Next Generation ColourLite Technology

Posted on July 18, 2014 by central@gjames.com.au

Cardboard Cathedral G.James Glass & Aluminium has recently enhanced its ColourLite ceramic printed glass range and capability with investment in the next generation ceramic on-glass printing technology. This process is renowned internationally as one of the world’s leading digital on-glass printing systems.

Australian architects and designers now have access to a new world of high-definition, full colour glass printing capabilities, including photo-realistic images that will redefine the role of printed glass as a design showpiece for façades, feature walls, interior fit outs, signage and other architectural highlights.

On-glass digital ceramic printing differs from other printed glass technologies in its vivid richness, hardiness and imaging flexibility. The digital ceramic inks are made from microscopic glass particles and inorganic pigments that are fused to the surface of glass through the glass furnacing process. The result is an extremely durable product that is highly resistant to fading. ColourLite ceramic printed glass is a truly robust imaging system with the capacity to handle the most expressive, forceful design ideas.

Lewis Saragossi, Managing Director and Chairman of G.James, says as a local manufacturer, he and his team are delighted to introduce new ColourLite capabilities to Australian architects and designers.

“We are very excited to add this new technology to our extensive product line and offerings,” he says. “We have spent a great deal of time evaluating the various technology options to find the one that would best match the needs and demands of the Australian market as well as current and future design trends. Our customers are impressed with the short lead time, available from our three local manufacturing facilities in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane.”

This new imaging software allows designers to accurately portray single images over multiple glass panels, and there is flexibility to present different designs. For example, the printing system allows for a continuous design to cover the full extent of a building façade for maximum impact. This includes the possible use of full perforated imaging to the vision panels. The unique digital system caters for either individual or multiple panel printing without the excessive cost and limitations of a silk screen.

Whats New?

High definition 720dpi printing
Glass thickness from 4mm to 19mm
Automatic inline pre mix colour range
Sizes from 300 x200mm to 4000 x 2300mm

1. Cardboard Cathedral Christchurch New Zealand Image supplied by Dip-Tech Photography by Bridgit Anderson 2. Fletcher Hotel Amsterdam, Holland Image supplied by Dip-Tech 3. G.James Glass & Aluminium Cairns, Australia Photography by Mark McCormack

Guest post: In depth analysis of ceramic digital printing on glass

Posted on September 26, 2012 by central@gjames.com.au

This month’s guest post is by Bernd Hoffmann of Hoffmann GTD Glas-Technik-Design, and discusses in-depth the process and intricacies of ceramic, digital glassjet printing.

If you haven’t already, you can also read last month’s introduction to digital printing on glass.

Ceramic Digital Printing-customizing Glass Façade Design

Modern digital printing technologies using ceramic inks are providing new interesting opportunities for long-lasting decorations and optical effects on glass.

This way even multicoloured very large format images and decors can be printed and fired on glass providing reflective high-resolution prints, turning the functional glass skin of a building into a more or less translucent artistic screen. After a short introduction into the basic principles of the Ceramic Digital Printing technology and the world of Glass Façade Design the presentation will give an overview about the advantages and limitations of the Ceramic Digital Printing for architectural applications. Different design intentions, challenges and achievements will be presented and discussed. TOPAZ – a helpful concept of preceding considerations for the design process of glass facades will be introduced.

Continue reading →

Glass Printing: Make a Permanent Impression

Posted on August 24, 2012 by central@gjames.com.au

Printing Images on Glass Façades

Glass has been used for both decorative and functional purposes for much of history; the forms and techniques used have changed with our technological advances.

The ancient Romans and Egyptians created decorative but functional objects such as cups and vases from glass. Cathedrals have used stained glass windows for both light and decoration for more than a millennium. A somewhat more modern innovation is digital ceramic printing directly onto glass – and G.James are pleased to be able to offer this new medium.

What sort of applications I can use printed glass in?

Balustrading – Yes. Printed glass would be suitable in this application as standard furnaced PVB (Polyvinyl butyral) laminate if edges are protected, printing to surface #2 (the inner/interior surface) or with an SGP (SentryGlas®Plus) interlayer with unprotected edges, printing to surface #2.
Windows – Yes, with ceramic printing to the inside or in a laminate as above.
Awnings – Yes. A heat strengthened laminate with PVB and SGP is recommended. Monolithic printed glass is not suitable for this application.
Splashbacks – Yes, when combined with two-pack paint backing to obscure the wall behind.
Office Partitions – Yes, as a furnaced laminate only.
Reception areas/Feature walls – Yes. Care should be taken to co-ordinate the colour of the backing wall with the image and its density – a light image would require a neutral tone wall to stop any showthrough.
Pool Windows – Yes, as a furnaced laminate printed to surface #2.
Signage – Suitability of printed glass for this application would depend on the colours required. Laminate would be required for external applications, internal applications could use monolithic glass.
Building Façades – Yes. Printed glass can be incorporated into an IGU and coated if necessary.

What does the printing process involve?

Digital images are run through a specialist software program that separates the image into colour layers available on the Colourlite Image system. The ink used has special ceramic pigments which give it its colour – these inks are lead and cadmium free. The Glassjet printer is a large flatbed printing set up.