SECONDARY PACKAGING An innovative printhead and specially formulated ink open the frontier to inkjet printing of images and codes on non-porous material. Trident’s new technology combines performance with environmental and economic sustainability.
In Italy, Zanasi has integrated the new non-porous inkjet technologies in the company´s new high-definition secondary packaging printer introduced at the last Interpack. The innovative 384Jet-NP printhead developed by the American company Trident can print positive or negative high-definition reproductions of text, graphics or barcodes on non-porous surfaces such as coated corrugated, lacquered corrugated, treated board, plastic films (as well as on glass, stainless steel and damp wood).
The resulting high-quality print is only part of the appeal of the new technology. «Worldwide, companies are eagerly searching for packaging options that are both environmentally and economically sustainable and address both key marketing and legislative concerns simultaneously – says Steve Liker, Business Development Manager at Trident Industrial Inkjet. – Non-porous packaging options are an increasingly popular way to meet these needs. Coated corrugated boxes combine aestetic appeal and durability while shrink-wrapped trays allow for point-of-sale displays while requiring less expensive corrugated packaging material».
Overcoming Challenges – The increasing popularity of non-porous packages has stimulated the search for cost-effective ways to display information on non-porous surfaces. «Until recently, wax-based printing and labels represented the most common options for displaying information on non-porous packaging. Both options have unique drawbacks: labels can cost up to 10 times more than direct marking, and inkjet-based wax can smear or fall off during shipping and storage. Traditional inkjet was not a feasible option as the ink would either take too long to dry or would simply not dry properly on non-porous surfaces. For all these reasons we developed the new 384Jet NP printhead and A5000 ink- which represent a new approach for displaying information on non-porous surfaces».
New Technology – The new 384Jet NP™ printhead accurately reproduces images, alphanumeric codes and barcodes (including code 128 and the ITF-14barcode ) at a height of 50 mm and at print speeds of 1 meter/second. The printhead jets specially formulated A5000 ink: a non-toxic alcohol-based product, with a drying times of less than 10 seconds that can be halved using air drying systems (depending on the substrate).
The 384Jet NP features durable construction, a repairable design and automated maintenance which minimizes blockage of the nozzles, contributing to the proper functioning of a system successfully adopted by an increasing number of users worldwide.
