Future of printing industry ?

[PricelineNegotiator]

They tried using the name "Rapid Prototyping", it didn't really take off back then. If it changes, it will be a short acronym/name like it is now. Ultra HD 3D SFX Printing 360 NoScope.

 

[jetzerm]

we can never neglect the importance of offset printing when we talk about the quality printed products and no doubt the digital printing is also at the peak nowadays. There are certain products like magazines, folders, brochures, they come best with offset machines and many don't compromises on quality.

I disagree, we print high end cosmetic lit and nutritional lit - (Very High End) and we print it digitally on Kodak and HP equipment. Digital is far from peak, if you truly believe that you are in trouble. We are shutting down offset equipment in favor of digital, the flexibility, speed, short runs the customer demands. Quality is not an issue. Sure we can't do some speciality things like unique coatings, but we do incredible things with Kodak's metallic and dimensional printing. Ignore digital at your peril.

 

[slush11]

Question begs to be asked; is 3D printing truly 'PRINTING' within the realistic definition of the word and implementation of it through the history of the word and world?

Or is 3D a contemporary process of reproduction that should inherit another word for description unique to itself from what is thought of as printing?

Letterpress, offset, gravure, flexography, and now digital are true printing processes which involve laying inkstuffs on papyrus.

My feelings are the latter, that 3D should have it's own name, and printing should not be that.

Any thoughts?

D

I recently attended Enfocus' Webinar regarding the future of graphic design and this topic came up. There were a couple of professors who were presenters and one of them argued this exact same thing. We (the print world) are only involved because they called it 3D printing. It is not printing in any way. There is no ink. There is no substrate. He questioned whether it should have maybe been called 3D Manufacturing or Fabricating.
I am of the opinion that 3D printing should not be a part of our industry in any way, shape or form for the same reasons I just listed. The 3D "Printer" offers businesses zero solutions that I can think of that help promote their companies like print does. It is a luxury niche machine and I honestly don't see any benefit to the client.

 

[kdw75]

I recently attended Enfocus' Webinar regarding the future of graphic design and this topic came up. There were a couple of professors who were presenters and one of them argued this exact same thing. We (the print world) are only involved because they called it 3D printing. It is not printing in any way. There is no ink. There is no substrate. He questioned whether it should have maybe been called 3D Manufacturing or Fabricating.
I am of the opinion that 3D printing should not be a part of our industry in any way, shape or form for the same reasons I just listed. The 3D "Printer" offers businesses zero solutions that I can think of that help promote their companies like print does. It is a luxury niche machine and I honestly don't see any benefit to the client.

We have a client that is paying us to 3d print prototypes which we then use later to design the packaging for it.

 

[slush11]

We have a client that is paying us to 3d print prototypes which we then use later to design the packaging for it.

Interesting. That's a good application then. But I think for the most part, the client already has a prototype or product before they design their packaging. You guys sound like maybe the exception to that rule.
But even in this application, I still don't feel like it's "printing".

 

[Slammer]

Heaven help us all if they learn how to transmit food through the Internet.

Waaaaay ahead of you...:
5 amazing ways 3-D-printed food will change the way we eat - The Washington Post