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Advancements in Your Ink ELEVATING THE WIDE-FORMAT COMMERCIAL GRAPHICS INDUSTRY WITH INKJET INK TECHNOLOGY B Y R E E D H E C H T S I G N A G E & P R I N T I N G 1 8 G R A P H I C S P R O J U L Y 2 0 2 2 G R A P H I C S - P R O. C O M I n today's inkjet market, print service providers (PSPs) are looking to invest in different types of printers and inks that offer more options for various applications. While certain printers were not as affordable in the past due to the nature of the technology and the complexity to operate, this has improved significantly. Piezo-based inkjet is a unique technology that allows for various types of ink to flow through a similar print head and ink system, but produces dramati- cally different applications, offering versatility and a wide range of different applications PSPs can produce. PSPs are expanding into the types of ink and printers ideal for specific applications, and this is the driving force behind the ink type and printer selected, followed closely by cost and reliability. As manufacturers continue to improve printer and ink technology, more cost-effective solutions are provided to PSPs looking to expand business offer- ings and applications and attract new customers. BENEFITS OF INKJET Inkjet printing offers affordability, high quality, ease of maintenance, and durability for customers. Solvent, resin, UV, and aqueous-based inkjet ink offer a variety of benefits for a wide range of applications. Solvent ink offers durability for outdoor prints, flexibility for wraps, vibrancy to match specific brand colors, and is best optimized for vinyl appli- cations and outdoor signage uses. Resin ink, while producing similar applications to solvent, also delivers high quality prints while making a printer's job easier, as it's fast and easy to finish a print and has a more versatile list of applications and media types that can be printed. UV ink provides high quality prints with a very opaque white ink for various signage and display applications, including acrylic. It offers extreme durability on rigid surfaces and the ability to print on a significant number of materials.