Rob van den Braak

Google Material Design: Guidelines for future modern design

03 nov 2015
Categorie:
Google Material DesignCompanies such as Apple, Microsoft and Google do not only determine the design of our computer devices. Their graphic design is also a guideline for what consumers think is modern. That is why Google´s Material Design Smart Person´s Guide is a must-read for Android app programmers, but also for other designers. It gives insight into the colours, fonts and design used by Google and gives you the opportunity to join in their marketing success. A short summary can be found via this link. It could be an inspiration for design of printed materials, websites or online publications.

 


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Laurel Brunner: Recycling Digital Prints

02 nov 2015
Categorie:

de-inkingOne of the biggest threats to the spread of digital printing methods is concern for the print’s recyclability. In part this is due to scaremongering by vested interests, but printed matter must be deinked if it is to be recycled and some digital printing methods produce prints that are hard to deink. Hard but not impossible.

Most deinking technologies were developed for conventional oil-based inks. The common deinking methods reflect the traditional print mix, but the rise of digital printing suggests it might be time for new approaches. Change is inevitable and new ink chemistries and substrates will disrupt the established hegemony. As the printing industry produces more and more varied digital prints for applications ranging from commercial print and books, through to signage and textiles, deinking technologies must keep pace.

The deinking problem mainly applies to prints printed with flexo inks, inkjet and some liquid toners, but not all. Prints printed with Xeikon toners, for example, can be deinked using conventional deinking technologies. But what is unavoidable is the fact that the volume of materials produced with print methods that cannot be conventionally deinked is rising and will continue to do so.

Digital printing methods are steadily and relentless encroaching on traditional printing sectors, from packaging through to sign and display work. This requires integrated mills to invest in suitable deinking methods, or face competition from innovators with more imagination and vision. The market for pulp and paper chemicals worldwide could reach $20 billion by the end of 2015. In North America alone, pulp and paper chemical demand is expected to increase to $4.8 billion in 2015. So this is a market ripe for disruption.

One particularly interesting technology for deinking prints is to use enzymes rather than conventional chemistries. Enzymes can be produced biologically from renewable resources. Their use reduces the need for chemicals, lowers the deinking process cost, and uses less energy so enzymatic deinking more environmentally friendly. Enzymatic deinking can also produce stronger papers.

Print buyers and printing companies investing in new print technologies want a vibrant digital printing industry, so such developments are good news. Digital printing is environmentally friendly in that it reduces print waste volumes and has collapsed prepress supply chains. But how can print buyers make environmentally informed decisions about the print method they use to produce their projects? Printers and print buyers can select print methods on the basis of the print’s deinkability, an indicator of its recyclability and suitability for subsequent use as a raw material. Digital press manufacturers are working hard to ensure the deinkability of the prints their presses produce, so as ink, substrate and deinking technologies evolve, we can only expect this to get better.

Laurel Brunner

 

Verdigris_logo

This blog has been made possible by: Agfa Graphics (www.agfa.com), Digital Dots (http://digitaldots.org), drupa (www.drupa.com), EFI (www.efi.com), Fespa (www.fespa.com), Heidelberg (www.uk.heidelberg.com), Kodak (www.kodak.com/go/sustainability), Mondi (www.mondigroup.com/products), Pragati Offset (www.pragati.com), Ricoh (www.ricoh.com), Shimizu Printing (www.shzpp.co.jp), Splash PR (www.splashpr.co.uk), Unity Publishing (http://unity-publishing.co.uk) and Xeikon (www.xeikon.com).
Blokboek.com is the Dutch media partner of Verdrigris, a non-profit initiative which aims to realistically chart the real footprint of printing and which helps companies and organisations to lower that footprint. More information about Verdrigris can be found via this link.


