The Advantages of Thermal Inkjet (TIJ) Technology

A thermal inkjet, commonly known as TIJ printer is a method of non-contact printing that can print an almost any surface. TIJ Printers use cartridges in the printer, eliminating the need for bottles of ink or solvent, this means that TIJ printers are more environmentally friendly as there is less VOC. 

Which industries use tij date coding printers?

Due to the flexibility and mobility of most TIJ printers, thermal inkjet printers are often used for coding and marking best before dates in a variety of sectors:

• Printing onto flexible packages
• Printing onto food pouches
• Printing on film bags
• Coding Dates onto Cans
• Coding Dates onto Bottles
  

Are the codes high-resolution?

It is vital that date codes are legible to customers, which is why the clarity and resolution of the print is a critical consideration for food producers all around the world. 

Thermal inkjet printers can achieve up to 600dpi when it comes to resolution, the printers are also capable of printing longer gaps between the printhead and the product (10mm throw distance).

Will the print scratch off or smudge?

Traceability is vital in manufacturing to ensure the exact batch number can be located if necessary and the integrity of the code or mark must not be jeopardised in any way. Thermal Inkjet date coders offer ink formulations that ensure long-lasting prints that can endure travel and the handling of goods throughout the manufacturing process. 

Can I integrate a TIJ printer on to my production line?

Our TIJ printers can be fully self-installed, meaning there are no lengthy waits for engineers to visit your site for installation, they are straightforward to set up and simple to integrate with various production lines. Space is always a premium within production plants and on average TIJ printers are up to 6 times smaller and lighter than CIJ printers allowing them the flexibility to be placed anywhere on your production line. 

TIJ Printers offer less downtime?

Thermal Inkjet Printers use cartridges to deliver the ink to the printhead, these cartridges can be quickly replaced according to which material you are printing on or what colour ink is required for printing. Changing colour or printing onto different material is as simple as changing the cartridge, there are no cleaning or maintenance that has to be carried out to achieve this. 

Is there any annual maintenance required?

No. It's that simple, each cartridge is plug and play and due to the simplicity of thermal inkjet printers they don't have any unnecessary annual service contracts or costs associated with them. There are also no additional ongoing costs associated with CIJ printing like make up and solvents, so you just buy the ink that you need. Our TIJ printers start at just £1,200 and you could be up and running on your production line in no time at all. 

Will they work in any environment?

Due to the robustness and reliability of our coding machines they are able to fit onto any production or manufacturing line and produce clear and consistent marks. The ink used in thermal inkjet printers also works in both high and low-temperature working environments. As the ink is also delivered to the printhead via a cartridge they are suited for the cleanest of environments as there is no excess ink, or ink bottles to drip or spill.

Conclusion

Thermal Inkjet Printers are ideal for smaller to mid-sized businesses who operate with lower volumes and need to print traceability information that is both legible and lasting. The low entry price point for thermal inkjet printers means that they are highly accessible and their straightforward set-up means that you can get up and running yourself. As thermal inkjet coders operate with cartridges they are also mess -free, easy to change and don't require any additional consumables or annual maintenance, saving your business money. 

For Enquiries:

Call: +44 (0)1948 662629

Email:enquiries@needham-ink.com