VisionInk® | Digital Ceramic Glass Printing

Printed Glass, reproducing photographic quality prints in ceramic inks on glassThe VisionInk® digital ceramic ink glass printer is the most advanced and versatile machine available for printed glass.

Features & Benefits

Features

• Print any design, from simple lines to detailed imagery
• Six spot colours combine to create an unrivalled colour palette; bespoke premixed colours can be created too
• Complete predictability, repeatability & durability of the printed glass
• Precision control of ink thickness for prediction & manipulation of Visible Light Transfer (VLT) and Solar Heat Gain (SHG) variables
• Surface can be cleaned as you would normal window glass, with no impact on the graphic
• Non-slip ink possibilities
• Dimensions up to 3900mm (154″) x 2440mm (96″) and oversize capabilities
• 10 year warranty against UV fade
• Compatible with Security and Cyclonic glass

Capabilities

Colour Matching

VisionInk® printed glass uses 6 ‘spot’ colours (blue, green, white, orange, red & black – BGWORK) to generate the hundreds of thousands of colours possible with ceramic inks. This is a close match to the CMYK (cyan, magenta, yellow, black) ‘Process’ colour that paper based print methods use. Our software will convert any image file colour-mode to BGWORK but bright pinks are not possible to print – this is due to a lack of magenta in our colour mix (a magenta ceramic ink given current technology would need to be toxic (lead or cadmium based)). The best results come when we convert an image file that is in RGB colour mode.

Reduce bird collision

Graphics can be designed to appear to birds as areas in which they cannot fly. Any design can be manipulated to achieve this, as it is the ratio of clear space to printed space that creates the effect for the birds.

Imitation of natural materials

The ultra-high definition, photo-realistic capabilities of VisionInk® printed glass enable us to replicate scarce natural resources or finishes that would otherwise not be practical to pursue. The finished product is not subject to deterioration over time in the same way a natural material like wood or stone might be. These examples are of stone and brick, and marble – all printed on glass. This is easier to clean, and in many cases will be easier to transport and install. Should damage occur in the future, we have the digital record of everything printed, and simply print a replacement.

Application

Specialty Process: Double Vision

Our printed glass technology, together with the transparent properties of glass mean we can print two different images directly on top of one another, resulting in different images viewed on each side of the glass. All printing occurs on just one side of the glass; this can be useful in one-way glass applications or for privacy control for example.

Specialty Application: Slip Resistant Ink

This is a specialty ink outside of our BGWORK standard spot colours. Patterns are tested using the ANSI A137.1 Dynamic Co-efficient of Friction Test. It is the combination of printed and non printed areas that create the best resistance. Any design featuring printed and non printed areas using this ink will provide a level of slip resistance although it will not necessarily be certified as such. We can test any bespoke design for certification as required. This ink is toughened into the glass, it offers unrivalled durability versus alternative non-slip solutions that typically wear off over time. NB: we can print any spot or process colour under the slip resistant ink.

Project Size

From small corporate insignia or residential splash-back to entire building façades or office fit-outs and point of sale solutions, VisionInk® printed glass is a versatile design solution. Examples can be seen by clicking here.

Designing for Buildings

‘Tiling’ a design across multiple panels is easy with VisionInk®. Our software can manipulate the image as required to allow for joins, frames, etc. If required, replacement panels with a perfect match in colour and positioning can be easily supplied.

Marine Applications

From small insignia or splash-back to nameplates or internal fit-outs, VisionInk® printed glass is a versatile design solution.

Solar Heat Gain & Visible Light Transfer

Opacity, translucency & ink layer thickness can be precisely manipulated to deliver required SHG and VLT values. This process also controls light diffusion & transmission. Using ink to deliver these goals vs. heavy building envelopes could deliver significant production and ongoing maintenance savings. Ink printed onto the exterior surface mitigates reflected heat (available in black and white only).