As environmental sustainability grows in importance for both consumers and businesses, high-resolution inkjet case and box coding printers are becoming more popular with product manufacturers. These inkjet printers allow you to print high-resolution bar codes, logos, and graphics directly onto boxes from the production line, eliminating the need for preprinting. Companies no longer need to carry large inventories of preprinted boxes that could become obsolete, reducing the amount of waste produced and saving them money as well.
The leading manufacturers of industrial inkjet printing solutions have developed a wide range of case and box coding printers to suit a variety of needs. Let’s explore some of the top solutions for high-resolution inkjet printing.
Your inkjet case and box coding printing system needs to be able to print clear, readable codes on your packaging as well as integrate with your existing production line automation solutions. Here are some solutions for high-resolution inkjet printing from the top names in industrial coding and marking.
Domino Printing Sciences has been developing and producing coding, marking, and printing technologies since 1978. Its high-resolution, large character case coding printer model is the Cx350i, a drop on demand (DOD), piezo inkjet (PIJ) printer for cardboard, corrugate, paper box, and carton applications.
The Cx350i features a high-resolution stainless steel piezo printhead, an intuitive touchscreen user interface, integration to PLC and MES/ERP systems for automation, and a large-volume ink supply for less operator intervention. This printing solution’s main focus is code quality, printing grade A 1D and 2D barcodes (including GS1-128 and GTIN-14), product batch information, and serialized traceability data. Domino also produces a vegetable oil-based ink that is better for food production and can stitch four printheads.
FoxJet is an international provider of labeling applicators and inkjet coding equipment for the industrial marketplace and is especially known for its high-resolution case coding inkjet systems. It offers two standalone industrial controllers, the Marksman Matrix and the Marksman ELITE, as well as two high-resolution inkjet printheads designed especially for those controllers.
Both the Matrix and the ELITE are capable of operating two production lines simultaneously and up to four printheads. The Marksman Matrix features a 10-inch color touchscreen with an easy, Windows-based user interface and on-screen 3D views of your product to allow for precise message placement. The Marksman ELITE model’s touchscreen is upgraded to a 17-inch display with premium Boxwriter Elite editor software. Both models use ProSeries Trident-based printheads (the ProSeries 768e with a 4-inch print height or the ProSeries 384e with a 2-inch print height) to print industrially compliant barcodes, graphics, and text on porous materials and cases.
Note: Foxjet's printers have the lowest DPI of all the companies featured in this article.
Inkjet, Inc. was founded in 1989 and is now an internationally respected provider of industrial coding solutions such as continuous inkjet (CIJ) printers, thermal inkjet (TIJ) printers, and print and apply labelers. It offers two standalone high-resolution case coders, the Precision Series 18mm and the Precision Series 72mm, both of which are single head systems designed to print on non-porous materials like cardboard, corrugate, paper, wood, stone, and concrete. Both models feature the NiceLabel software, which allows for internal barcode generation with support for all common barcodes including EAN-13 and ITF as well as on-screen label management and integration with Windows-based systems.
Note: The Precision series is gravity fed so the machine must be kept level at all times.
Markem-Imaje is a global provider of coding and marking systems and software. The Markem Imaje 5400 and 5800 models are high-resolution, large character inkjet printers that use patented Touch Dry® Hot Melt inks for printing on corrugate cases, trays, and wrapping films. This quick-dry ink is solvent-free and environmentally safe, with auto-purge technology to reduce operator maintenance on the production line. Both systems feature a color touchscreen as well as optional CoLOS® Enterprise software for central data management from a remote database or ERP system. These printers also feature multiple jetting orientations as well as programmable self-maintenance systems and in-operation ink reloading capabilities.
Note: Markem-Imaje's Touch Dry® Hot Melt inks are very expensive compared to inks used in other case coding solutions such as piezo oil- or solvent ink-based systems. This can drive up ownership costs by 30 to 50 percent.
Squid Ink started in 1992 as a manufacturer of high-quality inkjet fluids and has since expanded its product line to include barcode and batch code printing equipment. Squid offers multiple high-resolution industrial inkjet printers capable of printing barcodes, logos, dates, and other information starting at 185 dpi. Its CoPilot series offers a wide range of feature-rich, high-resolution printers to suit a variety of needs, including the CoPilot Flex for pulp, foam, or PET egg cartons, and the CoPilot 500 for printing characters up to 5.6 inches. Squid Ink also offers the AutoPilot printing system for high-resolution prints on porous and non-porous surfaces at an entry-level price.
Videojet has more than 44 years of experience developing and manufacturing high-quality coding and marking equipment and supplies. They offer two solutions for high-resolution inkjet printing—the Videojet 2351 and 2361 box printers and the Marsh® PatrionPlus® large character printing system.
The Videojet 2351 and 2361 high-resolution, large character inkjet cardboard box printers are designed to reliably print durable, high-quality codes, bar codes, and graphics with minimal intervention even on extended runs and in dusty environments. They feature the Videojet CLARiTY™ software interface for simple, error-free operation and a top-oriented display for flexibility when mounted on a conveyor line. The Marsh® PatrionPlus® large character printing system is a versatile controller capable of printing dot matrix alphanumeric codes or high-resolution barcodes and graphics. It’s able to control up to 16 high-resolution printheads with bulk ink supply for fewer changes on the production line.
Note: Because the VideoJet 2300 series has a patent on its canister, you will only be able to buy ink from the OEM. The current cost for a single 365 ml can of ink is $285.
There are a wide variety of solutions for high-resolution inkjet printing depending on your organization’s specific requirements and your unique production environment. You should consider factors such as the ink types used by the printer and the surfaces you need to print on, as not all high-resolution inkjet printers are designed for the same ink formulations and material types.
Maintenance is another major contributing factor to consider, as smaller organizations with fewer operators may not have the manpower available to perform frequent printhead maintenance and ink replacements. Making an informed decision will ensure you end up with a high-resolution inkjet case and box coding printer that works best for your budget, product, and environment.
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