Upcoming Trends in Printing Technology

Lower cost printers for consumers, digital printing to remain strong, 3D printing to fuel various sectors are some of the trends in printing for next year. 

The Future of Offset vs Digital Printing

For the foreseeable future, offset and digital will not only co-exist, but will also complement each other- with offset taking the medium-to-longer jobs and digital performing on short-to-medium run lengths.

In terms of productivity and reliability digital printing is more cost effective over higher runs and can be produced quickly, thereby, reducing the turnaround time. The only industry where print demand is high worldwide is in packaging print, including printed labels. However, a long-term growth prospect for the print market is more limited. On the other hand, digital printing and variable data printing is growing ahead of market volume.

Impact of Digital Printing on the Industry

The switch to digital communications across media, advertising etc. has had a greater effect upon the printing industry worldwide. The impact is more profound in countries where these markets have reached the top in terms of developments.

Leveraging the concept of mobility with the rapid increase in smartphone usage is another key development expected. E-readers like the Kindle are also getting popular and are surely going to challenge print. The same can be seen in magazine publishing markets wherein advertising revenues have not recovered in most countries since a downturn in 2009, and are unlikely to return to that value in the future.

Internet advertising has brought down the market share of traditional mediums like newspapers and magazines. Digital screens are now challenging outdoor media (billboards) and the same goes for in-store (PoP) advertising.

However, in areas like commercial print (stationery, financial & legal printing, etc.) publication print and advertising print will continue to grow. Greater availability of MFPs could help make print a more attractive option, but in the end, if consumers, business and government switch to digital media at large then it could be the case within 5-10 years that some of these printers will become dormant.

We have witnessed many transformations in the printing industry starting from offset then digital and now printing electronics and 3-D printing.

Digital Printing to Remain Strong in the  Coming Years

Digital printing is growing leaps and bounds as it allows print suppliers to improve the levels of service they offer to customers, as well as creating new opportunities to make money. Increased personalization helps make print more targeted for the end users as the digital world continues to become more and more connected.

Speaking of future, the most dynamic areas that will use digital printing will be in the fields of packaging, cartons, rigid, flexibles, metal and corrugated and will include digital production methods. Future growth predictions for printed packaging are all good with no signs of replacements with electronic counterparts.

Demand For Cost-Effective Printing Will Continue To Grow

There is a growing demand among consumers for affordable yet high quality printing and this trend has been observed majorly among home segments and students. The demand for cost effective printers has started to increase in home segments, where they avoid running to nearby cyber cafes to get print outs. Therefore, many players in the industry are launching products for home buyers.

Expect To See Printers With Erasable Printing Technology

Toshiba recently demonstrated a prototype of their printing and copying system that automatically erases the contents printed on a piece of paper. Based on a technology that was originally intended for Pilot pens it works by depositing ink onto the page which is then rendered transparent through the use of a high-temperature heat plate located within the equipment. With this latest development, people would not need to discard incorrectly printed material. Instead, they can feed it back to the printer which would take care of the errors.

3D Printing To Fuel Various Sectors In Forthcoming Years

With the launch of 3D printing we know that printing is not merely about ink on paper anymore. 3D printers can produce three-dimensional objects using additive manufacturing process for developing prototypes, human cells and even organs, including the heart and liver.

5 Trends In 3D Printing

The ability for the masses to make almost any object not only fuels imagination but challenges modern consumerism and its supply chain. Here are five trends in three dimensional printing that will redefine the way we print.

3D Printing Starts Saving Lives: 3D-printed medical implants will improve the quality of living of many individuals. Because 3D printing allows products to be custom-matched to a particular body shape, it is being used today for making better titanium bone implants, prosthetic limbs and orthodontic devices. Experiments in printing soft tissue are underway, and may soon allow printed veins and arteries to be used in operations. Today’s research into medical applications of 3D printing covers nano-medicine, pharmaceuticals and even printing of organs. Taken to the extreme, 3D printing could one day enable custom medicines and reduce if not eliminate the organ donor shortage.

Faster Product Innovation: From ultramodern architectures to automotive models rapid prototyping using 3D printers can reduce the time to turn a concept into a production-ready design. Although the concept of rapid prototyping is not new, however this gives designers more access to printers, allowing them to modify it, re-print, and so on. The result will be better products, designed faster.

Enhanced User Customization: Companies will use 3D printing technologies to give themselves a competitive edge by offering customization, allowing you to buy a product, customized to your exact specifications, which is 3D-printed and delivered to your doorstep. At first this may start from creating custom smartphone cases or ergonomic improvements to standard tools, but it will rapidly expand to new markets. Customization will also play a big role in healthcare devices such as 3D-printed hearing aids and artificial limbs.

New Products With Magical Properties Will Tease You: 3D printing combine’s new materials and can control material as it is printed, right down to the molecules and atoms, thus new products created can have desirable and distinct properties.

Recycling Products And Creating New Things Becoming Industrial Strength: Ekocycle Cube, this innovative 3D printer recycles what you use, so you can easily remake better things. The printer processes PET plastic filament from discarded plastic bottles using Plastic Jet Printing technology. PJP is a solid-based prototyping method that extrudes material and builds model, layer by layer using additive process that rapidly renders complex geometries to the object being developed. The printer can be used in creating toys, consumer goods, carrying cases for electronic devices etc.

Predictions for 2016

1. Digital printing to capture larger market share

2. 3D printing starts saving lives

3. Erasable Print Technology printers will hit the market

4. Product innovation will be faster

5. More cost effective, high yield refillable ink tanks printers to be unveiled in 2016