 

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Agfa Graphics at InPrint: New UV ink formulas and complete industrial workflows

02 nov 2015
Categorie: ,

Agfa Inkjet InkAgfa Graphics will show computer to plate and Apogee as well as other top products during the InPrint, the industrial print show which will be held in Munich, Germany 10-12 November, 2015. Years of investment in research have produced an impressive range of UV and waterbased inks. Inks which can be used seamlessly with their Jeti and Anapurna inkjet printers, but also for printing PET bottles and other plastics. Agfa will also show their solutions for complete industrial workflows.
More information about Agfa at InPrint via this link. 


 

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Agfa Graphics op InPrint: Nieuwe UV inkt formules en complete industriële workflows

02 nov 2015
Categorie: ,

Agfa Inkjet Ink

Agfa Graphics laat op InPrint, de industriële print show van 10 tot 12 november in München, zien wat het naast computer to plate en Apogee nog meer aan topproducten heeft. Dankzij jarenlange investering in research heeft de van oorsprong chemiegigant een indrukwekkende lijn van UV en waterbased inkten opgebouwd. Inkten die perfect samenwerken met haar Jeti en Anapurna inkjet printers maar ook ingezet kunnen worden voor het bedrukken van PET flessen en andere plastic producten. Op InPrint laat Agfa ook al haar andere oplossingen voor een complete industriële print workflow zien. Meer info over Agfa op InPrint via deze link.

 


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Laurel Brunner: De de-inking uitdaging

02 nov 2015
Categorie: ,

de-inkingHet ont-inkten van in offset bedrukt papier is al lang geen probleem meer, maar drukwerk met flexo- of inkjet inkten en met sommige liquide toner inkten is nog steeds een uitdaging. Laurel Brunner bespreekt in haar Verdigris blog de oplossingen voor deze problemen en stelt vast dat de markt voor pulp van oud papier de komende jaren blijft groeien, het is een miljarden business geworden. Lees in haar blog op onze artikelen pagina hoe enzymen daar bij kunnen helpen en welke inspanningen fabrikanten van digitale persen verrichten om digitaal drukwerk snel en verantwoord te ont-inkten.


 

 

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Laurel Brunner’s Blog: Recycling Digital Prints

02 nov 2015
Categorie:

de-inkingOne of the biggest threats to the spread of digital printing methods is concern for the print’s recyclability. In part this is due to scaremongering by vested interests, but printed matter must be deinked if it is to be recycled and some digital printing methods produce prints that are hard to deink. Hard but not impossible.

Most deinking technologies were developed for conventional oil-based inks. The common deinking methods reflect the traditional print mix, but the rise of digital printing suggests it might be time for new approaches. Change is inevitable and new ink chemistries and substrates will disrupt the established hegemony. As the printing industry produces more and more varied digital prints for applications ranging from commercial print and books, through to signage and textiles, deinking technologies must keep pace.

The deinking problem mainly applies to prints printed with flexo inks, inkjet and some liquid toners, but not all. Prints printed with Xeikon toners, for example, can be deinked using conventional deinking technologies. But what is unavoidable is the fact that the volume of materials produced with print methods that cannot be conventionally deinked is rising and will continue to do so.

Digital printing methods are steadily and relentless encroaching on traditional printing sectors, from packaging through to sign and display work. This requires integrated mills to invest in suitable deinking methods, or face competition from innovators with more imagination and vision. The market for pulp and paper chemicals worldwide could reach $20 billion by the end of 2015. In North America alone, pulp and paper chemical demand is expected to increase to $4.8 billion in 2015. So this is a market ripe for disruption.

One particularly interesting technology for deinking prints is to use enzymes rather than conventional chemistries. Enzymes can be produced biologically from renewable resources. Their use reduces the need for chemicals, lowers the deinking process cost, and uses less energy so enzymatic deinking more environmentally friendly. Enzymatic deinking can also produce stronger papers.

Print buyers and printing companies investing in new print technologies want a vibrant digital printing industry, so such developments are good news. Digital printing is environmentally friendly in that it reduces print waste volumes and has collapsed prepress supply chains. But how can print buyers make environmentally informed decisions about the print method they use to produce their projects? Printers and print buyers can select print methods on the basis of the print’s deinkability, an indicator of its recyclability and suitability for subsequent use as a raw material. Digital press manufacturers are working hard to ensure the deinkability of the prints their presses produce, so as ink, substrate and deinking technologies evolve, we can only expect this to get better.

