There was a time, not so long ago, that FESPA events were orientated totally around screen printing in all of its spheres and, so, it is testimony to the exponential growth in digital technology that the exhibition has mushroomed to the size it is today. But the days of the wow-factor elements that we were all used to seeing at previous shows have more or less passed now, and we are left with ink-jet and its relations being presented as a major, accepted tour de force that most people within the printing industry use in one guise or another as part of their daily work processes.
This isn't to say that some of the newer developments don't hold great fascination to anyone interested in digital production, even though the new machines we're going to see at FESPA 2013 are, for the most part, logical extensions to, and modifications of, platforms that we already know. This honing of technology and improvements to quality, speed, drying and handling are all indicative of how well ink-jet printers have been developed during the past decade or so. In general, there is no longer the expectation that a promised announcement will only be an early beta machine that is quite likely never to come to market. Most of what will be exhibited in London is real, functional and within sight of a shipping date, if not there already.
As this year represents a full FESPA event, and not one dedicated only to digital technologies, it will attract the screen printing fraternity in its droves as this is the showcase of those still relying on analogue production methodology to provide a daily crust. If digital dominates, that is no reflection on the importance and relevance of the screen process; visitors in this sector have nowhere else to go to see new equipment and ancillaries, relying on this as their major showcase.
Manufacturers, both analogue and digital, along with providers of software, materials and sundries will be out in force but the likelihood of show-stopping introductions are slight. Instead, the maturity of printing and finishing techniques are likely to provide a measure of reassurance to existing and potential investors. This doesn't mean the event will be boring; nothing could be further from the truth. The levelling off of technologies overall now means that the risk quotient has been largely removed; the appearance of odd-looking engines of unknown specification, and with a hazy future, have disappeared now that ink-jet has grown up.
Maturing technologies are going to be evident across all ink types, with latex moving up a gear into a more industrial-strength platform, and UV-curable formulations proving that they can work with greyscale print-heads, ultra-fine variable droplets in binary variants, and with LED curing lamps. Likewise, rumours of the demise of eco-solvents have evaporated as new machines carrying these chemistries are making their way to market in the form of attractively priced, reliable options.
Even aqueous-based solutions are still with us, not only for the photographic market but also for short-term applications, with MEMS-based systems continuing to filter through in ultra-fast printers. There are alternatives to ink-jet, too, in the form of toner pearls and laser devices for the poster market.
All these are driven by software, and this has evolved beyond all recognition since the early editing and RIP options came to market, some of which didn't even have a WYSIWYG (what you see is what you get) interface back in the old days. Today's programs do far more than merely translate graphic files into a printable format but allow full workflow capabilities and integration, with the emphasis on helping users run their businesses more efficiently. Linked to SaaS models, web-to-print is fast becoming a logical adjunct to order progressing and simplifying the link between customer and PSP, with accountable automation becoming an ever more crucial element of everyday working.
Thus, FESPA means different things to different people. There are those who want to seal a deal and come away with something new while others, perhaps more circumspect, prefer to use the event for window-shopping while they decide what they plan to do next.
But it's not all about inspecting the latest goods and investigating the latest technological advances. FESPA provides a unique opportunity for meeting up to chew the fat with peers as well as the competition. It is often the opinion of other users which carries the greatest weight when it comes to purchasing decisions, and that's why networking is as valuable as touring the stands.