Future Links September 4th 2015
Here are our daily links with the most important news from the printing industry. Today they feature the drupa World Tour, Alcoa’s large investment in 3D printing, open innovation processes for the packaging industry, less than perfect mobile printing solutions for enterprises, the potential of silk ink and biogels for bioprinting applications, Hansol’s acquisition of the R+S Group and a forecast expecting strong growth for digital textile printing.
drupa world tour starts in September
Things will really start heating up for the drupa 2016 World Tour in September with a series of presentations, press conferences and trade press interviews in Asia, Europe and the US. Over 40 drupa events of all kinds will take place well into February 2016.
More at drupa
Alcoa invests 60 million USD in 3D printing center
The aluminum manufacturer Alcoa sees great opportunity in shaping metal with 3D printers. That is why the company has invested 60 million USD in a manufacturing center specializing in 3D printing techniques and materials. The company said it’s been using 3D printing technology to build tools and prototypes for the past 20 years.
More at Fortune
Open innovation is a promising process for the packaging industry
Open innovation, a process in which companies look outside their four walls by using outside expertise or processes like crowdsourcing, is becoming increasingly common, even though it hasn’t reached the mainstream in the packaging industry yet. Food and beverage packaging companies are especially innovative and could profit from many of the processes used in open innovation.
More at Packaging Digest
Business users are not satisfied with mobile printing options
Smartphones and tablets are increasingly common in enterprises yet many users are not happy with the technology and options that are currently available. According to recent IDC research, 35 % of smartphone users and 34 % of tablet users want to print but can’t and nearly half are not satisfied with the printing options available.
More at TechTarget
Silk biogels could be the next hot material in 3D bioprinting
Researchers at Tufts University have found that silk-based bioink has potential for new technologies like tissue engineering and the production of 3D printed implants. They found that using a chemical process involving diluting silk solutions with polyols (also known as sugar alcohols, commonly used in food) that are nontoxic, they were able to create formulas with ‘self-curing’ features. The silk matrix could perform as a 3D printing material.
More at 3D Print
Hansol Paper completes acquisition of R+S Group
South Korean paper manufacturer Hansol Paper has acquired the entire share capital of the German thermal paper converter R+S Group, which was formerly Reker und Schlingmann Papierrollenfabrik GmbH. According to Hansol, thermal paper converter R+S Group will continue to operate as a separate company after the closing of the transaction.
More at EUWID Pulp and Paper
Worldwide digital printing market to experience strong growth
According to the 2014-2019 Digital Textile Forecast by InfoTrends, the market for digital textile printing will grow rapidly over the next few years. Currently valued at 7.5 billion USD globally, the worldwide digital textile printing market for garment, home décor and industrial applications is expected to grow around 34 percent CAGR until 2019. Europe continues as the biggest market for digital textile printing while Asia Pacific is gaining momentum.
More at What They Think?