User Manual

7. PrecisionCore: A Technology for the Future
Incumbent printing technologies face challenges in meeting the demands of modern
printing. Today, the competition for customers’ print share is dened not only by ink
and media pricing, but also by the added-value of convenience, exibility and speed.
Analog presses are fast but are built for high volume duplication, thus creating much
inefciency at lower volume. Ofce laser printers provide economical black output,
but are not very economical for color.
Epson, with its history of innovation and the resources to drive lower and lower cost
structures, is uniquely positioned to deliver customer value through the power and
exibility of PrecisionCore. Affordability will continue to improve as economies of
scale result from the widespread adoption of PrecisionCore technology in Epson’s
many serial printheads and xed linehead printing solutions. With Epson’s superior
ink exibility, more and more applications in a wide range of markets will benet from
the technology.
The long-term growth prospects of inkjet, and especially piezo based processes such
as PrecisionCore, are extremely bright as the technology is proving ideal for many
new and diverse applications.Just as faster processors drove a revolution in comput
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ing, faster print chips are now the most important driver of higher productivity and
economic output in printing. A new printing era will emerge where color will become
affordable and thus ubiquitous. Ofce managers will be able to enjoy increased
productivity and utility from a single printing device. Print service providers will offer
faster turn-around, higher volume, and more cost-effective production for items such
as signage, labels, and T-shirts. Operations managers in factories will combine the
benets of high-speed inkjets with professional quality for lean manufacturing and
just-in-time delivery of customized labels and packaging, eliminating inventory.
And these are just the printing segments that are immediately evident. The great ex
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ibility of PrecisionCore will enable applications that are yet to be imagined. The ability
of PrecisionCore printheads to eject on to a wide range of materials due to its greater
active ingredients has already been discussed. Surfaces for new applications can
be addressed too, including plastic, glass, textiles, metal, and clay. Need a special
ink to adhere to a particular surface? Odds are, PrecisionCore can deliver that ink.
Unlike heat-based printing technologies, piezo is able to jet some exotic uids (phar
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maceuticals, conductive materials, etc.) that could be the foundation for tomorrow’s
breakthrough research. Piezo even allows single-pass micro-deposition of functional
uids used in manufacturing products such as color lters for LED panels, printable
electronics and LCD displays.
In summary, years of precision assembly experience, key advances in the piezo
material, MEMS process improvements, and commitment to building manufacturing
economies of scale have enabled Epson to make PrecisionCore a reality, ensuring
that Epson remains at the forefront of printing technology by delivering on the prom
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ise of quality output now and into the future.
PrecisionCore white paper
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