The content of this article is everything you will need to know about inkjet printers and their use.
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An inkjet printer refers to a type of printing device that disperses tiny droplets of ink onto various surfaces to create text, numbers, images, shapes, and codes. These printers are employed for marking important details like expiration dates, lot numbers, serial numbers, barcodes, and date codes on a multitude of surfaces, such as paper, plastic, wire, cable, metal, resin, or glass. The inkjet printing technique involves generating small droplets that are expelled through a nozzle, which swiftly releases them in a consistent pattern onto the designated surface.
In industrial applications, inkjet printers encompass continuous inkjet printers that emit streams of ink particles, facilitating the labeling of products, parts, and components on manufacturing lines. Every produced item requires proper identification for storage, distribution, and sales. Continuous inkjet printers streamline this labeling process, enhancing convenience and effectiveness. As products move through a pre-programmed system, the printer swiftly imprints vital information onto each item.
Inkjet printers play a crucial role in both home and industrial environments, delivering versatile printing solutions for documents, graphics, and precision product marking. In the home or office, an inkjet printer is a standard tool for creating reports, letters, presentations, and forms. The adaptability of inkjet print technology has made it indispensable for students, businesses, designers, and anyone who needs quality color printing at an affordable price point.
However, the transformative potential of inkjet printers extends beyond traditional home and office applications. In industrial settings, inkjet printers are essential for efficient labeling, product coding, serialization, barcoding, and traceability on a vast range of packaging and products. Utilizing high-speed, high-resolution printheads, industrial inkjet printing systems automate labeling tasks, reducing manual labor and increasing throughput. These features make industrial inkjet printers a vital investment for manufacturers focused on supply chain management, regulatory compliance, and brand protection.
The primary categories of industrial inkjet printers are continuous inkjet (CIJ) and drop-on-demand (DOD) systems. Both types offer non-contact printing, but with unique capabilities tailored for different production requirements. CIJ printers are engineered for high-speed, 24/7 operation in demanding environments, making them ideal for printing date codes, lot numbers, and barcodes on fast-moving production lines. In contrast, DOD inkjet printers—including thermal and piezo variants—precisely dispense ink only when and where needed, offering variable droplet size, vibrant photorealistic images, and flexibility for custom graphics on porous or non-porous substrates.
Continuous inkjet printers are a leading industrial marking and coding technology, designed for robust, high-volume output. These reliable inkjet systems mark items with numerals, logos, expiration dates, batch codes, and Data Matrix barcodes without physical contact, ensuring durability and legibility on curved, uneven, or delicate surfaces. The non-contact CIJ printing process minimizes product damage and allows for production line printing at speeds exceeding hundreds of meters per minute.
The CIJ printing mechanism operates by supplying ink from a central controller to a high-speed printhead. The ink is extruded into a nozzle, then broken into droplets using high-frequency vibrations. Each droplet passes through an electrostatic field, where a charge is applied, enabling precise pattern control as droplets are selectively deflected to form text or patterns on the target item, while unused droplets are recirculated to conserve ink and reduce waste.
Key advantages of CIJ inkjet coding include the ability to use a variety of ink types—such as solvent-based, UV-curable, and pigmented inks—to achieve instant drying and superior adhesion on plastics, metals, glass, cartons, and more. The process is designed for continuous operation, with minimal maintenance and user intervention required, making CIJ printers a mainstay in food, beverage, pharmaceutical, and consumer goods packaging lines.
Thanks to their durability, versatility, and rapid throughput, continuous inkjet printers are integral to traceability, regulatory compliance, and on-the-fly product identification across diverse manufacturing industries.
Drop-on-demand (DOD) inkjet printers, as the name suggests, emit ink only when a specific print signal triggers the printhead, minimizing ink consumption and enabling detailed, high-resolution prints. DOD technology is commonly split into thermal and piezoelectric variants. Both deliver precision printing for industrial, commercial, and even signage applications; however, their mechanisms differ fundamentally.
DOD printers excel at printing complex alphanumeric information, high-quality graphics, personalized labels, and even variable data such as QR codes or batch serialization. They're widely used for packaging, direct product marking, custom signage, and digital textile printing. Because the printhead is positioned close to the substrate, DOD printing guarantees accuracy on both porous (paper, cardboard, fabrics) and non-porous (glass, plastics, metals) materials, and supports a broad spectrum of ink chemistries.
Piezo DOD inkjet printers employ piezoelectric crystals in the printhead, which change shape when voltage is applied. This deformation exerts pressure on the ink chamber, expelling controlled droplets through microscopic nozzles onto the substrate. Unlike thermal inkjet systems, piezo printers operate at lower temperatures, supporting a wider range of specialty inks—such as UV-curable, pigmented, and solvent-based formulations—perfect for industrial direct-to-object printing and specialty packaging applications.
