ESMA Academy - Inkjet Applications: Plastics
Know-how transfer and hands-on training31 March - 3 April 2025, Selb – Germany
Inkjet on plastics
Flexible and rigid packaging, food and beverage containers, personal and home care tubes but also automotive or aircraft surfaces, household appliances, toys, laminates and panels, industrial coding and marking… Through years of evolution and innovation inkjet printing has become a trusted decoration technology for various types of plastics. ESMA Academy explains and reviews inkjet’s strengths such as sustainable output, personalisation and differentiation capabilities, productivity, precision and quality. We discuss the current limits of the technology and dive deep into considerations around pre-treatment methods, ink formulations, print system architecture and colour management.
Comprehensive content
Where does surface tension come from? How can I qualify substrates quickly? How long will pre-treatment last? How to achieve stronger ink adhesion? Which printhead will best fit my substrate’s shape? UV, water-based or solvent inks? Heat curing, UV-LED or infrared drying? The course starts with a thorough overview of inkjet chemistry and physics. During lab-based sessions participants experiment with pre-treatment methods, ink characterisation, print parameters, ink delivery systems, drying and curing mechanisms, print quality, drop and colour management. The last part demonstrates problem solving and points to best practices, shows influential market drivers and latest industry patents, opens room for final discussions and makes sure that no questions are left unanswered.
Who should attend
Whether you have already implemented inkjet in your operation or you are just at the beginning of the journey, ESMA Academy will walk you through all the steps towards a highly efficient decoration process. We invite plastic part and component manufacturers, bottle fillers, converters, OEMs, system integrators, suppliers, brand owners and all impacted by the digital shift to take advantage from this course. Prepared and run by leading print technology experts, it delivers the know-how necessary for investment, transformation and integration decisions.
Programme
Date: 31 March - 3 April 2025, Selb, Germany
Monday, 31/03/25
13:00-13:30 Lunch and welcome
13:30-15:00 Inkjet chemistry overview
15:00-16:30 Inkjet physics overview
16:30-17:30 Fluid delivery
17:30-18:00 Technology ecosystem
Tuesday, 01/04/25
09:00-10:00 Pre-treatment
10:00-11:00 Printheads, ink characterisation and functionality, filtration
11:00-12:00 Drop watching
12:00-13:00 Lunch break
13:00-17:30 Practice sessions in groups: Surface treatment, Ink characterisation and filtration, Ink supply and drop watching
18:00 Social evening
Wednesday, 02/04/25
09:00-09:40 Ink formulation
09:40-10:20 UV curing
10:20-11:00 (N)IR drying
11:00-12:00 Image quality and colour management
12:00-13:00 Lunch break
13:00-17:30 Practice sessions in groups: UV curing, (N)IR drying, colour management
Thursday, 03/04/25
09:00-10:00 Patents and innovations, market and trends outlook
10:00-10:30 Perspectives of the plastics industry
10:30-11:00 Sustainability
11:00-12:00 Problem solving and open discussion
12:00-13:00 Certificates and (take-away) lunch
ESMA Academy
Inkjet Applications: Plastics
Know-how transfer and hands-on training
Date: 31 March - 3 April 2025
Location: The course takes place in the European Centre for Dispersion Technologies, Selb, Germany
Participation fee: 2.350 EUR