Page 180 - Graphic Design and Print Production Fundamentals

168 Chapter 6. Imaging
is that substrates may need to be pre-treated in order for the toner to adhere properly. There are substrates
available for use specifically on HP Indigo digital presses, but typically these are more expensive or may
not be compatible with other printing methods. Some Indigo presses are equipped with a pre-treating
station that expands substrate compatibility extensively and even surpasses that of other forms of digital
printing.

Nanography

Nanography is a very new and exciting print technology currently in development by the creator of
the Indigo digital press, Benny Landa. It borrows some of the same concepts used in the Indigo but
with a different approach to the implementation of these. The technology centres around NanoInk, a
breakthrough ink with pigment sizes in the tens of nanometers. In comparison, pigments found in good-
quality offset inks are in the 500 nanometre range. Colorants intensify and ink density increases at this
microscopic level, thereby expanding the ink’s colour gamut considerably. The ink uses water as a carrier
instead of imaging oil making it more cost effective and eco-friendly. Billions of ink droplets are jetted
onto a heated blanket, not directly onto the substrate as in inkjet printing. The ink spreads uniformly on
the blanket and the water quickly evaporates leaving only an ultra-thin (approximately 500 nanometres),
dry polymeric film. This film transfers completely onto the substrate on contact and produces a tough,
abrasion-resistant image. This print technology can be used with almost any substrate without pre-
treatment and, due to its minuscule film thickness, does not interfere with the finish. Whether high gloss
or matte, the ink finish matches that of the substrate. Although the technology is poised to revolutionize
the print industry, the first press to use it is currently in beta testing. You can find the latest news and
more information on nanography on this webpage: http://www.landanano.com/nanography

Media Attributions

• Electrostatic principles by Roberto Medeiros
• EA-HG_toner by Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd