You can have it all . . .

Betty Friedan, author of “The Feminine Mystique” once said: “You can have it all, just not at the same time.” The book was published over 50 years ago in 1963 and Friedan went on to co-found the National Organization for Women (NOW). Since the debate about whether you (meaning women) can have it all continues, why not apply it to inkjet?

Since inkjet came to market it has often been cited as both different to offset and lesser than. It was relegated to specific tasks like monochrome marking and transaction print. But over the decades, inkjet has proven that it is different, but in many ways not lesser than. Its strengths have been demonstrated in many markets from graphic arts to more technical and industrial ones. Ryan McAbee provided an overview of inkjet applications to direct-to-product markets for both 2D and 3D substrates as an example of the modern reach of inkjet. This was a continuation of Pat McGrew’s musings on the ability to leverage inkjet for cross-segment growth noting that today’s presses can do more than one thing. Still, no single inkjet press can do it all at the same time.

That’s why OEMs have a portfolio of offers. Not only do inkjet buyers have different needs for speed, quality and resolution, but different formats also fill different needs. Canon has recently checked a few more boxes in their pursuit of having it all. They already held a leadership position in B3 and continuous inkjet press offers with multiple presses meeting different needs. Last year, they announced their new LabelStream LS2000 and further expanded on their packaging strategy before drupa. Ralf Schlözer reports on Canon’s announcement that they will be filling a hole in their portfolio with a new B2 format sheetfed press, the varioPRESS iV7. Even the broadest portfolio won’t do everything that offset does, but inkjet also does things that offset can’t.

Digital printing offers personalization that is physically impossible for an analog press. Inkjet personalizes in the most economical way creating new markets and more sustainable solutions in the process. Look at the collaboration between EFI and Packsize on the Packsize® EFI™ X5® Nozomi direct-to-corrugated post-print press.  According to Packsize, right-sizing boxes for each order optimizes space and results in a 40% reduction in boxes, 60% less void fill, and a 26% decrease in corrugated material. Not everyone needs a solution the size of a Nozomi so there is still room for smaller presses and custom solutions. RISO recently announced their entry to the market for packaging integration with their new Integlide inkjet printing unit. Integlide enables development of vertical and horizontal packaging solutions, but not at the same time.

Inkjet will never be the same as offset but isn’t that a good thing?

Elizabeth