Substrates and Inkjet: The Move toward Higher Quality Output Service Area

Transcription

1 Analysis May 2012 Substrates and Inkjet: The Move toward Higher Quality Output Service Area On Demand Printing & Publishing Comments or Questions?

2 Table of Contents Executive Summary... 3 Key Findings... 3 Recommendations... 3 Introduction... 4 Substrate Developments... 4 An Application View... 5 Application Directions for Production Inkjet... 7 Kodak s Prosper Paper Rating System... 8 High-Value Substrates for High-Value Applications Fenske Media and the Magalog Two Categories of Service Providers InfoTrends Opinion About the Author InfoTrends

3 Executive Summary New technologies, such as high-speed production monochrome and color inkjet systems, place increased demands on substrates. Choosing a substrate that works well for any given print application depends on a number of factors. In this white paper, the second in a two-part series, InfoTrends looks at these factors and how end users can leverage tools, such as Kodak s Prosper Paper Rating System, to make informed substrate decisions based on the requirements of their print applications. Key Findings Key findings of this analysis include: Inkjet treated stocks provide a range of benefits including reduced show-through and higher perceived print quality (i.e., sharper text, wider color gamut, and more vibrant colors) because the ink s colorants are held at closer to paper surface. Typical inkjet-treated stocks tend to cost more than untreated stocks, yet factors such as decreased ink consumption and the ability to use a lighter weight stock (which may have positive implications for mailing costs) mean that cost must be evaluated across the entire process. Designing for inkjet not only requires a good understanding of the capabilities of the substrate, but also a focus on the impact that total ink coverage has on cost and on the demands that drying processes place on the substrate. Kodak has developed a tool called the Prosper Paper Rating System, which provides comparative metrics that help Prosper system users choose the appropriate substrate for a given print application or customer. Recommendations InfoTrends makes the following recommendations: The interaction between the inks, the substrates, and the drying systems is central to the success of any print output; do not expect to get a good result from a substrate that is not designed for the demands of the application. Paper vendors are developing and will announce new substrates at a relatively rapid pace, so it is important to keep informed on market developments for substrates. Though inkjet-treated papers typically cost more than comparable untreated stocks, inkjet-treated stocks have benefits that often outweigh cost. Do not underestimate the value that improved print quality, broader color gamut, consistent performance, and limited show-through have on the overall success of an inkjet-printed piece. Kodak s Prosper Paper Rating System is one tool that print service providers can use to assess whether the capabilities of a substrate are a good match for the demands of the print application. InfoTrends

4 Introduction High-speed production color inkjet products are bringing digital print into new levels of speed, productivity, and monthly volume. They have found early success in transaction, direct mail, and book applications, for the most part, by using uncoated substrates. Economical inkjet-treated coated substrates, along with pre-treatment of conventional stocks, are opening up new possibilities in print applications, such as higher quality books and direct mail as well as custom publications, magazines, catalogs, and general commercial print. Substrates are a key to the success of inkjet in any application area and their use in high-value print campaigns sometimes goes against the conventional wisdom regarding paper use. How substrates are leveraged in this new digital era is a central theme of this white paper. This white paper is the second in a two-part series. The first white paper, entitled A Two- Pronged Approach: Kodak s Inkjet Substrate Strategy, explored how Kodak has addressed the issue of providing suitable substrates for high-speed continuous-feed color inkjet printing in two ways: (1) working with a wide range of substrate vendors to provide inkjet-treated stocks at affordable price points and (2) offering an in-line solution called the Image Optimizer Station (IOS) that allows Prosper users to use a much broader range of untreated papers including coated ones. In this white paper, InfoTrends will look specifically at the selection and use of inkjettreated substrates for a range of high-value print applications. Substrate Developments Coated stocks are synonymous with high-value print applications. The finish of a substrate, ranging in shininess from dull to matte to satin to gloss, complements the graphics or photographs and gives them an extra pop that uncoated stocks cannot provide. The difficulty posed by high-speed inkjet systems using water-based inks is their high water content. Water tends to bead up on the impermeable surface of a traditional coated paper designed for offset lithography. How can the system remove the water while fixing the color pigments close to the surface of the sheet? Oil-based inks used for offset lithography are able to dry on the shiny, impermeable surface of traditional coated offset papers, though even they require time for the inks to set fully. UV inks for offset printing can accelerate the drying process, but a secondary step is required: the sheets must be passed under UV illumination. Keep in mind that it took time to develop offset inks and papers that were capable of producing high quality output. Offset lithography did not become the dominant print process overnight. Papers that were developed for existing processes, such as gravure or letterpress, were not immediately suitable for offset. In the same way, when electrophotography entered the market, it brought along new substrate requirements that paper mills had to take into account. A class of digital papers were developed that could be used on offset presses InfoTrends

