Future Links March 4th
Today our news roundup from the printing industry covers HP’s 3D printing plans, a big investment for XJet, Xerox’s printed electronics for connected health care, crowdsourcing for packaging innovations, Rotoflex’s additions to its security series for label inspection, the expansion of Sappi’s cardboard business and Fujifilm’s slogan and strategy for drupa 2016.
HP hopes to drive the next industrial revolution
HP is not interested in the 3D printing consumer market at the moment. Its new 3D printers that will be launched later this year clearly aim at the business market. The company hopes to spark a change in the way products are manufactured. HP’s upcoming 3D printer is based on so-called multi jet technology, which mixes conventional 3D printing technology with new techniques and materials.
More at PC World
XJet receives 25 million USD investment
The Israel-based company XJet has spurred major advances in metal 3D printing: The XJet system uses nanoparticles in liquid suspension to build metal parts, which is far different from the laser-based systems currently in use. The unique method is the reason that the company attracted not only a lot of attention but also investors: Autodesk, through its Spark Investment Fund, and the Israeli-Chinese private equity fund Catalyst CEL, have invested 25 USD in the company.
More at Times of Israel
Xerox’ new product could have a significant impact on health care
While health care is not the first association that comes to mind when thinking about Xerox, the company has spent the last five years working on an invention that could have a big impact on connected health care. Xerox developed a way to produce printed microcircuits using 3D printing and ink and thin circuitry printed to a Polyethylene terephthalate or PET substrate.
More at MedCityNews
How to use crowdsourcing to inspire packaging innovations
Crowdsourcing has been used in many business areas, most notably in the design space. An article on Packaging World explains how crowdsourcing can be used for new packaging ideas or improvement to existing packaging. And while Heineken, Orbit, and a couple of fast-moving consumer goods companies have started using crowdsourcing platforms for packaging innovation, the concept is widely used by smaller companies rather than established, large corporations, according to the article.
More at Packaging World
Rotoflex expands security series for label inspection
The new Security series for label inspection and finishing integrates into the Rotoflex VSI, HSI and VLI product lines, either as a new equipment option or as a retrofit to existing installations. Options available with this series include high-resolution inspection, variable data inspection, braille inspection and bar code reading. Missing labels, remaining matrix, splices, flags, spots, fading and missing color, text defects and registration can be detected.
More at Narrow Web Tech
Sappi strengthens its corrugated cardboard business
The trend toward high-quality yet environmentally friendly packaging solutions is the drive behind the expansion of Sappi’s cardboard business. This area offers opportunities for growth for packaging converters and clients, according to a company statement. Sappi is expanding its corrugated raw material product line with topliner and fluting with a new containerboard product group Containerboard.
More at Packaging Europe
Fujifilm announces graphic arts strategy for drupa 2016
‘Value from Innovation’ will be the slogan summarizing Fujifilm’s strategy for drupa 2016. Fujifilm will outline how its wide ranging technologies will add value to print operations in the commercial, wide format and packaging market segments, and will explain its vision relating to the digital evolution of print production.
More at What They Think?