Laurel Brunner

 

 

Verdigris_logo

 

 

 

Dit blog wordt mogelijk gemaakt dankzij de bijdrage van: Agfa Graphics (www.agfa.com), Digital Dots (http://digitaldots.org), drupa (www.drupa.com), EFI (www.efi.com), Fespa (www.fespa.com), Heidelberg (www.uk.heidelberg.com), Kodak (www.kodak.com/go/sustainability), Mondi (www.mondigroup.com/products), Pragati Offset (www.pragati.com), Ricoh (www.ricoh.com), Shimizu Printing (www.shzpp.co.jp), Splash PR (www.splashpr.co.uk), Unity Publishing (http://unity-publishing.co.uk) and Xeikon (www.xeikon.com).

BlokBoek.com is de Nederlandse media-partner van Verdigris, een non-profit initiatief dat de werkelijke voetprint van druk- en printwerk die drukwerk achterlaat eerlijk in kaart wil brengen en dat bedrijven en organisatie steunt om die voetprint te verlagen.
Meer informatie over Verdigris vindt je via deze link.


 

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Clever PEFC packaging most sustainable

01 nov 2015
Categorie: ,
pefc verpakking2Frazer breakfast cereals packaging has won the Pro Carton ECMA Award for sustainability. It is a PEFC certified carton packaging which has been well thought through.

Advantages of this uncomplicated packaging are: no plastic inside; easy to open and close thanks to perforation; opening and closing by simply pulling or pushing both corners. The cross-wise closing flaps keep the base sealed. The high cartonboard ratio makes the pack ideal for recycling. The Frazer box is printed in six colours with a matte finish. The packaging is produced by A&R Carton and the PEFC certified carton is manufactured by Metsä Board.


 

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Blaas oude archieven nieuw leven in!

30 okt 2015
Categorie: ,,

Negatieven scannen beeldarchiefTenminste 100 jaar duurde het analoge tijdperk. De tijdspanne waarin de basis van de foto het filmpje was. In verschillende formaten, al naar gelang de status van de fotograaf. De amateur had zijn van Leica afkomstige kleinbeeld – 24 x 36 mm – formaat, de vakman maakte veel opnamen op rolfilm, ca 6 cm breed of grotere vlakfilm formaten. Heel veel van dat materiaal ligt ergens te verpieteren, of anders gezegd, te vergaan, afhankelijk van de omstandigheden waarin het is opgeborgen.

Voor drukwerk werden in de analoge tijd graag dia’s gebruikt. Was redelijk gemakkelijk te beoordelen en leverde dus snel goede resultaten. Voor grote vergrotingen had negatief filmmateriaal vaak de voorkeur. Om te reproduceren was het de tijd van de grote, vaak heel dure scanners, die later veel kleiner en hanteerbaarder werden.

Maar het bleef toch wel duur en ingewikkeld om alles goed te doen. Wat nu wel jammer is want heel veel mooi beeldmateriaal van de vorige eeuw blijft daardoor onzichtbaar. Eigenlijk is een groot deel van ons cultureel erfgoed niet toegankelijk voor mogelijke belangstellenden en dat in een tijd, waarin we via de vele media, die er nu zijn, ons juist zo gemakkelijk kunnen verwonderen over het wel en wee van maar één of twee generaties terug.

Het NIDF, Nederlands Instituut Digitale Fotografie, heeft daarom stappen gezet om het proces van het reproduceren van film goed en snel te maken. Zij heeft een opstelling bedacht waarbij met een hoogwaardige camera reproducties worden gemaakt van zwartwit-, kleurennegatieven en dia’s van verschillende formaten. Deze camera is direct aangesloten op een computersysteem.

