Digital thermal binder and powder printing

1. A method of forming a digital print on a surface of a floor panel, wherein the method comprises:

applying colorants on the surface;

bonding a part of the colorants to the surface by application of a liquid substance on the colorants; and

removing non-bonded colorants from the surface such that the digital print is formed by the bonded colorants,

wherein the colorants comprise macro colorants having a size larger than 20 microns.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the colorants comprise wood fibers or mineral particles.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the colorants comprise pigment coated wood fibers or pigment coated wood fibers mineral particles.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the colorants comprise a binder.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the binder is a thermosetting resin.

6. The method of claim 4 , wherein the binder is a thermoplastic resin.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the liquid substance comprises a binder.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the liquid substance is water based.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising exposing the digital print to IR light, UV light, hot air, or microwave radiation.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the liquid substance is applied with a Piezo ink head or a thermo ink head.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the liquid substance is applied as drops arranged in a raster and wherein the colorants are bonded with several drops.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the surface with the bonded colorants is pressed after removing the non-bonded colorants.

13. The method of claim 1 , further comprising permanently bonding said part of the colorants to the surface with heat and pressure after removing the non-bonded colorants.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein the colorants are provided in a powder.

15. The method of claim 1 , wherein said part of the colorants is bonded directly to the surface by application of the liquid substance on the colorants.

16. The method of claim 1 , wherein said colorants is a first set of colorants and wherein the method further comprises repeating said acts of applying, bonding, and removing with a second set of colorants such that a digital print is formed by the bonded second set of colorants.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the colorants in the second set of colorants have a different color than the colorants in first set of colorants.

18. The method of claim 1 , wherein the surface of the floor panel is a powder surface.

19. The method of claim 1 , wherein the surface comprises wood fibers.

20. An equipment to provide a digital print on a surface, comprising a digital drop application head, a dry ink application station, and a dry ink removal station wherein:

the digital drop application head is adapted to apply liquid blank ink on the surface;

the dry ink application station is adapted to apply dry ink comprising colourants on the surface;

the blank ink is adapted to bond a part of the dry ink to the surface; and

the dry ink removal station is adapted to remove the non-bonded colourants from the surface,

wherein the colorants comprise macro colorants having a size larger than 20 microns.

21. An equipment to provide a digital print on a surface with a transfer printing method, wherein the equipment comprises a digital drop application head, a dry ink application unit, a dry ink removal station and a transfer surface wherein:

the digital drop application head is adapted to apply liquid blank ink on the transfer surface;

the dry ink application unit is adapted to apply dry ink comprising colourants on the transfer surface;

the blank ink is adapted to bond a part of the dry ink to the transfer surface;

the dry ink removal station is adapted to remove the non-bonded dry ink from the transfer surface; and

the transfer surface with the bonded dry ink is adapted to be pressed against the surface,

wherein the colorants comprise macro colorants having a size larger than 20 microns.

22. A method of forming a digital print on a surface, wherein the method comprises:

applying a powder of dry ink, the dry ink comprising colourants, on the surface;

bonding a part of the powder of dry ink to the surface by a digital heating print head such that the digital print is formed by the bonded colourants of the dry ink; and

removing non-bonded dry ink from the surface,

wherein the colorants comprise macro colorants having a size larger than 20 microns.