Post Date: January 17, 2022
Maintaining CIJ vs TIJ Coders
Manufacturers have a goal to print high-quality codes on packaging. Their choices for coding systems can range from complex to straightforward depending on the chosen print technology. Now that hiring and retaining labor is a top concern to employers, the maintenance of coding equipment is pushing them toward more simple print solutions leveraging Thermal Inkjet.
The old guard in package coding is Continuous Inkjet, or CIJ.
CIJ legacy printers are complex systems with ink pumps, pressure regulators, filters and sensitive printheads. Time consuming and costly maintenance processes are required to keep the CIJ systems operating. If you don’t spend the time and money to maintain them, your production line goes down. Users of CIJ equipment typically have multiple units in inventory as backup systems so they can be swapped in to minimize downtime.
When you own a CIJ coding system you become a prisoner to service contracts. The supplier requires the customer to purchase an expensive service contract which pays for a trained technician to perform regular cleaning and repairs. If the CIJ machine is not properly maintained during daily use, it is prone to failure, which seriously impacts the working efficiency of the machine and shortens the service life.
When a typical CIJ printer is idle, any ink remaining inside the ink system and printhead is exposed to air. It dries, clogging the printhead’s nozzles and preventing proper operation. That’s why you’ll often see a facility’s maintenance shop filled with units that need work or with spares waiting to be rotated into the production line. CIJ printheads are typically cleaned daily at the start of every shift.
Industry experts estimate 15% to 20% of a CIJ system’s costs are related to ongoing spare parts, maintenance and consumables (ink + make-up), not to mention greater labor requirements.
The better alternative is Markoprint thermal inkjet
Markoprint (TIJ) coders are simple yet productive, and are much easier to maintain than CIJ coders. Markoprint coders leverage HP INKJET TECHNOLOGY to deliver robust, high-res printing that’s adaptable for most any packaging environment. Each new ink cartridge delivers a brand new printhead, which is a monumental difference compared to CIJ. Thermal inkjet’s combined print head and ink supply are easily replaced and provide long and predictable maintenance cycles.
The only true maintenance associated with HP inkjet cartridges is the cleaning of the printhead. Simply use an absorbent and lint-free cloth to clean the Markoprint printhead. When using an aqueous cartridge, the use of Isopropanol on the cloth facilitates the cleaning process. The user simply holds the cartridge while wiping the nozzles pointing downwards, and pulls slowly and lightly over the cloth 2-3 times. Repeat the process until there are no visible signs of ink accumulation on the nozzle foil and finish with a dry lint-free cloth.
Markoprint coders use iDesign message-making software to communicate with the printhead. WYSIWYG barcode software makes it easy to create messages, formats, fonts, multi-lingual text, graphics and barcodes for coding of products and product packaging. This easy-to-master software can be learned in a matter of minutes by any unskilled operator.
Make the decision today for simple yet powerful coding technology
Join the thousands of manufacturers who have already replaced their outdated CIJ systems by implementing a new Markoprint solution. It starts with a phone call to AT Information at (201) 529-0202 x125 or by sending a request to info@atip- usa.com