2 - Digital printing mechanisms

Abstract

Digital printing is a method of printing straight from a digital image to a wide range of substrates. Since there is no necessity to change the printing plate, digital printing has a faster turnaround time and lower cost. In most techniques, the ink or toner does not penetrate the substrate as traditional ink does but instead produces a thin coating on the surface that can be bonded to the substrate further by a fuser fluid that uses thermal (toner) or UV curing (ink). Inkjet printing is computer printing that recreates a digital image by propelling ink droplets onto various media. Two leading technologies are used in contemporary inkjet printers for drop generation: continuous inkjet (CIJ) and drop-on-demand (DOD). During Ink formulation, the preferred ink is characterized by viscosity and surface tension characteristics. Fixed-head and disposable-head printer heads are the two basic design approaches. A cleaning mechanism is applied to avoid ink drying on the print head’s nozzles, causing the pigments and dyes to dry out and form a solid block of hardened mass that plugs the tiny ink passageways. There are different digital printers, such as printer types, professional models, SOHO multifunction inkjet photo printers, professional inkjet photo printers, and compact photo printers. The final phase in the printing process is transforming from a liquid deposit to the required solid substance. Usually, this transition is followed by a decrease in volume. The use of inkjet printing for advanced materials applications faces difficulty regarding feature quality. The amount of the expelled drop limits the sharpness of any printed item.