Piezoelectric inkjet printheads enable variable drop size capability (grayscale printing), allowing for flawless reproduction of gradients, detailed images, and vivid branding. This technology is highly favored in applications demanding long-term reliability, outstanding print quality, and minimal ink waste. Although piezo DOD systems are a greater upfront investment, their exceptional resolution, sub-drop size control, and media versatility are indispensable for digital label printing, ceramics, textile printing, and wide format graphics industries.
Piezo DOD inkjet technology is acclaimed for its high reliability, fine control of droplet ejection, extended printhead lifespan, and unparalleled compatibility with a range of inks. This makes it the preferred solution for advanced digital printing sectors seeking premium image quality and operational efficiency.
Thermal drop-on-demand (TIJ) inkjet printers utilize resistive heating elements. When activated, a resistor rapidly heats the ink to create a vapor bubble, which forces a droplet of ink out of a micro-nozzle onto the substrate. TIJ is the dominant inkjet printing technology in consumer desktop printers and is increasingly adopted for date coding, product labeling, and packaging in retail and pharmaceutical industries.
TIJ technology is standout for its precise droplet placement and fast production cycles. Typical TIJ printheads feature hundreds of nozzles, enabling swift, high-resolution color imaging (up to 1200 dpi) and the flexibility to switch print cartridges for different ink colors or types. TIJ printers support a wide range of media, from glossy labels and cartons to plastic, films, and blister packs, making them popular for high-speed, short-run digital printing.
Advantages of TIJ inkjet coding systems include their affordability, compact footprint, ease of maintenance, and rapid setup or changeover for diverse manufacturing lines. The use of water-based, solvent-based, or hybrid inks enables quick drying and superior adhesion on various surfaces. As packaging design evolves toward more customization and traceable packaging, TIJ printers deliver reliable, cost-effective solutions for batch numbers, best-before dates, and regulatory markings.
Flatbed inkjet printers revolutionize wide-format and specialty printing by offering outstanding flexibility for large format graphics, signage, and direct-to-substrate applications. Equipped with versatile adjustable beds, flatbed inkjet printers can accommodate diverse media, including rigid substrates like wood, glass, metal, plastics, acrylic sheets, cardboard, and even ceramics up to several inches thick.
The flatbed digital printing process leverages direct-to-object inkjet technology to deliver crisp, high-resolution graphics onto virtually any flat surface, eliminating the need for intermediate transfer steps or mounting. Leveraging advanced UV-cure inks, these printers instantly harden prints under ultraviolet lamps, resulting in durable, scratch-resistant, vivid images ideal for architectural graphics, outdoor signage, retail displays, and custom promotional products.
Innovations in flatbed inkjet printer technologies now include hybrid systems that allow roll-to-roll and sheet-fed printing. Operators benefit from automated material handling features—including vacuum tables, registration pins, and robotic material loading—improving print accuracy and productivity. Companies seeking rapid prototyping, short-run manufacturing, or on-demand customized printing increasingly lean on flatbed inkjet solutions for maximum production versatility and high return on investment (ROI).
Flatbed inkjet printing delivers a fully digital workflow, supporting variable data, custom jobs, and short lead times. Key steps in the flatbed printing process:
Image Preparation – Graphics are created with professional design software, specifying precise dimensions, color profiles, and variable data. Files are converted into print-ready formats and queued for digital production.
Flatbed digital printing offers several critical benefits for commercial and industrial users:
Single pass inkjet printers embody state-of-the-art advancements in inkjet technology, optimized for high-speed, high-volume industrial production. In these systems, static printheads span the entire width of the substrate, allowing the material to pass beneath in a single movement. This configuration delivers extraordinary print speeds—often 50 inches per second or more—making single pass inkjet the technology of choice for packaging, label manufacturing, textile printing, and direct-to-shape applications.
Single pass inkjet systems typically feature high-density printheads, with hundreds of nozzles per inch achieving outstanding resolutions (300 to 1200 DPI and beyond) in both x- and y-axes. Built-in redundancy ensures uninterrupted operation, even in demanding, round-the-clock industrial environments.
Besides unrivaled speed and productivity, the single pass method preserves image consistency across large production runs and supports advanced ink types, including LED-UV curable, aqueous, and solvent inks, depending on substrate needs. Press manufacturers frequently integrate single pass inkjet lines with conveyor systems and automated workflow tools to maximize throughput and maintain quality control, making them a fundamental part of digital smart factories and Industry 4.0 initiatives.
