David Savastano, Editor04.04.18
The inkjet industry has enjoyed strong growth in numerous sectors, notably in industrial markets, including textiles, ceramics, additive manufacturing and bio-engineering. To highlight recent developments in inkjet technology and chemistry, The Inkjet Conference (TheIJC) was founded in 2014 by ESMA, the European Specialist Printing Manufacturers Association, developed in partnership with drupa and sponsored by MS Italy.
The conference has grown during the past four years, from 270 participants in its inaugural conference in 2014 to 525 in its most recent conference in 2017. With that in mind, ESMA decided the time was right to bring TheIJC to the US, and will hold its inaugural edition at the Westin O’Hare, Chicago, IL from April 12-13, 2018.
The conference opens on April 11 with a pair of workshops: “Introduction to Inkjet,” chaired by Johannes Renner (iPrint) and TheIJC co-founder Steve Knight, and “Digital Textile Printing: Status Quo, Presnt andf Future,” given by Prof. Hitoshi Ujiie (Jefferson) and Prof. Marc Van Parys (TexZeppelin/Unitex).
TheIJC USA then starts its program on April 12, featuring two tracks each day. All total, there will be 42 technical presentations and 48 tabletop exhibitors, covering the gamut from printheads, lab equipment, sofware, inks and consumables and more, and organizers report that presenters will be discussing their latest findings. The complete agenda is listed here.
Maciej Bochajczuk, ESMA’s marketing and communication manager, said that the timing has certainly been right for staging the inaugural event of TheIJC in America.
“Supported by many key players who have been building the success of TheIJC in Europe, we are glad to welcome also newcomers from Graphic System Services, Inkjet Inc., Metis, Plasmatreat and Memjet,” Bochajczuk added. “The last one joins a strong line-up of printhead manufacturers in Chicago, next to Kodak, Fujifilm Dimatix, Seiko Instruments, Ricoh, Xaar and Industrial Inkjet/Konica Minolta. Their presentations definitely belong to the highlights of the event.
“Cutting-edge industry developments are complemented by a number of academic presentations on the latest inkjet research, i.a. hybrid 3D-printed ‘digital materials’ (by TU Vienna) and printing onto fluid surfaces for healthcare applications (University of Cambridge),” he added.
Knight said that the emphasis on core technology sets TheIJC apart from other conferences.
“We differ in not covering the finished machines and production-ready solutions but explaining the core technology that is implemented in the type of machines displayed at drupa, the world’s biggest print exhibition and a continuous supporter of TheIJC,” Knight noted. “A full technical conference program has been well received with high levels of booking. We are expecting over 200 participants: engineers, developers, technology users, innovators, researchers and C-level executives. From surface science and software to curing and inkjet integration, 42 presentations cover the science and technology behind inkjet ink and inkjet print.”
For more information, see usa.theIJC.com.
The conference has grown during the past four years, from 270 participants in its inaugural conference in 2014 to 525 in its most recent conference in 2017. With that in mind, ESMA decided the time was right to bring TheIJC to the US, and will hold its inaugural edition at the Westin O’Hare, Chicago, IL from April 12-13, 2018.
The conference opens on April 11 with a pair of workshops: “Introduction to Inkjet,” chaired by Johannes Renner (iPrint) and TheIJC co-founder Steve Knight, and “Digital Textile Printing: Status Quo, Presnt andf Future,” given by Prof. Hitoshi Ujiie (Jefferson) and Prof. Marc Van Parys (TexZeppelin/Unitex).
TheIJC USA then starts its program on April 12, featuring two tracks each day. All total, there will be 42 technical presentations and 48 tabletop exhibitors, covering the gamut from printheads, lab equipment, sofware, inks and consumables and more, and organizers report that presenters will be discussing their latest findings. The complete agenda is listed here.
Maciej Bochajczuk, ESMA’s marketing and communication manager, said that the timing has certainly been right for staging the inaugural event of TheIJC in America.
“Supported by many key players who have been building the success of TheIJC in Europe, we are glad to welcome also newcomers from Graphic System Services, Inkjet Inc., Metis, Plasmatreat and Memjet,” Bochajczuk added. “The last one joins a strong line-up of printhead manufacturers in Chicago, next to Kodak, Fujifilm Dimatix, Seiko Instruments, Ricoh, Xaar and Industrial Inkjet/Konica Minolta. Their presentations definitely belong to the highlights of the event.
“Cutting-edge industry developments are complemented by a number of academic presentations on the latest inkjet research, i.a. hybrid 3D-printed ‘digital materials’ (by TU Vienna) and printing onto fluid surfaces for healthcare applications (University of Cambridge),” he added.
Knight said that the emphasis on core technology sets TheIJC apart from other conferences.
“We differ in not covering the finished machines and production-ready solutions but explaining the core technology that is implemented in the type of machines displayed at drupa, the world’s biggest print exhibition and a continuous supporter of TheIJC,” Knight noted. “A full technical conference program has been well received with high levels of booking. We are expecting over 200 participants: engineers, developers, technology users, innovators, researchers and C-level executives. From surface science and software to curing and inkjet integration, 42 presentations cover the science and technology behind inkjet ink and inkjet print.”
For more information, see usa.theIJC.com.