Met het systeem kan in feite iedereen met enige camera-ervaring zelf aan de gang gaan. Per dag kunnen, mede dank zij de zelf ontwikkelde hulpstukken, gemakkelijk 1000 filmnegatieven of dia’s worden gereproduceerd, die dan als digitaal bestand kunnen worden meegenomen en via websites kunnen worden bekeken of aangeboden.

De kwaliteit is minstens zo goed als die van een kwaliteitsscanner, terwijl de kosten heel wat lager zijn. Veel beroepsfotografen passen inmiddels deze methode toe om met name hun oude archieven weer in beeld te krijgen.

Wilt u een dag gebruik maken van de opstelling, dan kost dat € 150,- excl. BTW. Als u wilt dat de medewerkers van het NIDF uw films digitaliseren, dan kunt u beter even contact opnemen. Info@nidf.nl.

Uiteraard kunt u e.e.a. ook bekijken op de website van het NIDF.


 

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Companies increasingly use FSC paper

30 okt 2015
Categorie:
regenwoud2Four big American companies, Xerox, Starwood Hotels & Resorts, Delta Dental and Bigelow Tea, will start using FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) certified paper. Ecological watchdog ForestEthics announced this. With the change to FSC certified paper and wood fibre the companies show their commitment to sustainability.

Both Xerox and Starwood Hotels & Resorts will work together with suppliers to purchase ecologically sound paper and fibre. As part of their Sustainable Meeting Practices Starwood also intends to decrease the use of paper and use recycled paper and fibres as much as possible.
For those materials not made of recycled fibre, Starwood will source and promote FSC approved materials.
All four companies have previously pledged to protect rain forests and human rights.


 

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Funding Circle: Snel een bedrijfskrediet via het web

29 okt 2015
Categorie: ,
FundingCicle NL SchemaTraditionele banken blinken niet uit in snelheid en flexibiliteit als het gaat om bedrijfskredieten. Funding Circle ziet dat als een gat in de markt voor haar webbased kredietservice. Achter je computer kun je na registratie een offerte aanvragen voor je bedrijf of project. Dat kan voor bedragen tot 250.000 euro met een rentepercentage dat start bij 3,79%. Funding Circle belooft op haar website binnen 48 uur te reageren. Funding Circle was al actief in Amerika en Engeland en is na de overname van Zencap nu ook actief in Nederland en de rest van Europa.

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Funding Circle: fast loans via the internet

29 okt 2015
Categorie:
FundingCircleTraditional banks are not known for their speed and flexibility in business loans. Funding Circle wants to fill this niche with web-based lending. From your computer you can apply for a loan for your project or company for loans up to 250,000€ with interest rates starting at 3,79%. Funding Circle promises on here website to react within 48 hours. Funding Circle was already active in the USA and UK, and since acquisition by Zencap it is now active in the Netherlands and the rest of Europe.


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Advertising on a smartphone? Be relevant, funny and captivating

29 okt 2015
Categorie: ,

BB151020 multiscreen-millwardMultiscreen users in the Netherlands spend about 60% of their video content watching on TV and 40% on other digital devices (smartphone, laptop, tablet), according to AdReaction: Video creative in a digital world.
AdReaction is an annual survey by Millward Brown. This year 13.500 consumers in 42 countries (16-45 y/o) were interviewed about their multiscreen behaviour. The results give an insight into the how, where and why people watch video content, when people are susceptible to ads and which creative content works best on which device.

The conclusions of the AdReaction report are  that consumers like to have their privacy respected. Consumers do not like ads which are clearly based on their recent searches. Consumers also want to have the option of skipping or starting the advertisements. And the first seconds need to be captivating for the consumer to watch till the end. Final conclusion: the more humorous, the longer the consumer stays.


 

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VIGC BOPE 2025: Redefining print. Success in a digital world. Met o.a. Peter Luit als gesprekleider binnen het panelgesprek ‘Platformeconomie, kansen voor grafimedia bedrijven?’

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