| We normally assume that the inkjet printers and laser | | | | secure laser engraving with XID Retransfer color |
| printers have reached a saturation point as far as | | | | printing in a single step on a card. The versatility in |
| technology is concerned. Still, the manufacturers | | | | printing includes personalization of data in the form of |
| never cease to surprise us with innovations. A few | | | | micro text on demand, tactile effects, CLI, MLI, |
| interesting developments are anticipated for 2009, | | | | electronic guilloche, Invisible Personal Information on |
| benefiting the digital printing media to a great extent. | | | | the card, and UV printing with high resolution gradient. |
| HP's inkjet answer to offset machines | | | | This type of digital printing would weed out |
| Hewlett Packard has unveiled a new inkjet printer | | | | manipulation and forgery to a great extent. |
| known as Inkjet Web Press Machine that could print | | | | Would Memjet printers of Silverbrook come out in |
| 2,600 A4 pages in a minute. The machine could also | | | | 2009? |
| print documents up to 30" width. This is not a SOHO | | | | Silverbrook announced that its Memjet technology, |
| segment machine but targeted at the offset machine | | | | which was expected to provide 360 pages per |
| replacement market. According to HP, about 53 trillion | | | | minute output in inkjet printers, would be launched in |
| documents are expected to be printed in 2009 and | | | | 2008. However, a recent company announcement |
| the company estimates that around 9-10% of that | | | | indicated that its A4 printhead and the related |
| would be digital printing. They expect to garner a fair | | | | components are expected to be shipped to major |
| amount of share in this niche. | | | | OEMs only by the end of 2008. This would mean that |
| Water-based ink technology for outdoor displays | | | | the inkjet printers with this new technology are likely |
| HP is also launching a water-based Latex Ink that had | | | | to hit the market in 2009. According to the company, |
| been specially formulated. This ink embeds itself on a | | | | the Memjet technology involves inkjet nozzles that |
| surface to become a part of media printing | | | | use semiconductor manufacturing techniques. |
| technology. This kind of printing would be particularly | | | | More innovations likely in 2009 printing sector |
| handy in outdoor signs and billboards. The latex | | | | Other innovations that are likely to reach the market |
| polymer in this ink gives the printing surface the color | | | | in 2009 include Je Trix, a new technology that has |
| and durability needed for outdoor media materials | | | | got Je Trix printhead. This printhead is of the same |
| using digital printing technology. HP contends that | | | | width as the sheet, instead of the small printhead in |
| unlaminated outdoor displays would last for about 3 | | | | conventional inkjet printers that moves across the |
| years, while indoor displays are expected to last 5 | | | | paper. This technology is expected to provide very |
| years. | | | | high speed outputs in the order of 1000 pages a |
| Novel addition to card printing & lamination | | | | minute in inkjet printers. |
| A new EDIsecure LCP 9000 Laser Color | | | | Another novel innovation is a device which could burn |
| Personalization System from Digital Identification | | | | images on bread by incorporating 12x12 pixels in a |
| Solutions is another innovation that could make | | | | line-by-line toasting type of printing. According to the |
| waves in 2009. This laser printer executes desktop | | | | manufacturers, this Zuse compact toasting device |
| laser engraving, custom lamination, and retransfer | | | | could 'print' a random picture on the bread from a |
| card printing in one single unit. The machine achieves | | | | memory of up to 50 pictures. |