5 and electrophotographic copiers and printers (using either dry or liquid toners). Even though these papers go by the name digital, this does not mean that they are suitable for inkjet output. Glossy coated digital photo papers for use on home inkjet printers are designed to trap the pigment at the surface and absorb excess water in a layer underneath. Though this design works well for consumers, who buy such small quantities of paper that a high price per sheet is not a huge deterrent, such a strategy is unmanageable for production environments. The raw materials and coating associated with this type of photo substrate are simply too expensive for high-volume production print. High-speed continuous-feed color printers using water-based inks all have a drying system that dries the paper typically using hot air, infrared lights, or a combination of the two. High-value substrates for production inkjet printing systems provide a surface that can accept the water-based inks while leveraging the drying system. It is also true that there are a lot of different types of high-speed continuous inkjet systems that have fundamentally different types of inkjet heads, ink formulations, and ink colorants (typically dyes or pigments). Therefore, in the same way that a digital paper may not be suited for all digital processes, an inkjet paper is unlikely to be suitable for all types of inkjet systems. An Application View We will look first at how the graphical complexity of various job types places demands on a printing system and the substrates it uses. Later, we will look at how Kodak is providing comparative metrics via a tool called the Prosper Paper Rating System to help Prosper system users choose the appropriate substrate for a given print application. Figure 1: Monochrome Text Quality No inkjet treatment (left); inkjet treatment (right) Some print applications are more demanding than others. A singled-sided monochrome text letter with low total ink coverage and no logos or graphics is a relatively simple application that places few demands on a substrate. As complexity rises, the substrate needs to be able to meet these increased demands. Here is a short list of factors that relate to application complexity: Monochrome text quality: Edge sharpness is important for providing good text quality in general, but it is particularly important when the type is small for overall legibility, but also to prevent letters like e or o from filing in. Figure 1 shows the impact on edge sharpness of an inkjet-treated stock. InfoTrends

6 Density: For larger areas of solid black or color, the density of a color must remain high for good quality results. Show-through: Documents that are printed on both sides of the sheet are rendered unusable if content from one side bleeds through to the other. High coverage: As the amount of ink coverage increases, so do the demands on the substrate. High coverage designs are harder for inkjet systems to dry because of the increased amount of liquid applied; this added liquid also may lead to paper defects, such as cockling, that impact the flatness of the sheet. Process color: Full color images and photographs require the overlaid placement of cyan, magenta, yellow, and black inks, which places increased demands on the substrate because the requirements are multiplied to include good density, higher coverage, and low tolerance for show-through. Gloss: Promotional applications are typically associated with coated papers providing some level of gloss, which, as has become clear, presents challenges for inkjet output because of the impermeable surface of the gloss coating. Durability: Print applications that are mailed go through a postal system that scuffs and rubs them such that print output can be easily damaged. Some substrates provided better durability when used in combination with inkjet output; in other cases, a protective coating may be applied in a post-printing process to increase the level of durability. Waterfastness: The inkjet-printed result should not smear or otherwise deform when it comes in contact with water. Uncoated, untreated stocks are often suitable for less demanding, low-coverage monochrome print applications. Inkjet-treated stocks are often required as complexity rises because they provide darker density and limit show-through. One interesting side benefit of inkjet-treated coated stocks relates to show-through. Book printers and direct mailers typically like to use lighter weight stocks so that the final output weighs less. Inkjet-treated uncoated stocks for these applications perform better in regard to showthrough and, therefore, a print service provider may choose a lighter weight inkjet-treated stock because it performs better than a comparable weighted untreated stock. For applications that require a coated stock, systems using water-based inks typically use inkjet-treated coated stocks or employ an in-line pre-treatment by a system, like Kodak s IOS. 1 Deciding which method to use, as with the uncoated example described above, print 1 In some cases with hybrid inkjet/offset configurations, like Kodak s S Series Imprinting Systems, it is possible to print on untreated coated stocks for some applications, typically those that are monochrome or have lower coverage. InfoTrends

