How does a continuous inkjet printer work?
Inkjet Coding and Marking Solutions
A continuous inkjet (CIJ) coding printer (non-contact printing technology) can quickly print high-quality codes, text, and graphics on various substrates. Food, beverage, pharmaceuticals, and packaging industries mostly use CIJ for marking batch numbers, expiry dates, and barcodes. Here’s an overview of how a CIJ coder works:
Continuous Inkjet Printer Workings
- Ink System:
The Continuous Inkjet printer has an ink system so that it can reserve ink. The ink, which typically contains solvents, dyes, or pigments, circulates continuously through the system. - Ink Pressure and Circulation:
CIJ pressurizes the ink and pumps it from the reservoir to the printhead. After passing through the printhead, CIJ collects the unused ink and returns it to the reservoir for recirculation. - Printhead and Nozzle:
The printhead contains a nozzle with a small opening, usually ranging from 40 to 70 microns in diameter. A piezoelectric crystal inside the nozzle vibrates at a specific frequency, typically between 60,000 and 120,000 times per second. - Droplet Formation:
As the pressurized ink enters the vibrating nozzle, it breaks into individual droplets due to the vibration effect. These CIJ droplets release in a continuous stream from the nozzle. - Charge Electrode:
Immediately after the droplets exit the nozzle, they pass through a charged electrode. The electrode imparts an electrostatic charge to each droplet, depending on the intended position of the printable character. - Deflection Plates:
The charged ink droplets travel through a pair of deflection plates, which create an electric field. Depending on the droplet charge with a more or less electric field, determining their position on the substrate. - Printing on the Substrate:
The accurately deflected CIJ droplets reach the substrate, creating the desired characters or graphics. Meanwhile, the non-deflected droplets fall into a gutter and return to the ink reservoir for recirculation. - Drying and Curing:
As the ink droplets land on the substrate, the solvents evaporate quickly, leaving behind the ink on the surface. This process results in a high-quality, permanent print that is resistant to smudging and fading.
Print with Food Grade Inks
The Continuous inkjet coder’s ability to print directly on moving products makes it an ideal choice for many industrial coding applications. Additionally, the technology offers high-speed printing, low maintenance requirements, and the capability to produce high-resolution prints with minimal downtime.
Expiry Date Printer
Continuous Inkjet Printers are popular for printing variable information, such as dates or batch codes during production. These printers explicitly handle products of different sizes, shapes, or textures, making them prime for many industries. Furthermore, Linx Printing Technologies offer a range of continuous inkjet printers that are cost-effective and efficient. Some features include remote printer monitoring and customer support, concealed and easy-to-clean printheads, error-free touch-screen control, and simple self-service capability. Compared to other industrial inkjet coders, Linx’s printers provide a reliable and quality solution to meet your needs.
Linx 8900 Continuous Inkjet Printer (CIJ)
This printer delivers efficient output with the help of a remote application to keep you in control anytime and anywhere. Moreover, Linx CIJ allows you to print up to six lines, including barcodes, batch coding, and QR codes. Therefore it’s perfect for high-speed production, retail packaging, and 24/7 operations.
Linx 8900 inkjet coder has popularity because of its remote access, control, and support through the Linx PrinterNet. This allows for error-free coding by enhancing your monitoring and control capabilities. Additionally, it features a quick operation with a touchscreen interface, self-service, and minimal intervention to maximize production uptime. The Linx 8900 CIJ Printer allows you to print onto both primary and secondary packaging. Hence, one printer further makes your printing process easy.
Take your production to the next level with the Linx 8900 Continuous Inkjet Printer.