New INKS for from DuPont Fusion for large format inkjet printers

So many questions come to FLAAR resource center about inkjet inks that we are expanding our large format report series to cover inks. As a nonprofit research institute we feel that independent information on inkjet ink is a public service for consumers. In addition to our own experiences with wide format printer ink, we base our discussion on what we learn from visiting sign shops, speaking with other users of large format printers, and getting documentation about inks at all the trade shows.

DuPont Inkjet is one of the largest suppliers of both pigmented and dye based inks. Previously they sold only via OEM; since SGIA last year DuPont now sells Fusion GO ink directly, for Encad NovaJet 600, NovaJet 736, NovaJet 850, NovaJet 880, and most other Encad printers.

Competition is rising, since Flint ink is entering the market, already crowded with Ilford, Sensient, Avecia, VanSon, Staedtler, Collins Ink (actually sort of a neighbor of us in Ohio; Bowling Green State University is part of the Ohio system).

We ourselves use aqueous dye inks, aqueous pigmented inks, acid dye and reactive dye inks for printing on fabrics. The other common ink is solvent based inks. You can also use oil-based inks.

Lots of new ink chemistry is being developed, such as UV curable inks. Since its tough to update all 500 pages on our network of 10 web sites, we have decided instead to update the FLAAR Report on ink (available in Adobe Acrobat PDF format as part of the Series on media and inks).

Flatbed printers which use UV curable inks are covered in detail in a report in the series on printers for signs.

Paper, canvas, vinyl for large format inkjet printers

The media you use can actually influence the quality (or lack of quality) of your prints as much as the printer itself. You can take the same image and if you select the appropriate media you can win an award (and certainly win clients). But the same image on the wrong media will look embarrassing.

It's tough for us at FLAAR to maintain lists of media for every printer (we are, however, working on such a list). In the meantime we are gearing up to provide more information on inkjet media to end users.

Need help deciding which canvas, vinyl, watercolor paper, silk, or photo paper is best for you? Just contact our staff by e-mail. Please indicate what kinds of images you intend to print (scanned slides, digital art, photos, etc.) and what your large format prints will be used for (to sell as fine art prints, or as signs, posters, banners, textiles or specialty use). In return for being patient with the inquiry form, you get to receive up to five of the free reports. The entire corpus of free reports can be perused on the wide-format-printers.NET web site.

A single 100 foot roll of 60" media costs between $130 and $360, depending on what kind. So if all the tips, help, and information in the FLAAR Report Series on wide format inkjet media saves you from buying one wrong roll of media, you have paid for the entire set.

Look at what you get when you order the entire series of Nicholas Hellmuth's notes on inkjet media for wide format printers.