Future Links July 16th 2015
Today our news roundup from the printing industry covers a global IDC study on printouts from tablets and smartphones, at attempt to 3D print on inflatable structures, printed emergency shelters, a law printing firm’s investment in Fuji Xerox equipment, how identifying packaging materials can lead to reduced waste and an effort to develop biobased plasticizers.
IDC study: Printouts from tablets and smartphones will increase
Market researcher IDC conducted a global study that looked at how smartphones and tablets are changing the landscape for printing, scanning, and document management. Survey respondents expect their share of prints from smartphones and tablets to increase from 20 to 21 % today to 28 to 30 % in three years.
More at Imperial Valley News
Printing on inflatable structures could allow muscles for robots
Granted, it really sounds sci-fi, but an inventor on the RepRap forum found a way to 3D print on inflatable structures. This method of 3D printing allows the manufacturing of some very unique flexible components, including muscles for soft robots.
More at Hackaday
French scientists 3D print emergency shelters
Researchers at the University of Nantes (IRCCyN) wanted to take house printing and turn it into something that is useful and able to help people in need. They worked on speeding up the printing process so that an emergency shelter can be printed within 20 to 30 minutes.
More at 3D Printing Industry
Law firm printer invest in Fuji Xerox equipment
Law firms and government agencies do not only have large amounts of documents to print, they also have strict requirements regarding safety and confidentiality. The Australian law firm printer Law Image has now installed two Fuji Xerox machines as it pushes to further reduce cost and increase productivity.
More at i-Grafix
Identifying packaging materials can lead to reduced waste
If packaging waste is categorized and identified correctly, materials recovery facilities can better process waste stream and get the recycled material to the market faster. Identifying packaging materials also has advantages for manufacturers: When waste starts being itemized and categorized, manufacturers can get a better sense of where waste reduction practices could be most beneficial.
More at Packaging Digest
Tests with bio-based plasticizers show good results
There has been quite a bit of pressure to replace phthalates and non-phthalates plasticizers with more sustainable materials lately. A project by Placard is aiming at producing a new bio-based plasticizer for soft PVC with a focus on applications in construction. It is produced by chemical modification of cardanol, an industrial-grade yellow oil obtained by vacuum distillation of cashew nut shell liquid.
More at Packaging Europe