7 service providers must balance the benefits of the substrate with the overall needs of the application. Coated stocks, because of the vibrancy that gloss brings, help promotional and marketing messages stand out, and can increase campaign return rates. They also indicate higher value for applications like books, custom publications, and catalogs. Application Directions for Production Inkjet While the choice of substrate has quality implications, these must be balanced by the cost of the substrate. Inkjet-treated substrates typically produce a better result, but they are also more expensive. One of the implications of this today is that users of high-speed production color inkjet systems tend to print applications that are less demanding from a substrate, coverage, and quality perspective. Why? Simply because the cost benefits and quality levels of the existing systems and substrates are the best current match for those applications. Figure 2: Print Application Mix by Volume Source: High Speed Continuous Color Inkjet Opportunity, InfoTrends, 2011 InfoTrends recently conducted a study of early high-speed production color system users. We asked them about the applications they are printing. Transactional applications (see Figure 2) are the leader by far, followed by direct mail and books. In another question, we asked about average print coverage. More than 75% of these users have average total coverage levels of 25% or less; 36% have total coverage levels of 10% or less. These are relatively low coverage levels. There are signs, however, that this is changing. The systems are capable of higher quality levels on the right stocks. Paper mills are creating inkjet-treated stocks that are becoming more and more cost competitive. In our global application forecast for high-speed inkjet systems (see Figure 3), InfoTrends expects to see large gains in higher quality applications. Overall, these high-speed color inkjet systems will drive very high growth in InfoTrends

8 print volume. In 2010, the bulk of the application volume was mainly in transaction, books, and direct mail. By 2015, these applications will garner additional pages that will employ greater use of coated stocks and higher coverage levels. They will also be joined by other promotional applications that were not possible in 2010 because of the limited availability of economical inkjet-treated coated stocks. Figure 3: Global Color Inkjet Print Volume by Application (Billions of A4 Impressions) Source: High Speed Continuous Color Inkjet Opportunity, InfoTrends, 2011 The move toward substrates capable of higher quality output on high-speed production color inkjet systems is gradual but, overall, good progress is being made. As more inkjettreated coated and uncoated substrates become available, end users need help assessing which substrate is right for their application. Kodak s Prosper Paper Rating System is intended to provide this type of guidance. Kodak s Prosper Paper Rating System Kodak has 40 years of experience with continuous inkjet technology and was a pioneer in the use of papers for production inkjet. The company has an extensive understanding of the factors revolving around image quality, substrate surface science, and inkjet printing systems, all of which is essential to getting a good printed result. Kodak has applied this knowledge to the Prosper Paper Rating System, which it announced in March of The system s goal is to provide quantitative image-quality measurements that print service providers can use to compare similar papers and grades. The system builds on 10 years of paper testing data and a database of more than 4,000 paper tests that Kodak has conducted under standard conditions. InfoTrends

9 The Prosper Paper Rating System uses a five-diamond rating system to set expectations for the capability of any stock that has been tested. It allows the user to make decisions based on the requirements of the application, quality considerations, and the cost of the substrate. Figure 4: Kodak Prosper Paper Rating System Offset class Best color performance on coated papers; rivals offset quality on coated papers Enhanced color High quality color graphics on uncoated stocks; moderate performance on coated Basic color Uniform side-to-side results for basic color documents Enhanced text Good black density for text and monochrome images Text Suitable for basic text applications Kodak has active relationships with more than 40 paper mills worldwide and notes that about 25 mills are undertaking new paper development projects. Heading into drupa 2012, 217 papers have tested positively for inkjet printing and over 40 have gone through the full Kodak Prosper Paper Rating System. A key benefit of the program is that, by working with Kodak s research and development substrate team, many paper mills now have a much better understanding of the application requirements and the process improvements required in paper development to improve surface quality and thereby raise their substrate s rating. There is also work that goes beyond the paper mills with chemical companies who provide components that make up the treatments that enable these high-value coated substrates. One important aspect of Kodak s Prosper Paper Rating System is that there are no licensing fees for participating mills. This encourages the mills to get their papers rated and sets a standard by which they are compared with their peers. After receiving a rating, mills may choose to alter or improve their manufacturing procedures so that they can achieve a higher rating. It is also important to understand that there is a difference between a paper rating system and a paper certification process. Kodak s Prosper Paper Rating System provides a InfoTrends

