Pigment Printer vs. Inkjet Printer

Generally, inkjet printer inks are made with one of two colorants: pigment or dye. 

Certain inks use alternative colorants. Food-grade inks, for example, use edible colorants to ensure consumer safety. However, the vast majority of ink formulas used by continuous inkjet (CIJ) and thermal inkjet (TIJ) printers derive their colors from either pigment or dye. 

Pigmented formulas are valued for their bright colors and high levels of fade resistance. In comparison, dye inks are available in fewer colors and are often quicker to fade due to heat, light, or abrasion. On the other hand, dye inks are widely compatible with most inkjet printer models, while pigmented inks require specialized hardware. 

Given that pigment ink is only compatible with certain systems, it’s important to know whether pigment ink is right for your coding needs before you invest in a printer. Below, we compare a pigment printer vs. an inkjet printer to help you decide which solution is right for you.

Why You Need a Specialized Printer to Use Pigmented Ink

As mentioned above, pigmented ink often requires specialized printing hardware. This is due to the size of pigment particles. While dye particles are small and readily dissolve into ink formulas, pigment particles are considerably larger and do not dissolve. The large size of these particles causes them to sink to the bottom of cartridges and clump together unless they are stirred.

We often compare pigmented ink cartridges to cans of paint. For example, you can’t just open a paint can and start applying it to your walls; you need to stir it first so that the pigments, additives, binders, and solvents are all evenly distributed. This same concept applies to pigmented ink. 

Pigment clumping is not a significant issue in smaller cartridges, such as those used by thermal inkjet printers. Therefore, many TIJ printers are compatible with both dye and pigment ink. Continuous inkjet printers, on the other hand, use much larger cartridges that are prone to clumping.

To ensure that pigmented inks are properly mixed and ready to print, pigment ink-compatible CIJs like the DuraCode 260-P Pigment Printer are built with auto-stirring mechanisms. 

The picture to the right shows the inner core of a DuraCode 260-P. There, you can see the stirring mechanism that keeps pigmented ink in a properly mixed state. 

Pigment Printer vs. Inkjet Printer: Which Should You Choose?

To choose between a pigment printer and a standard inkjet printer, you need to ask yourself one question: “Do I need pigmented ink?”

Compared to dye ink, pigmented ink offers brighter hues, better fade resistance, and better color stability. These properties are valuable to companies that need product codes to feature the following qualities:

 
  • Bright colors that stand out on dark substrates
  • Long-lasting scannability aided by color stability and fade resistance
  • Substantial resistance against extreme light, heat, and abrasions

Industries that most frequently seek out pigmented ink include:

InkJet, Inc. carries numerous pigmented ink formulas designed for these industries and others. Some of our most popular offerings include:

Pigmented Ink Title

Description

Color

Base

OEM

DOM i85 YEL

Opaque soft pigmented ink for wire and cable. Alkali-washable.

Yellow

MEK/Methanol

Domino

LIN85 YEL

Opaque soft pigmented ink for plastics and other substrates. Alkali/caustic-washable.

Yellow

MEK/Methanol

Linx

BC i600

Soft pigmented yellow ink for returnable bottles, glass, metal, plastics, coated paper, wire, and cable.

Yellow

MEK

Bestcode

BC i500 BLU

Pigmented blue ink for plastics and glass. Resists steam sterilization. For pigmented printers only.

Blue

MEK

Bestcode

BC i500 WHT

Pigmented blue ink for plastics and glass. Resists steam sterilization. For pigmented printers only.

White

MEK

Bestcode

BC i500 YEL

Pigmented blue ink for plastics and glass. Resists steam sterilization. For pigmented printers only.

Yellow

MEK

Bestcode

IMA85 YEL

Soft pigmented yellow ink for returnable bottles, wire, cable, and dark substrates. Caustic-washable.

Yellow

MEK/Methanol

Markem- Imaje

IMA5160

High-contrast white pigmented ink for dark polyethylene, PVC, metal, wire, and cable.

White

MEK/Methanol

Markem- Imaje

OS490

General purpose ink ideal for dark color substrates. Less than 2-second dry time.

White

MEK

Videojet

29 RED OPAQUE FT

High-contrast opaque pigmented red ink for dark plastics, wire, and cable.

Red

MEK/Methanol

Videojet

25P WHT

High-contrast opaque pigmented white ink for dark glass, plastics, polyethylene, and painted products. For pigmented printers only.

