Inkjet Printing Substrates Rafi Bronstein Rafi.Bronstein@HP

1. Inkjet Printing Inkjet Printing SubstratesRafi BronsteinRafi.Bronstein@HP.com

2. Inkjet ink • An inkjet ink is a low viscosity liquid containing various pigments and/or dyes and some other components. It is used for coloring a surface to produce an image • Spreads faster than it dries/cures

3. Inkjet Inks • Inkjet inks are absorbent substances and require specially coated paper for optimum results. • “Photographic" inkjet papers “work” with the characteristics of the ink to reproduce photo-quality images. • Inkjet paper should have excellent ink adherence, high scratch and kink resistance, bleed control for sharp edges and high densities for more vibrant colours.

4. Types of Inkjet Printing Substrates • Substrate is a term used in industrial printing to describe the base material onto which images will be printed. Base materials include (though are not limited to): • films, • foils, • textiles, • fabrics, • plastics, • any variety of paper and others

5. Substrate Requirements • Runnability - the ability of the paper to be transported smoothly through the print engine; • Printability - the ability of the media, interacting with the marking material, to produce an image of the desired quality; • Usability - a variety of characteristics such as overall look and feel, freedom from curl, cockle and bleed-through, image permanence, and readiness for finishing operations such as folding, creasing and binding. • Lightfastness - ultraviolet or UV stability is a very important feature that is completely determined by the inks and media.

6. Substrate Requirements • Porosity – special coating providing fast ink absorption • Gloss – type of finishing/coating that ensures special image quality • Minimal delta E

7. Inkjet Paper • Inkjet paper is paper designed for inkjet printers, typically classified by its weight (gram/m2), brightness and smoothness, and sometimes by its opacity. • Inkjet printing requires the paper to have exactly the right degree of absorbency to accept the ink but prevent its sideways spread.

8. Coated paper properties • - Limits and controls dot size and shape • - Holds colorant on surface, control the absorption rate • - Provide brilliant and neutral reflective background • - Reduces "curling" • - Provide various textures, and appearance

9. Examples of Substrate Caused Print Defects Puddling Curl

10. Examples of Substrate Caused Print Defects Banding Mottling

11. Examples of Substrate Caused Print Defects Bleed

12. Types of coatings • Barrier coating (prevents saturation) • Reflective coating • Sealer coating • Texture/Finish coating • Gloss coating

13. Ink Receptive Coatings • Base substrate: • paper, PE film, fabric, vinyl … • Fiber based: coated • Photo based: glossy coating • Synthetic base: coated

14. Inkjet Receptive Coating PAPER CROSS SECTION Top coating Control coat Cellulose fibers Back coat

15. Inkjet Receptive Coating Functions • Before printing: • Tactile properties improvement (smoothness, stickiness), optical properties (brightness, whiteness), mechanical properties (curl, coefficient of friction) • In course of printing • Control the movement of ink vehicle on the surface, to affect image quality and ink absorption rate • After printing: • Durability, handleability

16. Receptive Coating Components • Polymer coating • Improves strength, affects wettability, holds colorant at the surface, improves smoothness • Pigment coating • Increases stiffness, affects porosity, absorbs water, increases brightness and opacity • Additives • Improves manufacturing conditions

17. Types of Inkjet Receptive Coating • Porous coating SUBSTRATE SUBSTRATE H2O/Solvent evaporation SUBSTRATE

18. Types of Inkjet Receptive Coating • Swellable coating SUBSTRATE SUBSTRATE H2O/Solvent evaporation SUBSTRATE • Hybrid coating

19. Porous Coating • Absorbs ink via capillary pressure • Fast ink absorption • Limited ink holding capacity • Potentially high water resistance • Low lightfastness with dye inks • Colorant penetration • Limited substrate choice

20. Swellable Coating • Absorbs ink via solvation and diffusion • Slow ink absorption • Large ink holding capacity • Potentially low water resistance • High lightfastness with dye inks • Suitable for a variety of substrates

21. Hybrid Coating • A subclass of swellable coating • Requires large amount of coating pigment

22. Photographic inkjet paper

23. Film substrates • TRANSPARENCY FILM • Special surface to hold the ink • SILVER REFLECTIVE FILM • Excellent special affects; • Applications include marketing, certificates, crafts, business cards • WINDOW DECAL • Clear film with an adhesive backing • Backlit film • Is a unique translucent flexible sign face material,

24. Film substrates • Mesh - A unique open-weave flexible sign face material. • Bright white background for accurate colors • Material consistency for image quality • Strong lightweight flexible material • Stretch-free for long-term mechanical stability • Semi-gloss finish for luminescent graphics • Resists scratches, punctures, wrinkles and folds • Seamable • Canvas - An environmentally friendly polyester fabric. Coated for optimized ink adhesion and color reproduction • Bright white background for accurate colors • Unique texture for optimized print results • Stretchable fabric for framing • Optimized tensile strength for Matte finish for indoor application • Sewable • Repels pollution and washes clean in water • Tolerates repeated rolling and unrolling

25. Polyester Substrate Image printed on uncoated (left) and coated (right) polyester films Imaged polyester with cracked coating in printed area

26. Finishing • Hem • Seaming • Sewing • Pole Pockets • Grommets • In panels • No finishing

27. New substrates drives • Digital printing • New applications enabled

28. Ink jet Printing Substrates Wall Covering Paper Paper Mylar Fabricated products Textile GA Paper Paper Rigid Floor covering Wide Format Signage CAD Security Printed glass POP 1990 2010 1985 2005 1995 2000

29. Q&A • Do you have any questions?

30. Thank you