The wide variety of inkjet printer types—CIJ, DOD (thermal and piezo), flatbed, and single pass—offers tailored solutions for every printing requirement, from high-speed mass production to intricate, custom digital output. Manufacturers and print service providers can select from standard, modular, or fully customized inkjet systems to meet the intricate demands of labeling, product identification, packaging, signage, promotional items, and more. Selecting the right inkjet printer depends on factors such as substrate type, required print speed, image quality, operating costs, and the specifics of the production environment.
One of the most essential elements in today’s manufacturing process is the accurate printing of information directly onto products and packaging. This information commonly includes batch codes, lot numbers, expiration dates, and production details that ensure full product traceability and compliance with industry regulations. To properly identify and track each item, high-speed inkjet printers are relied upon by manufacturers across a vast range of industries. Whether for food and beverage, pharmaceuticals, electronics, automotive, or consumer goods, industrial inkjet printing technology provides a versatile solution for on-demand, variable data printing and marking.
Industrial inkjet printers play a critical role in applying barcodes to products, cartons, and shipping labels. Common methods include continuous inkjet (CIJ) and thermal inkjet (TIJ) printers, which ensure durable, high-contrast barcodes for inventory management and automated scanning. Barcode printing is vital for product authentication and supply chain traceability. Direct part marking (DPM) places the barcode directly onto the product—an essential requirement for asset tracking in industries such as medical devices, automotive components, and other durable goods. DPM codes and traceability marks are highly resilient and tamper-resistant, offering permanent identification even in challenging environments. Reliable barcode and QR code printing helps minimize errors, facilitate recalls, and streamline inventory control processes.
Date codes are crucial alphanumeric markings that enable manufacturers and consumers to determine a product’s production date, sell-by date, or expiration date. Within industries such as food manufacturing, beverage bottling, and pharmaceuticals, inkjet date coding ensures compliance with safety standards and enhances quality assurance. These codes are commonly printed directly onto product packaging, labels, and even glass or metal surfaces for lasting visibility. The process of identifying manufacturing and expiration dates on products is best accomplished using industrial inkjet coders and printers due to their high-speed output, flexibility across various substrates, and cost-effective operation. Modern inkjet coding solutions offer excellent print resolution, easy integration with automated lines, and minimal downtime—making them indispensable for batch identification, regulatory compliance, and inventory rotation. Adjustable print heads also allow for customized placement of date marks, optimizing both workflow and label legibility for different package shapes and materials.
The growing demand for sustainability has spurred the adoption of eco-friendly inks and low-waste printing solutions, reinforcing inkjet printers as the preferred technology for fast, legible, and reliable date code marking across numerous industries. Sophisticated inkjet coding systems can accommodate multi-line layouts, variable data fields, and different font sizes to meet stringent customer and retailer requirements.
With the advent and widespread adoption of advanced marking technologies such as DataMatrix codes and QR codes—types of two-dimensional barcodes that store detailed product information—industrial inkjet printing has become even more essential for regulatory-compliant labeling and supply chain transparency. This is especially prevalent in the pharmaceutical industry, where product traceability, anti-counterfeiting measures, and customizable identification are mandatory under global standards. Packaging challenges, such as printing on blister foils, flexible film, or coated cartons, require the precise, non-contact application provided by modern inkjet printers. These versatile systems can print on a broad array of materials—including plastics, metals, glass, paperboard, and flexible packaging—without damaging delicate surfaces.
Beyond basic identification, inkjet printers are now used to add branding elements, instructions, logos, and ingredient lists. Advanced integration allows for serialization, unique identifier generation, and real-time data updates—driven by enterprise resource planning (ERP) or manufacturing execution systems (MES). Whether marking medical devices with UDI codes, labeling electronics with part numbers, or adding variable data for promotional campaigns, inkjet technology is a cornerstone of efficient, compliant, and high-quality product identification. If you're evaluating inkjet printing solutions for packaging or direct product marking, consider print speed, maintenance requirements, ink compatibility, substrate versatility, and integration capabilities with your production environment. These factors ensure reliable operation and long-term value for your product identification and traceability needs.
Laserjet and inkjet printers are two of the most common forms of printers. Although they serve the same function, their processes and materials vary in several ways. Both forms of printers are used for home and industrial printing. The selection of which printer to use for a project or application is dependent on several factors.
Inkjet printers use a pigment-based ink that is applied to the surface of items using droplets that are formed in an ink chamber before being sent to a print head to be ejected onto the surface of the targeted material. Laserjet printers use a powdery material referred to as toner, which is applied in a mixture to create various images and colors. Both forms of printers use the basic four ink colors of magenta, black, yellow, and cyan that are mixed to create all of the colors on the color wheel.
Laserjet printers and inkjet printers use dots to produce images, figures, numbers, and letters on the surface of materials. Each printer has a unique method for forming the dots that they use. Inkjet printers have nozzles in their print heads that are connected to an ink chamber using various methods to create droplets of ink to be sent through a nozzle to the target material.