White

MEK/Methanol

Videojet

25P YEL

High-contrast opaque pigmented white ink for dark glass, plastics, polyethylene, and painted products. For pigmented printers only.

Yellow

MEK/Methanol

Videojet

29P LTBLU

High-contrast light blue pigmented ink for white and black substrates, PVC, acrylic, pet, polystyrene, and nylon. For pigmented printers only.

Light Blue

MEK/Methanol

Videojet

29P W

Durable white pigmented ink for dark substrates and wire/cable. For pigmented printers only.

White

MEK/Methanol

Videojet

47P YEL

Methanol and NMP-free high contrast opaque pigmented yellow ink for dark plastics and wire/cable. For pigmented printers only.

Yellow

MEK

Videojet

Although dye inks are not as bright as pigmented inks, they are suitable for the majority of coding applications. As with pigmented ink, InkJet, Inc. maintains a robust dye ink portfolio, filled with specialty formulas and aftermarket alternatives. 

Our dye inks are too numerous to count here, but we carry formulas for every major substrate, including:

We also carry formulas with special properties, such as:
  • High-temperature resistance
  • Non-transfer properties
  • Soft pigmentation
  • Hard pigmentation
  • Alcohol resistance
  • UV readability
  • Thermochromic properties
  •  Quick drying times

Your Printer Options

Whether you are planning to use pigment ink or dye ink, if you are looking for a product coding printer, a CIJ or TIJ printer will end up being your technology of choice. 

CIJ printers weigh around 100 pounds when filled with ink and are designed for high-speed production line printing. These printers are compatible with diverse materials, excel at coding both flat and curved surfaces, and can operate for up to 24 hours a day without interruption. InkJet, Inc. carries both dye-compatible CIJ printers and pigment-compatible CIJ printers that offer max printing speeds of 320 m/min. 

TIJ printers are much smaller than CIJ printers. Weighing around 5-10 pounds, TIJ printers like the Anser U2 Pro-S and Anser X1 are affordable machines that can print larger, higher-resolution codes than CIJ printers. However, most TIJ printers are much slower than CIJ printers, often maxing out at around 90 m/min. High-end TIJ printers are the exception to this rule, as they can print up to 300 m/min. 

Unlike CIJ printers, many TIJ models are compatible with both dye inks and pigmented inks as well. They also have fewer maintenance requirements and lower upfront costs. On the other hand, TIJ ink is more expensive than CIJ ink, which significantly factors into the overall cost of ownership. 

See the table below for more information on CIJ and TIJ printers. If you are having trouble deciding between these options—or if you have more questions regarding the differences between a pigment printer vs. an inkjet printer—contact InkJet, Inc. today to speak with an expert.

Specification

Continuous Inkjet Printer

Thermal Inkjet Printer

Marking Speed

~320 m/min.

90 to 300 m/min. (model-dependent)

Operating Principle

Uses pressurizing pumps and vibrations to create distinct ink droplets and propel them toward the substrate

Uses heat to pressurize ink and propel distinct droplets toward the substrate

Print Height

~1.2mm to 15 mm

~12.7mm to 25.4mm

Ink Cartridge Size 

750 ml

36 ml

Code Durability

High

High

Code Appearance

Fair

High-resolution

Curved Surface Compatibility

Excellent compatibility 

Fair compatibility

Material Compatibility

Compatible with porous and nonporous materials

Model-dependent

Maintenance Requirements

Periodic adjustments and annual professional maintenance

Minimal maintenance required

Dye and Pigmented Ink Compatibility

Systems are compatible with either dye inks or pigmented inks

Systems are often compatible with both dye and pigmented ink

Ink Options

Plentiful ink options in different colors. Specialty formulas and aftermarket alternatives

Few color options and limited specialty formulas

InkJet, Inc. Is Your Source for Industrial Printers and Supplies

InkJet, Inc. has been developing and distributing industrial printing products for more than 30 years. We carry a variety of marking hardware, aftermarket inks, and specialty formulas to meet the needs of different industries and facility setups. Whether you need a high-speed pigment printer or a high-resolution TIJ, InkJet, Inc. can help you find the perfect solution. Call us today to learn more. 

Pigment printers vs. inkjet printers: still wondering which printing system is right for you? Contact InkJet, Inc. online or call 1(800) 280-3245 to discover which option will best suit your needs.

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