Digital printing makes small batch sizes cost-efficient, since making and handling the screens does not put any additional costs on the budget. This benefit is welcomed by interior designers pursuing for customised and tailor made solutions to decorate offices, stores and homes. One could even claim that digital printing is revolutionizing the use of glass in interior architecture. Sure, it will also be a benefit for glass processors operating in automotive repair and replacement sector, who usually have to deal with relatively small batches.

GlassJet digital printer, the beginning of the direct on glass (D.O.G) printing, was introduced at glasstec 2004. GlassJet has been developed in collaboration of three companies. Dip Tech from Israel, the silicon valley of digital printing, has developed the construction and, together with Johnson Matthey, have been developing special inks. Tamglass, in turn, has shared its world leading expertise in heat treatment of glass.

GlassJet makes printing on glass almost as easy as printing this article on paper. As the term direct on glass implies the textures, images, photos and texts can be printed directly on any glass sheet up to size of 2800mm x 3700mm.

GlassJet printing method is based on Drop-On Demand printing heads, which is very similar to computer ink jet printing. Even though the method is well established, printing on large area glass sheets required efforts on research and development of suitable inks to ensure sharp and steady printing. GlassJet uses solvent based ceramic ink, which is similar to the inks used with conventional printing methods, such as screen printing, allowing the use of , same firing temperatures.

When GlassJet was introduced at glasstec 2004 black ink was ready for non-sticking tempering and S4 laminating. In Vitrum 2005 GlassJet was ready with etch-like ink beside of black and full-colour range. Full-colour range is to be developed in the near future.