Digital BW, The Print

Joost Horsten schreef:
> I have just gone through the preparation of an exhibition. Instead of my usual matting/framing presentation, this time I choose for dry mounted, varnished prints on polystyrene plate. 
> 
> The verdict is still out if I like this solution in the long run. It's fairly costly given the fact that there is no nothing to re-use and, moreover, I still have to see whether the paper-polystyrene sandwich remains flat with changing temperature and moisture. And I still have some concerns whether the varnished paper surface is strong enough.
> 
> So I was wondering if anyone has experience/insights on printing directly onto coated polystyrene (or other plate material). Industrial printers do this, but I can't find resources for the plate and have no clue whether these materials are suited for pigment inkjet prints. And if so, is the print quality any good?
> 
> 
> Joost
> 
> P.S. I'm aware of the possiblity to coat materials yourself with InkAid coating (I have a canister myself), but for routine use that's too cumbersome and too difficult to control print quality tightly, so I'm looking for a commercial solution.   
> 
> 


Joost,

Industrial printers like UV curing and true solvent ones do not need 
polystyrene that is coated. Usually sheets like that have had at most an 
anti-static treatment but the bonding of the inks is assured in other 
ways than with an absorbing coating. Eco solvent inks need media with 
some treatment but not to the degree that water based inkjet ink systems 
need. Usually media like vinyl and polyester film but I haven't seen 
polystyrene sheets for that type of printers. Could exist though. Don't 
expect the same image quality of UV curing up to Eco-solvent models that 
you get from the systems discussed in this list. Best image quality 
possible is probably what the quite new Epson GS6000 Ecosolvent model 
delivers.


Ernst Dinkla