Future Links January 22nd 2015
Here are our daily links with the most important news from the printing industry. Today they feature Microsoft’s foray into the 3D space, Thinfilm’s new partnership with Xerox, opportunities in the digital textile print market, a complaint by U.S. paper manufacturers against imports, LUXeXel’s plans for expansion, Sun Chemical’s mobile troubleshooting tool and a look into Tetra Pak’s R&D facilities.
Microsoft’s Hololens lets people print objects from their imagination
Microsoft has made some waves with its new product Hololens: A hybrid between virtual reality glasses and 3D design tool, it connects to a 3D printer and lets users 3D print objects that only existed in their imagination.
More at Business Insider
Thinfilm partners with Xerox to print a billion chips a year
This is clearly a major step for printed electronics: Norwegian tech company Thinfilm is teaming up with Xerox to mass-produce electronic chips. Under the deal, Thinfilm will be able to print as many as a billion chips a year for applications such as processors, memory, and sensors for the Internet of Things, or smart and connected everyday objects.
More at Venture Beat
Digital textile printing market still small but experts see potential
At the WTIN Digital Printing Conference, which was held alongside the Heimtextil in Frankfurt, experts discussed new opportunities for digital textile printing. Dr John Provost, an industry expert, provided an outlook together with a look at the status quo. The world production of printed textiles amounted to around 31 billion square meters in 2014, Provost said, and of this production, around 65% were rotary screen printed fabrics and 25% flat screen. Digital printing had just an estimated 2-3% share of the overall market.
More at Innovation in Textiles
U.S. paper manufacturers file complaint about uncoated paper imports
The four U.S. paper manufacturers Domtar, Packaging Corporation of America, Finch Paper and Glatfelter, together with the United Steel Workers union, have filed a complaint against what they perceive as unfair trade practices from manufacturers abroad. The manufacturers facing the allegations are from China, Indonesia, Brazil, Portugal and Australia.
More at EUWID Pulp and Paper
LUXeXel is set for expansion
LUXeXel, the only company that is able to print optics according to their own statement, is planning to expand. In an interview on FESPA’s website, Richard van de Vrie, talks about how it will add new services in 2015 and is looking forward to working with new businesses.
More at FESPA
Sun Chemical makes troubleshooting tool available in app store
Designed to help customers resolve common technical defects that can arise during a press run, the troubleshooting app, available on Google Play and the Apple App Store, provides solutions to help customers solve any challenge they may be facing with their flexographic, sheetfed, paper packaging, gravure, and/or energy curable printing issues.
More at Ink World Magazine
A look inside Tetra Pak’s R&D facilities
Tetra Pak has distinguished itself as a global leader in packaging innovation since its foundation in the 1950s. An in-depth article looks at the strategies, values and partnerships that drive the innovation.
More at Packaging Europe