10 comparative test between papers that help predict how they will perform. A certification process, on the other hand, is something entirely different. Typically, the end result of a certification process is the creation of a job profile for setting a system up so it will run a given substrate most optimally. The Rochester Institute of Technology, for example, has conducted this type of paper certification for many electrophotographic products. This is extremely valuable work, but it should not be confused with what Kodak is trying to achieve with the Prosper Paper Rating System. In the end, Kodak s goal with the Prosper Paper Rating System is to provide comparative information between papers and allow customers to make informed decisions. The ancillary benefit is to drive a larger selection of higher quality papers that are available at competitive prices. This is an important factor in advancing the high-speed inkjet market. High-Value Substrates for High-Value Applications In an ideal world, an inkjet-treated high-value substrate would be comparably priced to an untreated stock with similar characteristics. With the added process costs, such parity is not a reality today. The next step would be premium pricing, but at a reasonable level. Beyond that, there are substrates whose prices are 2x or more the price of a comparable stock that is not inkjet-treated. A few paper mills have made announcements about inkjet-treated coated substrates from around the world for use by high-volume production inkjet systems. By this two-tiered pricing system, with small premium on the one hand and large premium on the other hand, a number of paper mills have managed to achieve the goal of only a relatively small premium. These include Appleton Coated, NewPage, Sappi, and Ziegler. Those users desiring the qualities of the higher premium papers would look to mills like Glatfelter and Mitsubishi. Fenske Media and the Magalog Fenske Media in Rapid City, South Dakota is a good example of a company that is expanding its application set through the use of inkjet-treated substrates. Fenske Media s direct marketing data-driven campaigns are becoming more sophisticated through the use of a new application type called a magalog (a fusion of magazine-like content with a catalog-like sales pitch). This application requires a coated stock, since, as Dave Fenske, Partner at Fenske Media, concisely puts it Printing is entertainment, and entertainment equals shine. Fenske Media is using inkjet-treated stocks, including NewPage s TrueJet, to enable its customers applications. The use of inkjet-treated stocks on its Kodak Prosper 5000XL is part of an overall Fenske Media strategy that will include the option of a Kodak Image Optimizer Station (IOS) ahead of the print engine and an Interflex UV coater after it. IOS allows the use of untreated stocks, while the Interflex coater provides added durability for those applications that require it. Another benefit of UV coating is that it also adds gloss. InfoTrends

11 Two Categories of Service Providers Print service providers typically fall into two general categories: Application focused: These are print service providers who focus on a narrow application set and typically use only a few types of substrates. Service focused: These are print service providers who are service-oriented, highly flexible, and produce a wide range of print applications on many different types of substrates. Most of the early adopters of high-speed inkjet systems have been companies producing transaction documents, direct mail, and books. These print service providers typically have a greater say about the substrate used, and their customers are also generally satisfied with a narrower selection of stocks (assuming that those stocks meet the industry s requirements). They fall into the application-focused category. Uncoated stocks have met many, though not all of the application requirements for this type of print service provider. To get high-speed inkjet systems to the next level, they need to be able to handle a broader set of applications than just transaction documents, direct mail, and books. They need to be able to meet the substrate needs of service-focused print service providers. A central aspect of this is for the paper mills to be able to produce cost-effective coated stocks that work well on these systems. At the same time, though, there are unarguable structural cost savings benefits to using a focused inventory of substrates. Service-focused sites that optimize their supply chain will reap the logistics advantages. As they do so, however, they must also balance their customer s substrate requirements. As a result, some of these sites will find a Kodak IOS appealing because it broadens the range of usable substrates. 2 InfoTrends Opinion Kodak s extensive history of working closely with paper mills has helped to expand the range of substrates suitable for inkjet. In addition, Kodak s Prosper Paper Rating System gives end users a tool offering comparative metrics that helps them make paper selections that are appropriate to their print applications and customer base. Together, these initiatives are a welcome step towards bringing high-speed production color inkjet into new applications and markets. 2 For more on how Kodak s Image Optimizer Station fits into this model, please refer to the InfoTrends analysis entitled A Two-Pronged Approach: Kodak s Inkjet Substrate Strategy. InfoTrends

12 About the Author Jim Hamilton Group Director Follow me on Twitter Connect with me on LinkedIn Jim Hamilton is Group Director responsible for InfoTrends Production Hardware consulting services in the areas of production copying and digital printing, wide format, and labels & packaging. Mr. Hamilton is responsible for market research, providing forecast analysis, supporting the consulting service, and creating analysis reports. Comments or Questions? The opinions expressed in this document represent InfoTrends, Inc. s interpretation and analysis of information generally available to the public or released by responsible individuals in the subject companies. We believe that the sources of information on which our material is based are reliable and we have applied our best professional judgment to the data obtained. InfoTrends