Printing Inks and the Mechanisms of Printing – New Technology?

How small is one individual particle of toner in a digital press? how come can't I call "Laser Printing" Nano-Printing?

I dunno - Im really clueless when it comes to ink - these discussion has become fun to follow
 
D Ink Man, what are the 3 components? Lay off the beers mate. I cant get any ink for my 4300 year old chinese printer any more, do you know a supplier?
 
cosmo said:
right, i see now. How then is ink now inferior to that of 4300 ago?
Click to expand...

It is not.

D Ink Man can correct me if I am wrong, but I believe he(she) is lamenting the fact that at one time our trade was a craft and today it has almost completely shifted to a commodity, at the same time we see the shift in our customers away from the off-set press to a more digitally oriented and commodity based industry.

Many of my colleagues, myself included, took a lot of satisfaction in the final products our customers have created with our inks. We held them up and discussed them as works of art,(sometimes but rarely they actually were).

But at the end of the day in a cold emotionless world, "We didn't make tomorrow's trash. We just made it prettier." So in that sense, what does it matter if it's not quite as glossy or crisp. So what if it's chalky. A word I used to hear all the time, but can't remember the last time I have heard it "snap". Does it really matter to such a consumer driven world if that brochure has alot of snap?

Pardon my ramblings. I got nostalgic.
 
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If squirt is good enough for the planet, remember, it is NOT good enough for me.

But what does it really matter, I am just one organism on this revolving ball.

I am nothing, I realize that.

Happy Printing!

D Ink
 
D Ink Man said:
If squirt is good enough for the planet, remember, it is NOT good enough for me.
But what does it really matter, I am just one organism on this revolving ball.
I am nothing, I realize that.

Happy Printing!

D Ink
Click to expand...

The mechanism for the deposition of pigment is only relevant if it fails to meet the needs and function of the final product. Squirted, sprayed, laid, pressed, transferred - whatever the mechanism of colorant deposition - is irrelevant without that context. To say that squirt is NOT good enough for you suggests that you miss the point of print technologies in graphic communications.

When you say "I am nothing, I realize that." I believe you are raising an ontological question which, if you actually believe your self characterization, you contradict by the fact that you post to this forum.
 
Well, if that is true, then he has failed to provide any such evidence. The very idea that one might discount some approach to 'printing as requiring an impression shows a total lack of open mindedness / vision.

Printing can involve ink, pigments, dyes - and making an image can also be used my removing surfaces.
 
It is just a word, who cares if it is not good enough for you? The fact is the process produces printed material. Can't you imagine someone finding a different method for production that does not conform to your fixed and narrow view of what "printing" means? Stop living 4,300 years in the past.
 
Thank you to the last two repliers, the GODS of printing and knowledge respectively.
You are both best very well respected (especially the ever helpful Gordo) and your words are taken by everyone as gospel. Without you Print Planet would be nothing and the lack of education for all would be emptied.

Bully to both of you.

D Ink Man
 
Seriously? Just about everything from years gone by used to be a craft - belt making, metalwork, laying of railways etc - hell, even shaving in the morning was considered an art - thanks basically to the massive population and the consequential demands / needs, we now sit with this consumer driven, pretty plastic trash…

It is a very emotional issue I agree - if you love printing, or belt making or building etc and modern ways come along and strip you of what made the industry special, unique, enjoyable etc , well that just sucks!!
 
joyce said:
D ink man you remind me of Dr. Sheldon Cooper from The Big Bang Theory.
Click to expand...

I have never seen the show on television, but do know of it. I usually tune in to the History channel, National Geographic channel, Discovery channel, PBS, sometimes Travel channel and Wealth TV.

Personally, I enjoy things that are REAL, hence you can see why I don't know who Dr. Sheldon Cooper is.

This posted thread I have presented is a demonstration of my desire for REAL.

Life should be a continuous education. If not, in my opinion you're done. Just my take, no further attacks necessary!

D Ink Man
 
If I were selling offset and/or flexo ink I think I would be very concerned about the apparent trend towards abandoning those printing technologies and converting the presswork to inkjet and other media-proprietary printing devices.
Inkjet and other media-proprietary printing devices like Landa's gizmo effectively would reduce my market size (and revenue) while shutting me out from being able to compete against those systems suppliers.
 
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