Product category:
General packaging materials, equipment and services
News Release from: Linx Printing Technologies | Subject: Using inks and solvents
Edited by the Manufacturingtalk Editorial
Team on 18 August 2006
Low cost inks may eventually damage
printers
Using inks and solvents not been developed by the printer manufacturer may cost less than those that have, but any gains are likely to be short-term with a high risk of future printer damage.
Linx Printing Technologies says that the escalating use of untested consumables in ink jet printers can have serious financial implications for users of the equipment While inks and solvents that have not been developed by the printer manufacturer may cost less than those that have, any gains are likely to be short-term with a high risk of future printer damage and production line downtime
This article was originally published on Manufacturingtalk on 28 Apr 2004 at 8.00am (UK)
Related stories
Advanced printer driver software avoids labels
Advanced printer driver software provides flexible code creation that allows impulse jet printers to allow easy, cost effective outer case coding rather than having to print onto labels.
Printer's self-cleaning head marks porous surfaces
Addressing a long standing industry need for high performance and reliability, a printer has a robust self-cleaning print head prints up to 70mm characters on paper sacks, cardboard and wood.
By comparison, reputable coding and marking suppliers will design their inks and solvents for a specific printer and test them in the printer for which they are intended.
According to Kate O'Mahony, Ink Product executive at Linx: "Unverified inks are becoming an increasing problem for many manufacturers because they cause costly downtime." O'Mahony cited two recent examples of Linx customers who have experienced these types of problems owing to the use of unapproved ink and solvent.
In the first instance, the printer suffered alignment failure caused by a blocked printhead nozzle, while in the second, the non-approved consumables caused wear in the printer pump, which led to it having to be completely replaced.
Further reading
Robust printer designed for outer case coding
a robust self-cleaning print head and IP65 rated stainless steel enclosure features a printer designed for outer case coding, printing large characters, images and barcodes up to 70mm high.
Tough printer can apply large character labelling
Printer that features a robust self-cleaning print head and IP65 rated SS enclosure is designed to cope with tough production environments and can print large characters, images and barcodes.
"In both cases, the companies had to pay for the parts and service required to repair the printers in addition to the financial loss incurred through lost production time, which was around three days for one customer," said O'Mahony.
"It is therefore vital that any ink and solvent is suitable for and has been tested in the machine in which it is being used - and that is why the majority of coding and marking suppliers recommend that their inks should be used in their machines." Linx, for example, carries out a rigorous development and testing programme, guaranteeing that printers, inks and solvents are made to the highest quality and work in perfect union with each other.
Only if an ink cannot be made to fail in a printer will it be released.
Linx also manufactures according to strict specifications, resulting in a high level of quality assurance.
For instance, micro-filtration of ink and solvent is carried out to remove impurities and samples from all ink batches are tested in a Linx printer.
* About Linx Printing Technologies - Linx Printing Technologies is a leading global supplier of Continuous Ink Jet (CIJ) printers, impulse jet printers and laser coders.
Its printers and coders are used across many different industries where product identification codes, batch numbers, dates and barcodes are required.
All Linx products are designed with low cost of ownership in mind and are distinguished by reliability, robustness and ease of use.
Linx products code and mark millions of items every day, ranging from bottles, packages and cans of consumer goods to pharmaceutical products, cabling, electrical components and car parts.
• Linx Printing Technologies: contact details and other news
• Email this article to a colleague
• Register for the free Manufacturingtalk email newsletter
• Manufacturingtalk Home Page
Search the Pro-Talk network of sites
