What is Digital Print for Manufacturing?
Digital Print for Manufacturing is the theme at FuturePrint TECH 9-10 November in Cambridge.
In this article, we outline, what is digital print for manufacturing?
We believe digital print for manufacturing is the term that defines the single most significant opportunity for digital print technology.
The gigantic global manufacturing sector.
Digital print for manufacturing is the type of digital printing used in manufacturing, whether for functional or decorative purposes. This house diagram above illustrates the diversity of opportunity and the range of differing applications. It spans from automotive to packaging and from decor to textile to labels to functional industrial coatings additive manufacturing.
Why is digital printing for manufacturing so important?
There is no doubt that the significant challenges faced by supply chain disruption, component shortages, energy price increases, commodity shortages, changing demand and fast-rising inflation are placing a huge strain on the traditional manufacturing model.
Many believe that COVID and the post ensuing crisis have sparked a trend of ‘de-globalisation’ and for good reason. With a conflict added to COVID, there is far more of a demand now for taking back some control over the process of making products in order to avoid disruption.
Digital technology is such an effective enabler. The advantages are numerous. Not least, it gives brands less exposure to the fast-changing and highly volatile world economy where growth is being stifled by the current challenges confronting the world manufacturing sector.
And now, the prospect of digitalisation is a reality. The technology is available. Now is the time to learn of the possibilities and invest in strategic technology solutions that empower manufacturers.
Digital Print for Packaging & Labels
Then think about what we consume and the way it is packaged. How is this decorated, what do brands and retailers want from their packaging printing? What is it designed to do? As the last interruptive media, packaging and label printing have an ever higher value within the marketing supply chain. Clever packaging helps brands to sell units. What do we drink, and eat and what is it that the packaging has to do? Innovative packaging sells more products. With luxury products as well as the increasingly visible direct-to-shape inkjet revolution, this segment is an exciting and buoyant one.
Digital Decorative Printing
Think of the floor upon which you walk, the table you are sitting at, and the walls which surround you. There is a high probability that digital printing has been involved in some way in the decoration and creation of either a wood floor, a textile, wallpaper or indeed furniture. Digital printing plays a tremendous role in the decoration of our environments, increasingly so as the shift towards customisation is placed at a premium.
Functional Digital Printing
Imagine your average day. Your screen, washing machine, dishwasher, car, computer, in fact virtually everything that has some kind of function could contain, to some extent, digital printing. It might not be ink that is deployed, it could be a coating material that enables the product to function.
Digital print for manufacturing is defined by the applications that it is active in and the problems it can solve. Quality is paramount within the manufacturing sector but if printing is to be used within manufacturing it must add value and enable new possibilities while helping solve the problems of today.
So what is it worth?
Back in 2012 I.T Strategies made a realistic estimation that the value of digital print for manufacturing was then around the $100 Billion mark. And that they predicted growth of around 20% in 10 years to $120 Billion. This valuation is a direct estimation of the value of the print, not the entire value of the production of any one industry. Since then they have revised this upwards as growth has accelerated to 36% due to growth in demand for certain products and an increase in adoption for inkjet which is complementing rather than dislodging traditional industrial print technologies.
What can you expect at FuturePrint TECH?
The theme is ‘Digital Print for Manufacturing’. The categorization will be as follows:
Vision and the Future of Manufacturing
Digital Print for Packaging & Labels
Digital Print for Textile & Decor
Digital Print for Functional, Industrial & Additive
Will there be plenty of opportunities for networking?
On day 1, November 9th, the event starts at 9 am and will feature a morning coffee break, a lunch at 1 pm, an afternoon break and a networking dinner in the Tower Restaurant onsite at the Møller Centre.
On day 2, November 10th, again the event begins at 9 am and contains the same networking opportunities as Day 1 with the exception of the evening networking dinner.
Who is this event designed for?
Content will be delivered by experts in technology and commercial development for digital printing. Typical job titles include CEO, MD, CTO, Commercial Director, Director of Technology, R&D Director, R&D Manager, General Manager, Production Director, Marketing Director, Production Manager, Product Manager, and Marketing Manager.
Who will attend?
Decision makers from businesses in the Technology Developers, OEMs, Print Production Companies & Converters and Manufacturing Companies from across industries, united in their interest and focus on digital printing technology for manufacturing.