Technology breakthroughs in 2016-2017 pushes Industrial Inkjet in new directions
2017 continues to be an important year for Industrial Inkjet (IIJ). Its research and development in the field of ink testing is moving forward and increasing understanding of the crucial world of ink compliance for the food packaging industry.
The company’s ink test team combines a sound knowledge base with strong instincts about ink properties that give the company an advantage when working towards finding that perfect ink for any given project.
IIJ’s aim now is to take the company’s experience within the packaging market and apply it to an industry that impacts on people’s daily lives. Working with Ink suppliers over the years has built a rock-solid foundation on which to grow knowledge and expertise.
Dr. Sarojiniamma, head of ink technology, Industrial Inkjet, is aware of the dangers of working with inks without a rigorous ink test process. These dangers include customer dissatisfaction, delays in production, increasing research and development costs and losing legal compliance.
IIJ have developed an exacting test procedure combined with application testing to ensure that the entire project, from material to inks, is suitable for industrial applications. This results in a reliable product and extends the life of the machinery.
Sarojiniamma places importance on stringent testing, dedicated expertise and allowing time to achieve industrial standards. In order to do this, the IIJ process consists of seven steps in ink qualification to meet the company’s standards. Industry specific testing may also be carried out at IIJ.
Industrial Inkjet focuses on confirming that the ink matches the customer’s specification. Training the customer to understand the relationship between ink and machinery and liaising with ink suppliers and third-party curing technology suppliers are also crucial. IIJ works on a regular basis with many ink companies. The company will not sell a print engine with unapproved ink.
The test process performed by the IIJ Ink Technology Team can take up to 110 working days to finalise and ensures that customers can be confident that the company’s recommended inks stand up to production environments.
When it comes to the packaging market and the requirement for high speed and accurate printing, IIJ looks at four main aspects that are crucial to the success of any given project: Reliability, print head capability, the visco-elastic properties of the ink and limiting changes to the ink properties from sample to sample.
Of any 10 inks, only one may reach these requirements, but working with good ink suppliers ensures inks achieve this. The relationship that IIJ has with ink suppliers results in good partnerships to ensure compliance with legislation.