Future Links April 7th 2015
Today our news roundup from the printing industry covers the role of security in enterprise printing, 3D printing in disaster areas, Apple’s intelligent packaging patent, Optomec’s new systems for printed electronics, dramatic growth in the 3D printer market, Samsung’s new Android printers and Schoelle Chemical’s relaunch.
Security is crucial for enterprise printing
One of the biggest holes in corporate security is the unsecured printer. Company secrets could be stolen and printer networks are often the targets of malware attacks. For banks and insurances the stakes are even higher since a vulnerable printer network can lead to compromised or stolen customer data.
More at Notebook Review
3D printers help in disaster areas
Dara Dotz is an expert when it comes to printing in difficult environments. She worked with the Silicon Valley Company Made in Space that produced a printer for the International Space Station (ISS) before she founded iLab Haiti and subsequently joined forces with FieldReady.org, an organization that supports communities stricken by natural disaster. Dotz believes 3D printing can revolutionize the way humanitarian-aid supply chains function.
More at 3D Print
Apple thinks outside the box
Yes, it is such a cliché but Apple wouldn’t be the company it is if that would stop its designers to come up with new ways of packaging its products. Apple filed a patent with the US Patent & Trademark Office titled “Personalization of Devices While Packaged,” which allows Apple’s millions of product packaging such as iPhone boxes to provide intelligent connectivity.
More at Luxury Daily
Optomec offers new systems for printed electronics
Several ways of printing electronics with inkjet printers are already available. The company Optomec takes a different approach: The LENS system, a blown powder laser-based 3D printer is designed for metals, which the company manufactures under license from the Sandia National Laboratory. The Aerosol Jet system provides non-contact deposition of materials for printed electronics, which the company developed in-house.
More at ARM Devices
3D printer market reaches 3.3 billion USD
2014 was the year that 3D printing came out of its niche. Market researchers at Canalys estimate that nearly 133,000 3D printers were shipped worldwide in 2014, a substantial increase of 68 percent from 2013. Revenue from 3D printers and their associated materials and services rose to 3.3 billion USD, an increase of 34 percent compared to the previous year.
More at Canalys
Samsung offers additional Android printers
Samsung Electronics has extended its Smart MultiXpress line of Android-powered printers with powerful new solutions for A3 and A4 printing. The multi-function printer models (MFP’s) are designed to be independent of PCs, intuitive to use and scalable for all types of business environments, a statement said.
More at Trade Arabia
Scholle Chemical becomes Alchemix
A new name and a new look: Scholle Chemical presents itself as Alchemix after a major relaunch. Over its 70-year history the company has been at the forefront of development and production of solutions for over-the-counter wart removers and liquid bandages, paints, printing inks, adhesives, and coatings.
More at Ink World Magazine