Dip-Tech Introduces New Extra Durable S1 Inks for External Glass
Surfaces
The Wire: Omaha, Nebraska, USA.
Printed by, Insulite Glass Company.
First architectural project in the world to include
glass windows digitally printed on the external
surface with Dip-Tech Extra Durable S1 Inks.
Architect: Alley, Pyner, Macchietto Architecture
Contractor: City Glass Omaha
Owner: Nu Style Development
Kfar Saba, Israel (July 22, 2014) — Dip-Tech, the
world-leading provider of digital ceramic in-glass
printing solutions, today announced the release of
Dip-Tech Extra Durable S1 inks, answering the pressing
market need for a highly durable ink that can be
digitally printed on exterior glass surfaces.
Dip-Tech Extra Durable S1 inks offer unparalleled
chemical and mechanical resistance. The new ink set
was developed by Dip-Tech after extensive R&D and
close collaboration with glass processors and
architects around the world. Available in black and
white, with the option of mixing to achieve gray
shades, Dip-Tech Extra Durable S1 inks also offer
opacity control. Compliant with architectural
standards, the inks are lead- and cadmium-free and
can be processed using the same standard firing and
tempering procedures used across the industry.
Their enhanced environmental durability and scratch
resistance, shown by tests to outstrip traditional
ceramic inks, and reduced glare, make Dip-Tech Extra
Durable S1 inks an unsurpassed solution for printing in
situations where other inks may not provide reliable
results.
The Extra Durable S1 inks can be used to reduce
reflection and are ideal for printing on external
surfaces such as building facades, open-air prints,
balustrades and canopies. Other applications include
printing on unlaminated glass with two exposed sides,
such as balcony and stair railings, doors and open-air
conservatories.
Recently, Insulite Glass Company, Olathe, Kansas, USA,
used the Extra Durable S1 inks for vision glass panels
that replaced old painted steel insulating panels. This
allowed for both increased natural light inside and city
views out, while maintaining the historical designation
of the building. “The Extra Durable S1 inks behaved
much like the traditional inks in terms of printing, and
showed higher durability and Green Strength
throughout the drying, handling and heat-treating
processes,” said Kurt Hartman, Printing Specialist at
Insulite Glass Company.
He added: “Dip-Tech’s new inks continue to expand
the possibilities of digitally printed fritted glass,
allowing architects and designers the flexibility to
enhance the aesthetics, durability and performance of
decorative glass, on interior and exterior applications.”
Dip-Tech Introduces New Slip-Resistance Ink That Enables Smooth
Anti-Slip Surfaces
Examples of printed glass applications – stair
treading, and flooring near a swimming pool
Kfar Saba, Israel (July 22, 2014) — Dip-Tech, the worldleading provider of digital ceramic in-glass printing solutions,
today announced the release of its new Dip-Tech SlipResistance Ink, which has been proven to create smoothsurfaced glass that is anti-slip when wet or dry. This new ink
expands the applications for digital printing in glass, creating
new opportunities for glass processors to add value to
architectural projects.
Unlike screen printing and other slip-resistant coatings that
create rough surfaces, Dip-Tech Slip-Resistance Ink leaves a
smooth, non-abrasive finish on the glass. This ensures safety
and comfort when walking barefoot, and the ink’s chemical
resistance protects it from being corroded by pool chemicals
or seawater – making it ideal for a wide range of interior and
exterior flooring applications.
In commercial and public sites, the new ink is ideal for
shopping malls and office floors, walkways, food service
areas, public bathrooms, stairs, ramps, and other areas. In
residential settings, Dip-Tech Slip-Resistance Ink is also
suitable for flooring in bathrooms, on stairs, balconies, patios,
garden paths, in spas and around pools. The ink can also be
used on surfaces such as glass roofs, ceilings and ducts, which
are not classified as floors but are accessed for maintenance.
The Dip-Tech Slip-Resistance Ink, with its etch-like
appearance, can be processed using industry-standard firing,
tempering and laminating procedures. It may also be printed
on top of Dip-Tech inks for a wide range of colorful anti-slip
architecture glass applications.
M3 Glass Technologies worked with the U.S. National Floor
Safety Institute and other testing sites to test the Dip-Tech
Slip-Resistance Ink and found it achieved a significantly higher
friction coefficient than the screen printing ink that M3 had
previously printed with the same pattern. They also tested
the friction coefficient when printing with different
thicknesses of ink, and achieved excellent results with less ink
coverage, representing a real opportunity for cost savings.
“Dip-Tech Slip-Resistance Ink will be a much preferred
product over inks previously available,” says Mike
Pfaffenberger, Specialty Glass at M3 Glass Technologies.
“Current screen printing ink products for slip resistance are
more expensive to print, and require longer lead times. Also,
the other ink feels much rougher, almost like sandpaper;
whereas the Dip-Tech ink is smooth and pleasant to walk on,
even barefoot. The ink also has the added benefit of printing
together with the wide array of Dip-Tech colors.”