The use of ink makes it possible for inkjet printers to create brightly colored images with exceptionally high resolution. Inkjet printers have found use as home and office printers as well as high production printers and are capable of printing on any type of surface. Their variability and many configurations have made inkjet printers one of the most popular forms of printing method.
The ink droplets produced by an inkjet printer are 100 microns (µ), which is a little bit larger than the size of a hair follicle. These droplets are rapidly applied to the surface of the target material from multiple print heads such that the printing process happens quickly and efficiently. Droplets for inkjet printers are measured in picoliters, which is a trillionth of a liter.
Laserjet printers use toner, which is a powder that is poured into a receptacle in the printer. As with inkjet printers, laserjet printers have digital images downloaded into their printer system. The printer reads the provided data and sends it to a photosensitive drum. The data is transferred to the surface of a material using static electricity to position the dots of toner in the correct formation to create the desired image. The key to the process is heat and pressure that fuse the toner to the material, which is generally paper.
Depending on the size of a laserjet printer, toner is stored in a cartridge. It is a granulated medium that resembles powder but is heavier than powder. In the printing process, toner is collected by the drum of the printer that is electrically charged. The paper for a printing project is heated to melt the toner particles. Of the various differences between inkjet and laserjet printers, the toner is the most obvious since it is not a liquid and lasts longer than the ink of inkjet printers.
Common laserjet printers are not used for high volume production since they do not have the versatility to print on multiple types of surfaces or the capability to be engineered in multiple configurations, which inkjet printers are more than capable of. Laserjet printers are normally used in offices, homes, and warehouses for printing documents and labels that are applied to items for identification.
A form of industrial printing that does use a laser printer that projects a laser beam onto the surface of a material. The laser bean heats the surface of the material, which changes the color of the material to create a contrast and evaporates a portion of the surface. It is a process that is restricted to specific materials that can withstand the heat of the laser. Unlike inkjet printing, laser marking is an aggressive contact process that changes the surface of the targeted item. It is ideal for marking metal, glass, and other hard surfaces.
The wide use of inkjet printers is due to the high resolution and high-quality images the process produces. In addition, there are very few restrictions on the types of materials on which inkjet printers can print, which is an aspect of the process that makes it ideal for industrial applications.
Aside from the quality of the printing by inkjet printers, they are valued for their lower cost and the short time necessary to produce a print. Inkjet printers can be adapted to any size printing process and normally use added processes to ensure the lasting quality of printed materials.
Since inkjet printers use high volume ink droplets to produce prints, the quality of the produced prints is sharp and clear with vibrant colors. It is this aspect of the printing process, which makes printed images and words easy to read and makes the process ideal for so many industries.
There are several factors that make inkjet printing less expensive than other methods. The main factor is the speed at which materials are produced, which is far less than any other method of printing. Traditional ink processes require the creation of plates, set up, and labor that increase the time and cost of printing.
The efficient design of inkjet printers removes the need for regular maintenance. The only aspect of the printer that has to be monitored is the ink, which is used rapidly and requires regular replacement.
Inkjet printers use less energy and are environmentally safe. The efficient design of inkjet printers enables them to print continuously using very little energy and without producing any form of waste.
The size of inkjet printers makes it possible to position them in any location. They are compact with small working components that produce high quality prints. This aspect of inkjet printers makes them adaptable to any conditions or environment.
Unlike other forms of printers, such as laserjet printers, inkjet printers are compact and flexible with the ability to be connected to a wide format printer or a conveyor belt for labeling products and packages. They can be used by large corporations for preparing products for shipment and small enterprises for identifying their products.
Inkjet printing is a non-contact method of printing that creates images, shapes, forms, and letters by propelling droplets of ink onto the surface of an item.
The inkjet printing process is a low cost, fast, and environmentally safe method of printing that makes use of all of its ink without creating toxic or harmful fumes.
The two basic forms of inkjet printing are continuous inkjet printing and drop-on-demand inkjet printing, which vary in how they place droplets of ink on a surface.
One of the major benefits of inkjet printing is its ability to print on any surface, regardless of the surface’s texture or smoothness. Inkjet printing can print on glass, plastic, cardboard, fabrics, metal, and paper.
A modern use of inkjet printing is in the printing of large banners and billboards using flatbed inkjet printing that uses multiple print heads to print any size image for display in a short period of time.
One of the main features of inkjet printing is the time it takes to print an image as well as the removal of the need for preparation. Traditional printing methods require setup time and mechanical adjustments to begin the printing process. Inkjet printing uses computer generated images that are programmed into the system of the printer to begin the printing process.
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