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BIGGER, BOLDER, BETTER

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TIJ versus TTO/CIJ, Piezo and more

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PACKAGE PRINTING OPTIONS Three basic Categories

CONTINUOUS INKJET

Binary Multiple Microdot

DROP ON DEMAND

Piezo Thermal Inkjet (TIJ)

Valvejet

THERMAL

Thermal Transfer Direct Thermal

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Nothing is Perfect

• Its so messy!

• Its too expensive in consumables!

• Maintenance is a pain!

• What’s the cost per print?

• How easy is it to use?

• How reliable is it?

• What spares do I need?

• How often will I need a technician

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The Print Technologies

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Thermal InkJet

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TIJ Printers

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Thermal InkJet (TIJ)

• Growing usage in Packaging

• Up to 600dpi

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What can it Print On?

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What are the problem areas?

• Throw Distance

• Stitching

• Inks don’t work on everything

• Glass, metals, some plastics

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What are the Strengths?

• Print Quality

• No Ink Mess

• Reliability

• New Printer with Each Cartridge

• Low Maintenance Easy to Maintain/Use

• Low consumables cost with Bulk

• Change inks/Colors with ease

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ValveJet

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Valve Jet Printers

• Pipes

• Wood

• Corrugate

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What can it print on?

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What are the problem areas?

• Print Resolution

• Bar Codes are limited and mostly

unreadable

• Can’t print small characters

• High Maintenance

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What are the Strengths?

• Robust Technology

• Wide Range of Character

Sizes

• Ink Delivery

• Its cheap!

• Broad Product Offering

• Easy to Use

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How does TIJ fare against Valve Jet?

• No maintenance

• No service contracts

• Clean

• Lifetime Warranty

• Old Technology 1

2

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ValveJet Replacement

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Continuous InkJet

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CIJ Printers

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Continuous Inkjet

• The most widely used technology

• A vibrating stream of ink

• 66,000 drops per second

1. Pump the ink

2. Create the drop

3. Charge the drop

4. Deflect the drop

5. Collect unused drop

6. Return the ink back to the Ink supply

7. Measure and add makeup

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What can it print on?

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Flavors of CIJ

• Number of lines

• Speed

• IP Ratings

• Operating Hours

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What are the problem areas?

• Complex machinery

• Many potential failure points/More

technical knowledge required

• Barcodes/Graphics not a strength

• Generally low print Resolution

• Startup/Shutdown processes *

• Mess *

• Smell *

• Cost of makeup * * Older CIJ Printers

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What are the Strengths?

• Prints on almost anything

• Great throw distance

• Suitable for irregular surfaces

• Low cost of consumables

• Wash-down capable

• Industrial

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How does TIJ fare against CIJ?

• No maintenance or service contracts

• Clean

• Flexible

• Total Cost of Ownership

• Cost of Equipment is lower*

• Reliability/Lifetime Warranty

* Excluding ‘cheap’ Far East imports

1

2

3

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Replacing CIJ Printer

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Piezo

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Piezo Printers

• Solid technology for wider print

• Great for Case Coding

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What can it print on?

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What are the problem areas?

• Throw distance

• Reliability

• Non Porous inks are not available

• Mess on maintenance

• Printing up

• Heads require replacing

* Older CIJ Printers

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What are the Strengths?

• Tall, Seamless Images

• Wide Range of Character Sizes

• High Quality Codes

• Bar Codes are great

• Cost Effective

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How does TIJ fare against Piezo?

• No maintenance or service contracts

• Clean

• Flexible

• Prints on non porous

• Reliability/Lifetime Warranty 1

2

3

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Piezo Replacement

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Thermal Transfer

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Thermal Transfer Overprint

• Used extensively in labeling

• Great for printing on bags

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What can it print on?

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What are the problem areas?

• Maintenance

• Expensive consumables

• Labels and ribbons

• Complex methodology

• Heads need replacing

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What are the Strengths?

• Solid and established Technology

• Wide Range of Character Sizes

• Excellent barcodes

• Broad Product Offering

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How does TIJ fare against TTO?

• No maintenance

• Simple

• Low TCO

• Costs of consumables

• Reliability/Lifetime Warranty 1

2

3

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Print and Apply Replacement

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Direct Thermal Transfer Replacement

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A Summarized Comparison

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What to Use and When

Case Coding Brown/White Corrugate Outer Case Coding

TIJ

CIJ

PIEZO

Valvejet

5 -

4 -

3 -

2 -

1 -

0 -

TTO

Best

Worst

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What to Use and When

Plastics (PP, PE, PET etc) Pharma, Health/Beauty, Petrochemical

TIJ CIJ

PIEZO

Valvejet

5 -

4 -

3 -

2 -

1 -

0 -

TTO

Best

Worst

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What to Use and When

Metal and Glass

TIJ

CIJ

PIEZO Valvejet

5 -

4 -

3 -

2 -

1 -

0 -

TTO

Best

Worst

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What to Use and When

Flexible Food Packaging

TIJ CIJ

PIEZO Valvejet

5 -

4 -

3 -

2 -

1 -

0 -

TTO

Best

Worst

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What did we Learn?

• TIJ has attractive TCO in nearly all applications on

nearly all substrates

• TIJ is ONLY technology without scheduled and

unscheduled maintenance

• TIJ is ONLY technology which isn’t messy but “Earth

friendly”

• inc.jet has the ONLY lifetime warranty in the industry

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