One of the most prominent categories of industrial inkjet printers available today, the Thermal inkjet printer is an economical, compact machine that is built to create high-resolution codes on a variety of substrates. Come up with a host of makes and models that emphasize different advantages (e.g., mobility, substrate specialization, print height, etc.), TIJ printers can meet the requirements of the latest production line without compromising quality.
Although, depending on the particular needs of your enterprise, there is a possibility that an alternative machine, such as a continuous inkjet (CIJ) printer or high-resolution case coding printer, may be better suited. From time to time these printers, referred to as bubble jet printers, use thermal energy or electricity to heat ink and apply it to a medium. It can offer a low-cost option for high-speed printing and can print on a variety of surfaces.
How Does Thermal Inkjet Printing Work?
As opposed to the replenishable tanks utilized by CIJ machines, Thermal inkjet printer use a system of replaceable cartridges for ink delivery. Although a method called “drop ejection,” TIJ models propel the ink from these cartridges and onto the desired substrate via these 4 steps:
Heat the ink: To begin the process, the ink is delivered by the cartridge to a firing chamber where electronic resistors heat it at a rate of 1,800,032°F / 1,000,000°C per second.
Generate a bubble: when the heat from the resistors causes the ink to reach a temperature of 644°F / 340°C, the ink is vaporized and generates a bubble.
Propel the ink: when the bubble enlarges, the ink droplet is propelled from the chamber and out of the nozzle.
Collapse the bubble: As the droplet breaks away from the nozzle and onto the substrate, the bubble it was propelled by collapses. This makes a vacuum effect that pulls more ink into the chamber, causing the entire process to repeat.
Thermal Inkjet printers are perfect for printing text, batch codes, and expiry dates. The high resolution produces the best quality logos and graphics, including machine-readable DataMatrix and barcodes. Generally, a thermal inkjet printer can print at speeds of up to 90 m/min, depending upon the specification of the printer and the type of code printed. Where quick line speeds require to be met, a choice could be a Continuous Ink Jet Printer or Laser Coder. The uptime and print resolution, the inherent simplicity of thermal inkjet combined with the simple usability make these printers ideal for a range of CPG, pharmaceutical, tobacco, and industrial applications.