THE ORIGINS OF DIGITAL PRINTING

The first digital printing machines were made in the early eighties by the Japanese brand Superscan. These early machines were cumbersome, expensive devices that used computerised equipment in conjunction with a drum printing system.

Superscan products became popular for in-store stages, TV exhibitions, outdoor prints and mural signage. The company’s graphics and signage devices greatly reduced display costs and could reproduce any image, regardless of its size. The prints were flexible, easy to reproduce, and made on durable fabrics.

Superscan prints also saved assembly time for exhibitors. The systems were quickly and easily mounted, whether on a straight-back wall, a dramatic curve or overhead display. They were lightweight and could be rolled or folded away. Prints could be frequently re-used and displayed in an office or showroom between exhibitions.

A NEW ERA FOR OUTDOOR ADVERTISING

At the time, the cost of a small-scale poster campaign or once-off poster was very high, and sometimes prohibitive. Superscan made once-off signs of any size or shape and in full colour, at an affordable price. Posters were backlit, and printed on strong, durable fabrics.

Superscan’s early digital prints were ideal for film, stage and TV backdrops. The fabric was flame-retardant and could be relied on for fairly good reproductions of photographs or artwork. Urgent scans could be produced quickly and large savings became a reality.

Supermarkets and stores quickly realised the advantages of this technology and the potential of large murals in retail. Large prints attracted customers from a distance and encouraged impulse buying. They also harmonised stores and created a friendlier atmosphere. With Superscan’s digital printing technology, interior designers were soon creating designs that were previously considered impossible.

DIGITAL PRINTING COMES OF AGE

Architects and designers were able to print onto these early fabrics without the loss of definition that was normally associated with photographic enlargement. Superscan signage was ideal for murals, room dividers, screens, curtains and blinds, and any other situation where a large individual image was required.

These digitally printed signs started appearing in restaurants, offices, foyers, boardrooms and conference rooms – and heralded the start of digital printing. Like the early computers, digital printers were once huge, expensive pieces of equipment. Today, they are small enough to be housed in shops and are widely available to sign-makers.