Houston, we have a problem! There is no proven standard to regulate the accuracy of dual-sided digital printing on glass. This exposes the industry to high risks towards potential optical distortion even if printing applications assume to be within technical tolerances. It leaves the door open for severe but unregulated optical damage to the final product, proven and explained with examples in recent built applications.
In glass, dual-sided digital printing creates different images or color tones being visible on either side of the glass. This increases the risk for optical distortion to the second order, typically becoming visible as banding or moiré effects as a result of mechanical interference of light by superimposed networks of lines.
While digital printing on glass is an advanced technique that involves directly applying images, patterns, or designs onto glass surfaces using specialized printers and inks, the process quality highly depends on the used equipment, printing process accuracy, and design parameters of the image or pattern. ISO 12647-2, being a standard for graphic technology process control, helps to regulate pixelation, color density, and image sharpness, but only to a single order.
The research assesses the additional risk of optical distortions by dual-sided digital printing on glass based on examples and lays out a roadmap for project stakeholders to evaluate and regulate digital print quality from design to final product application in the absence of an established code or standard.
