The FuturePrint Tech Fest featured a series of expert panels outlining the 5 Steps to Inkjet Success. The ‘Problem Solving and Applications’ Panel featured Simon Edwards, Business Manager, Global Inkjet Systems, who offered some valuable insights into where to start to shore up industrial inkjet projects for success. 

Start with collaboration

One of the leading challenges in the development of inkjet technology is managing the collaboration between component suppliers. OEMs building new printing technology often making decisions based on existing knowledge of suppliers, or making cost-driven choices, which can lead to component selection and design that is not the most optimal. A well-co-ordinated approach to project management is essential for a successful collaborative inkjet project where all the suppliers work together to create the right solution. OEMs can be understandably concerned about cross-contamination of information between suppliers when several players that may operate in competing spaces are working together, however these issues can be resolved with the right mindset and desire to be successful.

When the OEM developing the printing solution gathers all the component suppliers together at an early stage, it can be a major boon for the project’s success, helping all stakeholders understand the objectives and get a clear picture of the skill basis that each company is bringing to the table. Inadequate sharing of information can negatively affect the outcome; breaking down those barriers of confidentiality is a challenge but doing so facilitates stronger and more effective collaboration. The tide could be turning in this area; some of the opportunities in larger markets are so significant that all industrial inkjet stakeholders realise they need to work together to make it a success. Again, effective project management is key here when it comes to supporting smooth partnerships with multiple component suppliers.

Start at the end

While assembling the component suppliers at the beginning of the project is important, starting at the end is also vital. At GIS, we encourage our OEM partners to take a step back at the initiation of a project and think carefully about the specification they are trying to achieve. The right print head selection needs to be one of the primary drivers of the project, and the early development of the ink is also a crucial factor to consider very early on – there can be an inclination sometimes to put ink development off until later in the process, which can cause challenges down the line.

Start with questions like, what exactly is the end product, what market is it for, what are the quality requirements and speed requirements? High-end applications such as flexible package printing for example is very demanding, and challenges when developing new technology are an inevitability. Another key reason for starting at the end is assessing commercial viability – it sounds obvious, but we often see projects hit walls after large investments early on that consequently impact the commercial outcome. A Stage-Gate approach to project management is ideal and allows for a structured approach that can ensure you are incorporating everything you may need. Software can’t be overlooked either, it is an essential component to a commercially viable system which can sometimes take a back seat to the hardware at the onset of the project planning. Define the user experience can help UI developers to get a head start on how the final software will look and feel.  Defining the data path, and particularly the data conversion speed required, is essential to determining the PC hardware needs and the software components from UI to RIP to printhead drivers.  In some cases, RIP off-line may be required for very high-speed implementation, whereas real-time RIPs can be used for lower end applications.  For this reason, at GIS we have developed highly flexible and customisable user interfaces, along with fully scalable RIP technology that can be scaled up to the most demanding needs.

Start small

Inks take a significant amount of time to get developed because you’ve got so many aspects, jetting parameters, waveform designs, different substrates, different speeds, so trying to replicate these in an R&D environment is critical. Get the front-end R&D project up and running with some systems you can use for demonstrations first. Many of the ink manufacturers and suppliers have their own equipment, so leveraging those relationships to explore how to create something it's close enough to what you want at low cost that can answer some of your questions and solve any challenges through demonstrations.

When you develop a new technology, structuring the project in the right way is crucial to success. The temptation is often to go straight for the main event, jumping in to building a large printing system. In reality, it is much more effective to take a gradual approach by creating smaller R&D projects to explore the final product, that way you can assess the parameters and analyse problems before building up to the next stage in the project and ultimately a larger scale machine. You can’t replicate the final machine, but you can get close. At GIS we work with our customers in a partnership where exceptional project management is the key focus to creating a successful outcome.

Watch the Tech Fest Panel ‘5 Steps Panel: Problem Solving and Applications’.