Issue link: https://nbm.uberflip.com/i/1425980
graphics-pro.com 45 S T A R T H E R E 2 0 2 1 the big deal with this technology. We can do so many things with it." That means that the printers can create different textures and even two-dimensional images using different drop sizes and layering. "As the technology develops and gets better and better, those capabilities will expand," Riley continues. LogoJET got its start printing on golf balls 15 years ago and golf balls still make up a large chunk of its business, but it also has expanded out into sporting equipment like baseballs and footballs. "We can print on some pretty unique surfaces. We can print on a lot of different things," he says. UV-LED printers are known for being able to lay down a layer of white ink before layering other colors on top. The white ink allows the printer to lay down a clear, crisp image, even on a shiny surface. Gloss ink can be used to embellish certain parts of the print to create an embossed effect, Roberts says. "The wow factor comes into play," he notes when talking about the capabilities. The Heat Sources LED lamps revolutionized the technology again. UV lights were always too intense to use on paper goods or thinner substrates, but LED heat lamps can do the job without burning or warping the thinner materials. That advancement paved the way for UV-LED flatbed printers that can do everything from printing on cardboard packaging to car wraps. "Most of the machines have already migrated to LED as the light source," says Roberts. Mercury halide lamps were less expensive than Image courtesy Direct Color Systems Image courtesy LogoJET Image courtesy LogoJET Image courtesy Roland DGA