Continuous Inkjet
FOR EVERY POSSIBLE PRINTER APPLICATION
We are all familiar with continuous inkjet printing (CIJ), whether we know it or not. It is a vital part of the labelling industry. You can find it in use on eggs, bottles and all kinds of other everyday packaging, as well as on components for car production and cables.
Why? It is a quick and precise way to label products with low ink consumption.
Continuous inkjet - contact-free printing technology
It is a quick and precise way to label products with low ink consumption. Continuous inkjet printers are especially frequently used in industrial contexts, where they use tiny droplets of ink to create high-quality printed images. And they don’t even come into contact with the material they are printing. The droplets of ink are carried through the air for distances ranging a couple of millimetres to several centimetres. The precision of this kind of technology lends itself to a whole range of commercial uses on almost any surface: packaging, bottles, car components... High-performance labelling systems often use CIJ printers from leading brands like Hitachi.
CIJ printers – manufacturers and models
Here, you will receive high-performance printers from continuous inkjet manufacturer Hitachi. The Hitachi UX and Hitachi RX2 models guarantee seamless and efficient production processes. They provide solutions that are the perfect fit for diverse companies and industries.
Hitachi RX2
The Hitachi RX2’s continuous inkjet process is the perfect solution for diverse product labelling needs.
This versatile range comprises one printer model that can be adapted for several functions using a two-step configuration process. The options available are specifically targeted towards customers with changeable printing needs.
Hitachi UX2
The new Hitachi UX2 continuous inkjet printer just keeps going and going. A host of new features have been incorporated to keep downtimes to a minimum.
The improved print head stops dirt from getting in where it shouldn’t, while a guard electrode ensures that you can carry on printing constantly – with top-quality results.
Hitachi UX
Hitachi is a manufacturer with a long tradition and the Hitachi UX is their response to modern needs in a digital industry.
This printer provides top-class printing quality and the precision you expect for industrial use. The range contains nine different models, from entry level to high end.
Continuous inkjet:
real-world case studies
The case studies we have collected here highlight how useful contact-free printing technology can be in industrial processes. Continuous inkjet printing is used when bar codes, 2D codes, OCR, expiry dates, batch numbers or consumer information need to be printed onto packaging or other products automatically.
Continuous inkjet (printing) processes guarantee a high-quality image on the base material. Products and packaging to be printed can be made from almost any material, e.g. paper, cardboard, foil, glass, plastic or metal.
In short, continuous inkjet is suited to high-quality, efficient and economical product labelling in trade and the packaging industry.
Continuous inkjet – more benefits than industrial printers
Continuous inkjet is a technology which presents many advantages. Contact-free printing, incredible speed and low ink consumption are all noteworthy. The ink droplets are electrostatically charged and can be steered incredibly precisely at lightning speed, meaning any possible print content can be produced, even if it changes regularly. No difficult retooling has to be carried out to change the information or shapes being printed.
The advantages of continuous inkjet
A comparison: laser printing v continuous inkjet
| Feature | Laser | Continuous Inkjet |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | Efficient | Very efficient |
| Mobile | No | Yes |
| Safety | Employees require protection to operate | No protective measures required for printing |
| Versatile | Different laser systems needed for different surfaces | Suitable for almost all surfaces depending on the ink |
Frequently asked questions regarding continuous inkjet technology
Still have questions? You can find more detailed information here.
The term ‘continuous inkjet’ describes a modern printing technology which does not require contact with the surface being printed. Instead, the materials to be printed are simply moved past the print head on the CIJ printer on the production line. The printed image is created by targeting and steering tiny ink droplets using physics.
The continuous inkjet (printing) process can be described as follows: first, a continuous jet of ink is channelled through the nozzle on the printer at high pressure. The nozzle measures just a few micrometres across. Inside the ink chambers in the nozzle, the ink is electrically charged, forming it into tiny droplets. Before they leave the print head, the charged droplets pass through an electrostatic field. This technology allows the continuous inkjet printer to precisely define the position, speed and charge – and therefore the final position – of each ink droplet. The method described here is very efficient. Any ink not used is fed back into the system or collected, avoiding resource wastage.
The principle advantages of this technology are its high printing speed, versatility of commercial uses, excellent value for money and contact-free printing. It is a high-quality and precise technique used as a handy alternative to standard labelling.
Continuous inkjet printers are a type of inkjet printer. However the technology, as described, and the industrial uses that come with it do differ from that of a standard inkjet printer for home use. Continuous inkjet printers are therefore a high-value subcategory and very promising for industrial use.
