Huge Abstract Glass Design Becomes an Economic Reality with DIP-Tech's GlassJet Printer
01 August 2008
Until recently, architects were severely limited in using decorative glass due to production issues and prohibitive screening costs. The DIP-Tech GlassJet™ and its ceramic inks eliminate these limitations.
Our creativity-enabling tools allow architects and designers to reproduce their artistic visions across hundreds of panes of glass via digital printing using scratchproof, weather and UV-resistant ceramic inks that can withstand the test of time.
When a new office building was to be constructed in Murcia, Spain, architects Jesús Zafra and Javier Alarcón from Z Org Arquitectos invited noted artist and designer Angel Haro to emblazon one of his bold, modern images on the façade. Together, they sought a cost-effective system that could overcome the enormous logistical issues inherent in this massive undertaking.
The solution came via Cristec of Balaguer, Spain. "Juan Jose Martinez from the contractors Mart Pinatar Instalaciones SL and I focused on the quality and delivery time of screen printing versus digital printing," says Jaume Planes, Cristec's operations manager. "Not only was the GlassJet able to recreate Haro's remarkable design exactly, but it also reduced the seven months of work we projected down to two."
A triumpf of form and function
Arcitect Alarcón says: "The GlassJet enabled us to transform our glass and steel cube into an indefinite black canvas that, together with Angel Haro's design, transcends the physical limits of architecture to create an absence of recognisable form."
Architects can now unleash their creativity with decorative glass on a massive scale. The GlassJet facilitates large tiling jobs, ensuring correct pane placement by printing numbers almost imperceptibly in a corner of each pane. DIP Spectrum™ ceramic inks are a triumph of form and function. They project the boldness of Haro's design, are the most durable inks available, and still allow the workers inside the building an unobstructed vista of Murcia.
"I'm now free to create more elaborate and intricate designs, knowing they will be exactly reproduced on glass regardless of complexity or size, whether it encases an entire building or enhances a shower door," concludes Alarcón.
