Paper inkjets to further spread
Search for new avenues of development in uses for textiles

There is a sweeping force in the growing shipment of color inkjets for paper, including laser and bubble-jets, in contrast to those for textiles. They are being marketed steadily in all ranges from economical types to those that produce the finest definition.

Canon, noted for developing a color bubble-jet printer for textiles following Seiren's establishment of its Viscotecs system, has made a focused switch over to the field of color printers for paper since 2000, with regard to the favorable demand. Furthermore, with other of the world's big names in electronic appliances or cameras such as Epson, HP and Fujitsu, one after another making entry into the market, competition for securing patent rights on inks for paper may well intensify.

Meanwhile, those in the field of textile inkjets are expressing their frustration at not yet having reached the stage of explosive spread in the world market. The fact that technical innovation is still in progress is seen by the industry as the reason for this, nonetheless it is a season for establishing regions of demand.

Lectra Systemes(France)'s booth in JIAM 2002, exhibiting multiple inkjet-printed garment products

Two factors overlap behind suspended demand

To be exact, two overlapping factors, one with manufacturers making continuous efforts for technical innovation and the other with printers in the stage of exploiting more regions of demand from end-users, seem to have prolonged suspension in the growth of demand for textile inkjets.

Toshin Kogyo, Konica and Mimaki are among those who are in a bid to find a way out. Konica has improved inkjet printing effect on fine fabric through its technical innovations. Mimaki has brought forward a user-friendly, economically-priced inkjet printer. Toshin Kogyo has recently developed a model that allows high-speed printing.

The question now is printers' approach. Manufacturer's successive proposals for variously-functioned models will not come into bloom unless printers aptly stretch themselves in their selection and exploitation of areas of demand. It is undeniable that the focus has shifted to this point.

Attention should be drawn to developments up to now on the printer's side. Apart from Seiren, factories only have a small number of printers in operation. There are various reasons all tangled up for the small numbers.

Viscotecs has grown under new management system

A large number of inkjet printers are at work in Seiren. While having a function as a manufacturer developing its own original inkjet printers, it can be also described as a successful user of them. With its original brand of inkjet printer Viscotecs lined up in parallel and the Viscotecs processing method, the company has facilitated the mass printing of single designs. Its contribution is considerable in the practical application of inkjets.

The problem is how to make inkjet printing spread among other textile companies - that is a major issue among printer manufacturers. Are there not ways, other than Seiren's parallel production, in which inkjets can become wide-spread?

From the standpoint of business administration, Seiren, with its Viscotecs system, has established an entirely different structure to that of conventional printing factories. The use of inkjets will grow if other factories follow it. An enormous transformation into a business style with a direct linkage to consumers will be required though, in order to take up Seiren's system.

There is a view that apparel companies then should introduce inkjet printers themselves. However, the idea that printers should be in the possession of factories is supported by the majority in the traditional, accustomed structure of the industry business divisions.

Such a stalemated situation is working in favor of Seiren's strategies. Seiren has both in name and practice established a business model based on a patent and, to secure the model, made the use of Viscotecs system exclusively its own and not available to anyone else. Data on pre-processing and inks used is also privately held. Apart from the several hundred units currently in operation in its own domestic and foreign plants, the spread of Viscotecs printers elsewhere is unlikely without availability.

Inkjet manufacturers will only gloat if factories introduce a management system similar to that of Seiren and the use of their printers increases, however, at the present moment, they remain in their struggle with the reality being not quite how it is desired.

Toshin Kogyo to open new course
by achieving higher printing speed per unit

To encourage the stalled demand for textile inkjet printers, Toshin Kogyo has brought forward a considerable contrivance.

That the printing speed is extremely slow has so far been a basic assumption for inkjets for textiles. Toshin Kogyo, anticipating that the removal of such a wall of assumption would blaze a trail to new demand, exhibited its newly-developed inkjet printer Ichinose 2020 at a demonstration in JIAM 2002 held recently in Osaka.

The demonstration attracted attention, carried out with the use of acid-dye-based inks on silk, nylon/lycra. A high speed production of 40m²/h at 720dpi on the standard mode, or 60m²/h at 360dpi, with 16 nozzles (2 axes with 8 nozzles each) for printing 1,600mm-wide cloth made a strong impression on visitors.

Its association with DuPont Ink Jet on inks has attracted further notice. A wide range of items on offer includes reactive, disperse, acid-dye (with fluorescent red and yellow), and pigment-based inks.

Toshin Kogyo has also formulated its own inks for inkjets, aside from those of DuPont Ink Jet.

Inks in demand among developed countries
China in stage of test model production

DuPont Ink Jet aims for a larger share for textile inks in the global market. It is undeniable that, having withdrawn from the business of synthetic dyes, the attempt to make a resurrection in the field of dyes and pigments with inkjet inks has caused tension among dye manufacturers around the world.

