High-Resolution Industrial Inkjet Printers | InkJet Product Spotlight

Searching for a versatile printer that can create everything from vibrant images to machine-scannable barcodes? While machines like continuous inkjet printers excel at marking substrates with essential information like date codes and serial numbers, their relatively low DPI capabilities restrict them from creating codes and images that require a higher resolution level. 

Markings like GS1 barcodes and data matrices, for example, must be printed at high resolutions, or else they become unscannable. With unscannable codes come problems with traceability, inventory, basic retail processes, and more. Similarly, no company wants to print their logo using a low-resolution printer—the image will come out looking cheap and unprofessional.

For decades, companies across the packaging and manufacturing world have turned towards high-resolution industrial inkjet printers to avoid these issues. Technologies like high-resolution (Hi-Res) case coders and thermal inkjet (TIJ)  printers are ideal for coding applications that require superior DPI levels; they are capable of creating machine-scannable codes and sharp images on a wide variety of materials. Here’s how to find a high-resolution printer that fits your needs.

What They Are and Why They’re Important

Just a few years ago, the term “high-resolution industrial inkjet printer” was practically interchangeable with “high-resolution case coder”—a type of inkjet printer that excels at creating sizeable graphics and machine-scannable codes on porous substrates (e.g., cardboard packages, corrugated boxes, untreated wood, etc.).

Built with large piezoelectric printheads and compatible with thick oil-based ink formulas, hi-res case coders are frequently utilized to mark shipping cartons with company logos, clearly legible product descriptions, QR codes, barcodes, and other essential information. By utilizing hi-res hardware to complete these applications, companies can comply with rigid distribution standards and help foster front-to-back product traceability.

In addition to case coders, the term “high-resolution industrial inkjet printer” now extends to other inkjet technologies that are capable of producing codes with similarly high DPI counts. For example, today’s TIJ printers are often able to mark porous and non-porous materials with codes and images up to 600 x 600 DPI. Available in both production line and handheld varieties, high-resolution TIJ printers enable users to place DPI-rich codes and images on both primary and secondary packaging. 

InkJet, Inc.’s Top High-Resolution Industrial Inkjet Printers

Hi-res case coders and TIJ printers are the two most popular types of high-resolution inkjet printers on the market. At InkJet, Inc. we offer multiple hi-res and TIJ models to satisfy the unique needs of different operations. 

For case coders, we offer the Precision Series 18mm and the Precision Series 72mm (the two models are differentiated by the size of their printheads, 18mm vs. 72mm, respectively). Compatible with our in-house made oil-based ink, Precision Series printers are able to operate in a standalone fashion without the need for an external PC. 

Furthermore, users can easily integrate Precision Series printers into their existing data networks to streamline label creation and enable remote operation. Capable of markings materials at speeds up to 60 m/min and resolutions up to 180 DPI, Precision Series printers empower users to take their secondary packaging applications to the next level. 

For TIJ printers, we offer a wide range of models, with the Anser Pro-S and Anser X1 being perhaps the most notable. Both able to mark porous and non-porous materials, the Pro-S and X1 are versatile production line printers that are well-suited for primary and secondary packaging applications. 

While the Anser Pro-S and X1 are able to mark the same materials, their performance specifications are quite different. The Pro-S is a solid TIJ with a max printing speed of 120 m/min and a max DPI of 600 x 300. On the other hand, the X1 has a printing speed that rivals many continuous inkjet printers (300m/min) and a higher DPI at 600 x 600. 

The X1 has a number of unique additional abilities as well, including:

• The ability to control two production lines simultaneously
• The ability to resist all dust ingress and withstand high-pressure jets of water with its IP66 construction
• The ability to stitch print heads together for a max print height of 1.97”

Searching for the Right Printer To Fit Your Operational Needs? InkJet, Inc. Is Here To Help

Whether you’re looking for a way to place sharp logos on your shipping containers or outfit product packaging with machine-scannable barcodes, high-resolution inkjet printers can help you do it. Of course, not all high-resolution printers are built the same; each model has its own unique speed limit, substrate compatibility, and maximum resolution. To ensure that you end up with the best printer model for your needs, it pays to speak with an expert.

At InkJet, Inc., we have been helping companies from all over the manufacturing/packaging world find the right marking hardware for over 30 years—and we’re happy to help you too. Contact us today to learn how we can help you achieve marking success.