Future Links April 7th
Today our news roundup from the printing industry covers GE’s new 3D metal printing facility, a Rembrandt painting made with a 3D printer, how knowledge about sustainable packaging benefits the industry, an Indian state banning plastic fast food packaging, NASA’s design challenge, Esko’s plans for drupa 2016 and Mimaki’s new super wide format UV-LED printer.
GE opened a factory to push 3D metal printing to the next level
GE is opening a new Center for Additive Technology Advancement (CATA) near Pittsburgh. The idea behind CATA, which is funded by each of the various GE businesses, is to bring 3D printing technology into the mainstream for all of them. The 40 million USD facility, which employs 50 workers, is tasked with taking the tech to its absolute limits and beyond. While a lot of the techniques and the machines that execute them are getting pretty advanced, there’s still a gap between what’s possible in the lab and what’s feasible for full-scale production.
More at Popular Mechanics
The newest Rembrandt painting came out of a 3D printer
Researchers have managed to produce a new painting that mimics the great painter’s style by using new technology. The research team composed of people from ING, Microsoft, Technical University Delft, Amsterdam’s museum Het Rembrandthuis, and the Mauritshuis art museum in The Hague in the Netherlands, studied Rembrandt’s work and used 3D printing technology to recreate the style of the old master. The researchers analyzed massive amounts of data from Rembrandt’s paintings and uploaded the data to a 3D printer, which printed 13 layers of special UV ink.
More at Inc.
Knowledge about sustainable packaging increases available options
This is true in almost any field: The more one knows about a topic, the more options are at one’s disposal to solve a problem. Sustainable packaging is no exception. A survey by Packaging Digest and the Sustainable Packaging Coalition (SPC) found that SPC members were outperforming their peers in addressing sustainable packaging. They knew more about the circular economy and took a full-life-cycle approach to packaging.
More at Packaging Digest
Indian state bans plastic fastfood packaging
An Indian state took drastic action: Quick service restaurant (QSR) chains operating in Bengaluru and other parts of Karnataka are not allowed to use plastic packaging starting this month. This means food service businesses will have to switch to bio-degradable packaging. According to a report published by Freedonia Group, the packaging food service disposable market in India is expected to grow to 575 million USD by 2020. Delhi-based biodegradable tableware maker Ecoware cofounder Rhea Singhal, which supplies to leading hotels and QSR chains said the new law is expected to accelerate demand for such products.
More at The Economic Times
Esko features flexo platemaking at drupa 2016
Esko is bringing flexo platemaking to new levels of consistency while simplifying the platemaking operation. At drupa 2016, Esko will introduce a new flexo plate UV LED exposure device. This device combines UV main and back exposure in a single operation: the XPS Crystal 5080. A new digital flexo plate imager, based on the current industry leading CDI technology, will also be introduced: the CDI Crystal 5080.
More at Graphic Repro Online
Mimaki introduces new super wide format UV-LED printer
Mimaki USA, a leading manufacturer of wide-format inkjet printers and cutters, announced the UJV55-320 super wide format UV-LED printer, a 128-inch roll-to-roll model featuring seven ink colors including white for printing on transparent or colored media. Instant-curing UV inks enable two-layer or three-layer printing. This model is also equipped with an LED light for checking backlit signage during printing, which gives operators the ability to immediately verify density, thereby reducing waste and improving production efficiency.
More at What They Think