DIGITAL substrates
Worth the paper it's printed on?
It's all very well coming up with innovative ideas to grab customers, but you also need to be working with the right substrate to see those ideas really come to life
herever there is choice there is a decision to be made – one ongoing discussion in the digital market is whether the best results come from using the same manufacturer for substrate and printer. ImagePress and professional solutions marketing professional for Canon UK, Shane Burchett, said: “Each Canon device is built with a specific paper-type in mind, to ensure the best results are transferred to the print media. For that reason, print service providers will normally recommend specific media in order to achieve optimum results.
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“Canon produces both high-end commercial digital production engines, such as the imagePress 6000VP and large format printers such as the imagePrograf series. Although both are digital, they use a different production process to get to the end result, so you need to consider the best paper stocks for each. “For production presses, for example, Canon’s digital papers are formulated to ensure they are heat resistant and won’t curl when put through the fusing unit. It also requires a coated surface that can take the toner inks without spreading or mottling.
By Tracey Rushton-Thorpe
“Large format prints, on the other hand, use an ink-jet process and it largely depends on the output options in terms of the paper stocks you need. Canon offers an extensive range including satin photo paper, water resistant art canvas, scrim banner and backlit film. “Canon devices also support the use of other media, which is particularly useful to large format printer customers, as they can purchase compatible media from photographic specialists including Hahnemuhle and Ilford.”
Stay flexible
The beauty of digital printing is the ability to print onto a variety of substrates with good results. Substrate manufacturers are constantly on the lookout for new solutions to old problems and a recent Fujifilm launch at Sign and Digital UK is a perfect example. WonderTack is a solvent printable, white satin gloss polypropylene film, which adheres to smooth, flat surfaces without the use of adhesive. It is the latest addition to Fujifilm’s Euromedia range of flexible media for large format printing.
Instead, this environmentally friendly substrate features micro-porous suckers on the adhering side. Another green characteristic is the fact that it is reusable on multiple occasions. For example, POS graphics printed on WonderTack can be applied, repositioned and reused. The film is also available for UV- curing and water-based systems.
Each Canon device is manufactured with a specific paper type in mind 10 SCREEN PROCESS AND DIGITAL IMAGING l June 2010
Other additions to the Fujifilm line up include a successor to the Euromedia 150g Citylight Paper. This is a transparent, satin matt paper for lightbox applications produced by solvent printing, said to ensure crisp, sharp results with a satin matt finish and cloud-free light diffusion.
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