Big Picture - April 2018 - 17

of "Dynabook," a proposal that Alan Kay, a computer
scientist, developed in the '70s that outlined the requirements for a conceptual portable educational device similar
to the laptop computer and smartphone today. It's a device
for multiple interdisciplinary functions and outputs.
In preparation for the demanding shift from specialists to
versatilists (people who can be specialists for a particular
discipline, but can simultaneously slide into another role with
the same ease) for the near future, the SI program offers the
depth of skills and knowledge for a wide range of applications.
This transdisciplinary program is designed to communicate
concepts through printed and/or fabricated designs, mechanical explorations, and business plans and models, and to
develop desirable, feasible, and viable surface imaging
industry systems that will amplify future opportunities.
Predicting the future of the digital imaging industry and
offering the transdisciplinary concept to our students are
our most critical attributes.
The SI program emphasizes systems thinking, which is
becoming a core discipline. A system for surface imaging
includes processes of ideation, prototyping, production,
distribution, marketing, and sales. For example, designers
start to develop ideation and prototyping; engineers
contribute prototyping, production, and distribution; and
business people implement distribution, marketing, and
sales. One of the goals is to develop successful products or
services for the imaging industry. To actualize this goal,
these processes should not be considered separately, but in
conjunction with a notion that each process is a part of the
whole system. Therefore, systems thinking has a significant
teaching value for MS in Surface Imaging students to
develop successful products and services with design
desirability, engineering feasibility, and business viability.
DIGITAL TEXTILE'S ROLE

As the digital print industry continues
to grow and change, and new printing
technologies and trends develop and prosper,
it's important that they're supported and
led by innovative minds and creative future
employers. The imaging industry needs
more comprehensive and well-designed
educational programs for digital print to
continue to expand.
HOW TO GET INVOLVED
The Center for Excellence in Surface Imaging is the vital
part of the SI Initiative. It functions to provide and exchange
information in a neutral position, to educate future leaders
for the industry through the Surface Imaging degree
program, and to conduct research activities. The center has
been supported by various imaging industry partners, such
as Mimaki Engineering, Mutoh Industries, Roland, Epson,
Brother International, Ergosoft, Wasatch, Dupont, and AVA,
and is currently seeking additional industry partners
(manufacturers and end users).
Surface imaging is a new holistic concept for the
imaging industry, including wide-format digital printing.
It's designed to explore the unlimited potential of digital
printing technologies that contain numerous opportunities
for design, product development, management, and applied
engineering. At the same time, it's disruptive innovation -
by observing the current state of the digital textile printing
industry and optimizing it for its maximum potential. The
MS in Surface Imaging program starts annually from the
middle of May to August of the following year. If you're
interested in more information about the program, visit
PhilaU.edu/mssurfaceimaging.
As the digital print industry continues to grow and change,
and new printing technologies and trends develop and prosper,
it's important that they're supported and led by innovative
minds and creative future employers. The imaging industry
needs more comprehensive and well-designed educational
programs for digital print to continue to expand.

BIGPICTURE.NET

This value of systems thinking is also influenced by the
research in the digital textile printing industry that has been
conducted at The Center for Excellence in Surface Imaging
since 2000 (previously named The Center of Excellence for
Digital Printing for Textile). At Jefferson, textile education is a
legacy. Philadelphia University was founded as the Philadelphia Textile School in 1884 - one of the oldest institutions
specialized in educating textile workers and managers.
Digital textile printing changed from inkjet textile
sample printing to complete production printing at the
2003 ITMA textile and garment exhibition in Birmingham,
England. In the late 2000s to early 2010s, various printer
manufacturers developed single-pass digital textile printers
to increase the printing speed up to 230 linear feet per
minute. In 2015, at ITMA in Milan, several single-pass digital
printers were introduced to the market. Today, it's estimated
that more than 30 single-pass printing systems are installed
worldwide. Nonetheless, the overall penetration rate for
digital textile printing technology was estimated to be only
one to two percent from 2000 to early 2010 when compared
to analog technology, according to our research. Even today,
the overall penetration rate is estimated to be only about
four to five percent for the total textile printing volume, and
the use of digital textile printing is still meager compared to
conventional analog printing technologies.

Although digital printing technology has completely
developed as a full-scale commercial production textile printing
system, it's still unpopular for two primary reasons: a lack of
communication and approach among machine manufacturers,
software developers, suppliers, printing operators, and end
users; and a lack of a new way of thinking to retrofit digital
printing technologies into the pre-existing workflow.
Both of these problems are clear indications of an absence
of systems thinking. One of the educational missions of the
MS in Surface Imaging is to develop the skills for generating
new ways of thinking and problem solving to improve the
imaging industry.

http://www.BIGPICTURE.NET http://www.PhilaU.edu/mssurfaceimaging

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