Druckmediums

Druckmediums refers to the substrates or materials on which printing inks are applied in various print processes. The term is used primarily in German-language contexts to denote printing media, including paper, cardboard, plastics, textiles, metals, wood, glass, and ceramics. The choice of Druckmedium affects color reproduction, ink adhesion, drying behavior, durability, and finishing options.

Common Druckmedien include uncoated and coated papers, standard and fine papers, cardboard and corrugated board, polymer films such as PET and PP, textile materials like cotton and polyester, metal sheets, wood panels, and ceramic or glass substrates used with specialized inks.

Printing processes interact with the Druckmedium: offset and digital printing depend on surface properties; screen printing is versatile for textiles and plastics; flexography is common in packaging. In many cases, pretreatment or primers (such as surface coatings or corona treatment) are used to improve ink adhesion on nonporous media.

Important considerations when selecting a Druckmedium include ink compatibility, porosity, brightness, surface roughness, dimensional stability, moisture sensitivity, and post-processing steps like lamination or varnishing. Regulatory and recyclability aspects may influence material choice, particularly for packaging and food contact.

Because printing technology continually evolves, the range of Druckmedien expands to include smart materials and reversible coatings, enabling new effects and longer lifetimes while aiming to improve sustainability.