In this day and age of digitalization of books and all readable documents, and the fast-growing trend to go paperless, the idea of printing surprisingly still stands solid. In the past few decades, printing has revolutionized parallelly with any other industry we may think of. However, the evolution of printing technology goes on further to explore cutting-edge technology beyond our imaginations. With the advent of digital printing, AI automation, 3D printing, and many more fields that aid modern-day printing, the future of this industry can be expected to propel into various trends, some of which are discussed below–

The continued growth of digital printing

● Today, time is no less precious than gold. We need quality, quantity, flexibility, agility all in one product. But again, we also need it to be within our budget. This is where digital printing comes in.
● Digital printing enables personalized, convenient, speedy prints with good turnarounds. All this without any printing expertise can be obtained at home also.
● Inkjet Printers are revolutionary in this industry; operating with the most advanced technology there is, at an extremely affordable cost.

Customization is the hottest topic

● From accessories, daily essentials, food packets to medicinal drugs– everything has a higher value when tailored according to specifications
● Coca- Cola adopted the sales tactic to incorporate names/ nicknames from a list of about 250 common names. People went out to grocery stores, found their names on their favorite Coca-cola pet bottle, and purchased them even without Coca-cola being present in their grocery list, or even if they don’t consume the beverage at all
● A similar approach, but a bit more sophisticated and nobler in purpose, are customized drugs that are synthesized by pharmaceutical companies, based on a patient’s individual characteristics.
● Personalization is the incorporation of a person’s personal data, consensually, into a product. This not only helps customers demonstrate value for their data being used but also boosts sales by giving the manufacturer insight into consumer behavior.

Emerging trends of on-demand printing

● A rise in demand for short-run prints, that allow people to obtain exactly the number of prints, if and when they need it, promotes sustainability and calls for a need for better personalization.
● Digital printing tends to satisfy this need in a time-efficient, cost-effective, and more convenient way.

Artificial Intelligence in Printing

● Just like in any other industry, AI has inevitably managed to seep through the pores of the paper industry as well.
● Printers function with more ease and efficiency with the help of AI automation. AI provides real-time data, output alerts, press automation, privacy protection, and also smart maintenance of the system.

 

Minimalistic designing

● As ideas and concepts get more complex, customers are inclined to a more simple visual representation of them in their designs
● Minimalism is a trend that has emerged in everyday aspects of our life–including architecture, lifestyle, food, clothing, and printing is no different
● Simple designs are easy to print as they eliminate the issues of color calibration in case of multiple colored prints

3D Printing
The evolution of 3D printing technology has enabled the production of impactful marketing products for businesses. 3D printing is cost-effective, time compliant, and remedial for almost all kinds of businesses. It is a unique addition to existing marketing strategies and helps expand the company’s reach to a wider audience.

Sustainable Printing
Although no standard is officially determined for green, sustainable printing, eco-friendly printing can be considered a social responsibility. Sustainable printing goes far beyond recycling papers. It consists of using eco-friendly, natural inks and paper as well–such as using vegetable oil-based ink, soy inks, water-based aqueous printing, using process chlorine-free (PCF) paper, etc. Using natural inks and solvents reduces overall chemical pollution at the end of the printing process.
The process of recycling paper isn’t as sustainable as it may sound because it uses toxic, harsh chemicals.

IT Expertise
Recruiting IT professionals and tech experts are becoming largely important for printing industries to keep them from risks of security breaches in the long term.

Erasable printing technology
Toshiba, the Japanese multinational company has demonstrated its prototype for erasable printing technology. So now, even after obtaining your final printed product in your hands, you can make alterations to it by sending it back into the printer where the erasable ink is taken care of.

Cybersecurity in Printing
● Most offices prioritize securing their computer and internet against security breaches but tend to overlook their printers
● Printers carry some of the most crucial data of a company– from finances to strategies. All business material that needs printing goes through this printer.
● Hackers target these neglected devices to break into the operating system
● Printers are also one of the most freely accessible devices for unauthorized personnel
● Printers are enabled with an internal storage memory that may have recorded sensitive information
● Here are some essential cybersecurity practices that will help you protect your printer:

1.Print trays should be checked regularly.
This is the most basic practice of checking your print trays for unused papers that may contain sensitive information. Offices should consider installing paper shredders alongside printers and copy machines. Employees should be encouraged to shred off any waste or unused paper that may contain sensitive information.

2.Cloud Printing
Cloud printing is a new and improved method to share and access sensitive official documents. Make sure to use only reliable cloud printing services that are not accessible in the public domain. Restrict access only to reliable users.

3.Update your printer
Manufacturers generally are aware of known vulnerabilities in their printers and regularly update their software for increased protection and better user experience. Some printers are enabled with AI, so they update automatically.

4.Avoid using unreliable networks
For remote printing, printers may often access available network connections. Unprotected devices can be accessed easily through these open networks. Disabling network access to your devices is a good safety practice.

5.Reset your printer password
Password protection is available in all printers but is often overlooked and underestimated. It is also the most basic practice to defend your printer from cybercriminals. Be sure to change the default manufacturer password to a stronger, longer, and more unpredictable one. This way access to your device will always require credentials and reduce the risk for internal or external security breaches.

6.Install Firewall.
A firewall is a network security system that creates a barrier between trusted and untrusted networks. It controls and monitors incoming and outgoing networks based on preset regulations.
It is a basic requirement that most offices consider even upgrading to a more advanced version for extra security.

Anti-microbial Papers
● Followed by the COVID- pandemic, there might be a rise in demand for antimicrobial papers. Few companies such as Celloglas and James Cropper have manufactured antimicrobial papers already.
● They might not protect the Coronavirus, but they may lower the risks of Staph infections, UTIs, and other superbug-induced diseases.