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Special Effects Beyond CMYK in Digital Printing

A number of today’s commercially available digital printing solutions have added units beyond four-color, either inline or offline, to enable special effects that enhance digital print. Unique imaging capabilities can transform printed materials from commodity, price-sensitive offerings to higher-value products that command a premium. This article explores how special effects can enhance the value of print and create new growth opportunities for service providers.

Thursday, August 24, 2017

By Jim Hamilton and Lisa Cross

Production digital color document printing technology has come a long way since it was first introduced in the mid-1990s. Technological innovations on many fronts have led to faster speeds, longer run capabilities, larger formats, wider color gamut, and the ability to create eye-catching special effects that enable pieces to stand out, get noticed, and drive business results. A number of today’s commercially available digital printing solutions have added units beyond four-color, either inline or offline, to enable special effects that enhance digital print. The new feature sets of today’s devices offer big benefits and new application options for print providers. In the U.S. and Western Europe, InfoTrends believes that the market value for enhanced digital printing is about $917 million. This value is expected to experience a compound annual growth rate of 14%, reaching $1.3 billion by 2020.

Unique imaging capabilities can transform printed materials from commodity, price-sensitive offerings to higher-value products that command a premium. There are many options for enhancing the value of digitally printed applications, including:


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About Keypoint Intelligence

Since 1961, the digital imaging industry has relied on Keypoint Intelligence for independent hands-on testing, lab data, and market research to drive product and sales success. Keypoint Intelligence has been recognized as the industry’s most trusted resource for unbiased information, analysis, and awards. Clients have harnessed this knowledge for strategic decision-making, daily sales enablement, and operational efficiency improvements. Keypoint Intelligence continues to evolve with the industry by expanding its offerings and intimately understanding the transformations occurring in the digital printing and imaging sector.

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