FESPA’s Marcus Timson asked an interesting question on the Wide Network where, hopefully, a good discussion will develop — he was curious whether wide-format ink-jet had now reached its own level of maturity. My thoughts, for what they’re worth, are thus.

First, as a base technology, ink-jet could be described as mature where the word mature means established and the process involved is in daily, reliable and repetitive use the world over. However, the elements which go into ink-jet are continually evolving, such as print-heads, inks, machines and drying capabilities.

But what is maturity? We could say that the motor car is mature; the base vehicle has been with us for generations but, still, the development and evolution processes go on with new ways in which to power an engine more efficiently and to provide safer and more comfortable and economical methods of getting us from A to B. But I don’t think we could say that the motor industry is not mature.

Similarly, we could say that computerised technology is mature. Those of us sufficiently long in the tooth will remember early PCs and Macintosh platforms. Yet, as the years have passed, the computers we used yesterday will not handle the applications of today and that’s because expectations and needs of users have changed; in common with the motor car, we demand more out of our systems than we did in their early days. So the base concept is mature but continuing developments and improvements will ensure that evolution carries on in-line with users’ needs and desires. These evolutionary aspects are also determined by what the market can handle in terms of investment cost and practical application.

Wide-format digital print is a “mature” concept in that it has become established as a production method which can be used by print service providers across all areas, from sign-makers, through photolabs and high street print shops to screen-printers and offset houses. The same base principle of ink-jet applies whether it’s to a desktop home/SoHo printer, a user with a low end aqueous-based unit, a production company outputting displays, an industrial specialist and so on. Many of these businesses rely totally on their digital print to give them what they want; the technology is an accepted means to an end and that, in itself, could be described as having reached maturity.

Yet wide-format ink-jet isn’t mature because the technology is continuing to grow alongside it in terms of ever-improving inks, performance, print-head behaviour and end uses. It’s been a process which, in some instances, tried to run before it could walk. Many early machines were filled with good intentions which could never be fulfilled because the technology wasn’t quite there. As soon as these technologies catch up, then the overall concept moves on again in terms of development. And development is dependent on potential for demand. Doubtless this will continue indefinitely unless a rival process comes to market which can produce the same results more quickly and at a lower overall cost. No-one, at this juncture, can possibly prophecy on the likelihood of such an occurrence but, then, those of us involved in screen-printing 25 years ago would never have envisaged an alternative like wide-format ink-jet offering an alternative output method.

A common dictionary definition of the word mature states : “… denoting an economy, industry, or market that has developed to a point where substantial expansion and investment no longer takes place”. In wide-format ink-jet, as in other industries, this obviously isn’t true. The growth of ink-jet, however, is reliant on many parts and some of these are more “mature” than others. Common base elements, although they have advanced, rely on much the same technology as they did a decade or more past. Were a manufacturer to bring to market a machine which contained no recognisable elements, that company would probably struggle to convince anyone of the viability of such a product. If that same manufacturer introduced a unit which comprised familiar technologies that had been improved with the addition of new components, then we would all sit up and pay attention. Wouldn’t our confidence rely on the fact that this familiarity, allied to maturity, played a significant role in development?

So … the wide-format ink-jet process could be described as being mature simply because it is an accepted production method which does what it says on the tin. But wide-format ink-jet as a ongoing concept isn’t mature because developments will continue in-line with market demands and technological advances. Having been involved in this industry sector since it started, I’ve noticed how wide-format takes a huge step up then plateaus, and even dips slightly, before taking its next step up. The slight dips tend to coincide with user requirements which can’t yet be met. And, as I’ve said elsewhere, there are always periods where technology needs to pause a while to let everyone catch up with it before it moves on again.

Semantically, where we are today boils down to common-sense and the application of an over-used adjective or noun when related to a technology or group of technologies. “Mature” in the case of wide-format ink-jet should mean that it’s an adult, accepted process and not a fledgling technology. But it certainly hasn’t reached the point of “maturity” where onward development stops.


By Sophie Matthews-Paul

Nassenger VII Capable of print speeds up to 210 square meters per hour