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Fujifilm Business Innovation Shines at Japan Imaging Awards

Fujifilm Business Innovation, headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, has recently been honored with both the "Technology Award" and "Paper Award" from the Japan Society of Imaging Science and Technology for 2025. These awards reflect the company's remarkable dedication to advancing imaging technology and its application in commercial printing.

Achievements Recognized

The "Technology Award" was specifically given for the innovative development of a new type of pressure-sensitive adhesive toner, known as "pressure-toner", which responds to applied pressure. This toner has been successfully incorporated into production printers, enhancing their functionality and usability in commercial printing environments.

Additionally, the "Paper Award" commended the groundbreaking research that constructed a predictive model for color and texture reproduction using structural colors with inkjet technology. This integration of high-precision prediction capabilities marks a significant advancement in the field of digital imaging.

The Role of Pressure-Toner

The pressure-toner technology allows for a streamlined process where printing and adhesion happen simultaneously within the digital printing workflow. This innovative toner is colorless and transparent, utilizing a unique Emulsion Aggregation (EA) process to disperse special resins that activate only under specific pressure. Thus, it maintains the imaging performance expected from traditional toners while eliminating the need for a time-consuming additional adhesive application step after printing.

One prime example of its application is in the production of adhesive postcards. Previously, creating these postcards required separate adhesive application, but with Fujifilm's new technology, printing and bonding can occur in one seamless print job. This innovation improves production efficiency, especially for short-run and varied job types.

Fujifilm's production color printers, namely the "Revoria Press™ PC2120" and "Revoria Press™ PC1120", have successfully utilized the pressure-toner, eliminating the need for post-print drying or curing processes. Feedback highlights the toner’s ability to avoid adhesive overflow during the bonding process and allows for handling similar to standard printed materials, further promoting creative design applications.

Insights from the Paper Award

The winning paper, titled "Building a Color Prediction Model Based on Multi-Angle Spectral Measurement and Structural Color Inkjet Texture Reproduction Simulation" highlights how color and texture perception can change dramatically based on light and observation angles. It aims to achieve high fidelity in color reproduction by incorporating gloss and surface roughness elements of the substrate, further pushing the boundaries of visual accuracy in printing.

This research explored the use of structural colors, which emerge without pigments but instead from reflected light, similar to hues seen in nature, such as the wings of Morpho butterflies. By accurately simulating structural colors in digital applications, this technology opens new avenues for design creativity and decorative printing.

Notably, the cutting-edge structural color inkjet technology is set to be showcased at the Signature Pavilion "Dynamic Balance of Life" at the upcoming 2025 World Expo in Osaka-Kansai. This will provide a remarkable platform to demonstrate the aesthetic potential of this innovation.

Future Endeavors

Fujifilm Business Innovation continues to blend foundational research with practical applications, driving advancements in imaging technology and creating new value for society. As they push forward, the company maintains a strong focus on aligning academic achievements with industrial applications, aspiring to contribute positively to the community and industry as a whole.

With the recognition received from the Japan Society of Imaging Science and Technology, Fujifilm sets a strong precedent for quality and innovation in the imaging and printing sectors, paving the way for further breakthroughs in visual communication technologies.