different segments or specific customer needs
It is always important to achieve a high and constant print quality. When a digital print is added onto a pre-printed substrate, it is essential that the final result from this combination is of high print quality too. Hence, it is important to know how the different technologies interact and how this can be measured.
The aim of this investigation was to identify factors that influence the print quality of hybrid printed matter and that are important to consider in the design and evaluation of a hybrid printing production. The focus in this study was on hybrid printed mailer, where the added print was supposed to blend in with the pre-printed background.
Samples had been made by carrying out flexography and inkjet printing trials, together with a hybrid printing trial. In the latter trial, printed objects were added by a high-speed inkjet press to a pre-printed flexography substrate. The objects added consisted of elements for technical measurements and pictorial elements, aimed at fitting into a flexography pre-printed image background, for visual evaluations.
Original languageEnglish
Title of host publication[Host publication title missing]
PublisherTAGA
Number of pages21
Publication statusPublished - 2006
EventTAGA - Vancouver, Canada
Duration: 2006 Mar 192006 Mar 21

Conference

ConferenceTAGA
Country/TerritoryCanada
CityVancouver
Period2006/03/192006/03/21

Subject classification (UKÄ)

  • Other Mechanical Engineering

Free keywords

  • hybrid printing
  • quality mode!
  • print quality
  • flexography
  • inkjet

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