Microscopic Printing

[CalebLight]

Does anyone know if there is a printer one can purchase which prints characters below 50 microns? I would like to print on PET film.

[Kevin@Kodak]

Does anyone know if there is a printer one can purchase which prints characters below 50 microns? I would like to print on PET film.

We often do microtext to show off the resolution and consistency of our SQUAREspot imaging technology, and I can refer you to some of the printers that have done that for us in the past. Let me know where you're located (country/etc. at least).

50 microns is pretty small - that's about 5 pixels at 2400dpi, which isn't enough to render text. You'd have to go to higher resolution output (which we can do - up to 12,000dpi), but the press has to be capable of holding that too. If you add the challenge of printing on PET, it's a pretty difficult task. It's clearly in the realm of Security Printing - which we also supply devices for.

Kevin.

[CalebLight]

Yes, this is in the security printing realm. i am based in Johannesburg South Africa, though i have a colleague in Atlanta USA. The printing does not have to be on PET, we could place it on something like aluminium film (etc.); however it would have to be coated in something to prevent corrosion once it is used in its final application.

A third party printer is fine, it would be nice if its not on the other side of the world though.
caleb