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Printing - Printing Innovations For 2019

With the rise of social media, the print industry is showing no signs of stopping innovating and improving their services and technology. The following is a review of some of the best printing innovations you can expect to see in the second half of 2019.

3D Printing

3D printing has been around for a few years now, and as each year passes it increases its popularity and usage. Most issues that plagued 3D printers when they were introduced are now being resolved and although they are not quite mainstream yet, printers are becoming faster and cheaper as technology is developed.

The big addition to 2019 is 3D metal printing. Unlikely to replace plastic as the primary choice material, yet it has gained much interest from the manufacturing industry.

There have also been developments in haptic printing. Haptic print is a special type of tactile coating that provides a textured look and feel to print. It can be used to create 3D effects such as embossments or textures to help your print stand out from the crowd.

New Technologies

Voice control software will be the next major innovation to be applied to printers. Voice recognition is something we take for granted on our phones & in our cars, and once this technology shows improved efficiency, this innovation should be rolled out across the whole print industry.

The Environment

The print industry has been taking steps to become more environmentally friendly for a few years now. One of the biggest changes has been the use of sustainable materials. There have been major reductions in unnecessary packaging such as excessive boxing and double-wrapping. Alongside this objective to reduce the industry’s carbon footprint is the introduction of vegetable-based inks, coatings and chemicals which are less harmful than the petroleum-based alternatives. The amount of energy used by printers is also being reduced with each new generation of printing hardware.

Print Marketing

Digital Marketing has had an effect on the print industry, with many printers having to up their game to compete with online competition. The latest development is LED UV Litho technology which allows for sharper print quality and colours that appear more vivid. The technology also allows for quicker turnaround times which means printers can deliver last-minute jobs without any compromise to their reputation.

Digital printing also continues to grow with focus on bespoke, personalised packaging which helps to build relationships with customers and raise brand awareness.  (For more information on Digital Printing Innovations click here)

The print industry is continuing to introduce new and exciting technologies and products to the marketplace. I’m sure 2020 will bring even more new and better innovations for printing.

 
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