Following a digital textile printing seminar, held some years ago in Como, Italy, with participants taking special notice of DuPont Ink Jet's reports on sample inks, the company's recent attendance at JIAM 2002 can be described as a definite declaration of global share expansion, with its inkjet inks as a start. Immediately after participation in JIAM2002 in cooperation with Toshin Kogyo, DuPont sent its personnel on to China, displaying much interest in the potential demand for inkjet printing there.

Printing in China is targeted mainly on volume zones. Research on inkjet printing has been conducted in institutes, and domestic production of the devices has already been started. It is unlikely, though, that inkjet will drive out the existing methods. The news that there has been a rapid increase in the Chinese imports of printers from Japan (Toshin Kogyo) and Europe confirms it.

Attention should be drawn to what Toshin Kogyo had in mind in focusing on developed countries to find the target clientele and developing a high-speed inkjet printer, to refer to as a source in studying future demand cultivation. Let us look at developments so far, for better speculation.

Up to now, camera manufacturers have globally taken the lead in inkjet printers and inks for textiles. But then manufacturers who have played an active role in rotary screen or auto flat bed screen printing, such as Toshin Kogyo and Zimmer, started providing much news with their advancement into the field.

Stork was the first in the world to embark on the business. It made a grand appearance releasing an inkjet printer at ITMA '91 in Hanover, but without any further salient development since. It seems to remain deep in silent thought trying to create new openings in demand for textile inkjets under circumstances at variance with those for paper inkjets. That illustrates the point that constructing related market strategies could be as difficult, as it requires more subtlety than for paper inkjets.

Although sample models are easily accessible to printers because of their low pricing, demand is limited. As stated earlier, it will be a different story if factories around the world increasingly introduce arrays of inkjet printers as in Seiren, however, they would rather see more importance placed on the productivity per unit, as in rotary and auto flat bed screen printers.

At present, a large proportion of the total sales of major manufacturers, including Stork and Toshin Kogyo, is accounted for by rotary or auto flat bed screen printers. In the markets of developed countries, though, where super QR operation is expected for every item, textile inkjet printers should stand more suitably to reason.

Noting that point, Toshin Kogyo has released a high-speed inkjet printer, Ichinose 2020. How it will stir up stagnant demand is not yet clear, what is certain is that there is a ray of sunshine in the cultivation of new demand.

Prints displayed by DuPont Ink Jet at JIAM 2002 (with use of its inks) (Click the image to enlarge)

Toshin Kogyo's inkjet printer exhibited at JIAM 2002 (Click the image to enlarge)

Hand printing to come into effect
with Toshin Kogyo developing Ichinose 2020

Whereas conventional inkjet speed on textile used to be several meters per hour, Toshin Kogyo's newly-developed Ichinose 2020, capable of printing 40 m/h (1,600mm width), has created potential in the area of hand printing, as it facilitates super QR operation. Now, let us look at the table below.

Statistics on the volume of printing carried out in the period between 1991 and 2001, compiled by Kyoto Screen Printing Association (Kyoto Hirohaba Senshoku Seiri Kyodokumiai), project a grave situation. They confirm that, unless a drastic countermeasure is put forward, a decrease in the amount of hand printing, despite good prospects in the age of multiple-kind, small-lot production, will be definite. Hand printing carried out in other regions of Japan is also at a low ebb. The statistics show a decline from 1991 in all roller, auto flat bed and hand printing.

To revitalize hand printing, a system where a garment is designed, sewn up and supplied to the consumer within three days from the time of color determination will be ideal as was stressed in JIAM 2002. Setting that aside as an ultimate goal, hand printers simply have no choice but to bring super QR operation into practice. Should hand print manufacturers bow out from the role, apparel companies and textile traders will be called upon to introduce inkjet printers themselves.

Japanese roller and auto flat bed screen printing factories are no outsiders. To use inkjets and maintain the current volume of production by roller, rotary or auto flat bed screen printers, a bigger number will be required as the speed per unit, though it has been enhanced, remains inferior. Capital investment will be substantial, except for Seiren, which has gradually invested in the Viscotecs system over a long period of time. It will not be easy, in the present situation of the Japanese printing industry with declining production and investment, for other printing factories to introduce a production system similar to that of Seiren with arrays of parallel inkjets, as it would require an enormous investment at one stroke.

To quote what experts say, 'it will be difficult to find any other scenarios that are effective', other than carrying out a step-by-step reform, with the addition of inkjets, first of all in the area of multiple-kind, small-lot production, and the introduction of SCM with direct linkage to consumers. Many in the industry anticipate the addition of new types of inkjets for the printing of 300m lots in six colors will produce a substantial effect.

How to make use of inkjets in management strategies, rather than comparing functionality between methods, is a question for the managers of related enterprises.

Statistics by Kyoto Screen Printing Association (Click to enlarge)