BENEFITS OF CONTINUOUS INKJET PRINTING SYSTEM FOR YOUR PRODUCTION LINE

Though initially introduced into the market during the 1950s, continuous inkjet or “CIJ” printers still continue to be one of the highly preferred industrial marking options. They are versatile, reliable and fast. CIJs are considered as the perfect solutions for meeting the unique coding and marking challenges extended by items like cosmetics, food and beverages, pharmaceuticals, electronics, and automotive components, because of their salient features.

Continuous Inkjet (CIJ) Printing: How it works?

The working theory of Continuous Inkjet printers can be explained as: the print head nozzle expels electrically charged ink droplets which later passes through an electric field. The ink jet is broken into drops inside the chamber through a pulse from the piezoelectric crystal. Droplets that are required for printing get charged by an electrode as they break off from the ink jet, and the printer recirculates the rest. The charged droplets pass through an electrostatic field between deflector plates, a combination of speed and charge determines the exact position of the droplet on the substrate.

Continuous Inkjet: Coding and Marking

Regardless of porosity, size, shape and texture, Continuous Inkjet Printers can carry out coding onto most materials. Information like dates, batch or bar codes, product name and logos etc. can be printed easily with Continuous Inkjet Printers. This facilitates data trackability and further helps in adhering to the industrial manufacturing policies.

Versatility

The strength of the Continuous Inkjet Printers can be attributed to their supreme versatility and enhanced adaptability. They work on almost all mediums, regardless of speed and orientation. In addition, it is flexible for different purposes like printing date codes, batch codes, and logos irrespective of the material. Since Continuous Inkjet Printers use contact-free technology, they can be used to imprint on any kind of surface whether it be curved, textured, or porous surface. They can also use a wide variety of inks, providing the product designers with many creative opportunities. Continuous inkjet printing is generally done directly on products that are often irregularly shaped, rather than packaging and boxes that are usually smooth. Also, they are adaptable for substance-specific coding such as ink with ethanol for food, alcohol resistance for plastic, against UV rays, etc. All these make continuous inkjet printing highly appealing, despite the industry.

Reliability

Continuous Inkjet Printers use a high-pressure pump to direct liquid ink through a nozzle in order to create a rapid, continuous stream of ink droplets. Since the printer’s nozzle never comes into contact with the substrate material, it can be used for clear, precise markings, indifferent to the material. Chances of smudges, misprints and damage are least ensuing less wasted material and less time loss due to reprinting. 

Printing Speed

The high ink ejection frequency of Continuous Inkjet Printers makes coding and marking faster. They are also appropriate for 24/7 continuous operation making them ideal for meeting the demands of a continuous production line. Such speed is essential for identifying products in domains such as the food or pharmaceutical sector.

Quick-drying Ink

Practically the industrial marking happens at high speed, with products passing in front of a print head for only a brief moment – during which time the continuous inkjet printer applies the mark or text. The products are then swiftly passed along to the next stage of the production line process. It is therefore essential that the ink used dries as quickly as possible. Smudged ink would impair legibility and producer need to know that printed information – for example, symbols, marks, barcodes and logos – are printed as clearly and sharply as possible

The ink that is used in Continuous Inkjet Printers dries real quick, reducing the possibilities of smudges or misprints. Since the inkjet is constantly in use, the nozzle does not clog, therefore allowing solvents such as ketones and alcohols to stay consistently deployed. These solvents are able to "bite" into the substrate and dry quickly, unlike other ink types.

Cost efficiency

Continuous Inkjet Printers help to reduce operating costs significantly. All the above-mentioned features save the user both time and money. In addition to these, Continuous Inkjet printers can work consistently with the least service requirements. With their lasting performance, tough resistibility to high production temperatures, dust, humidity, and other environmental conditions, Continuous Inkjet Printers can be preferred highly for the production line. Maintenance of the printer also requires little to no effort. Since the Continuous Inkjet Printers have fewer moving parts, most issues are easy to identify, and fixing them is also simple.

The relevance of the Continuous Inkjet Printers arises from the fact that the information printed is not only axial to the cycle of product distribution but also keeps the users informed about the key facts about products aiding them to align with the safety requirements.

Being the leading distributor of various printers in the Middle East, Astropack has enough expertise to understand the challenges faced by every kind of manufacturer. That is why we offer an incredible range of printing, coding, and marking solutions to meet the requirements of companies in different industries.