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Why choose Rotech as your thermal inkjet supplier?

4 mins

Kirsty Burrage

Picture this: Your existing coder – an older continuous inkjet (CIJ) printer – has started to fail, yet again. And yet again, you’re having to call an engineer in to fix it. This will cost you, not just for the repair itself but all the time the line is down, you’re losing valuable production time and time is money.

Even when the printer is running well, it’s not pleasant to work around. It’s imposing, smelly and messy. Surrounded by splashes of it’s own ink, it’s definitely made its mark in your factory.

The Cost of Maintenance – TIJ vs CIJ
Leaking CIJ system next to new thermal inkjet printer
Thermal Inkjet printer on a milk bottle production line. Printing onto whole milk labels

You decide that enough is enough, it’s time to explore replacement options. A quick online search may lead you to thermal inkjet (TIJ) technology as a potential alternative.

Mess free, maintenance-free and ideal for industrial environments, TIJ seems like it could be the ideal solution to all your coding-related headaches.

But finding the ideal technology is just the first step. The next question is: who should you buy from? With an increasing number of companies offering TIJ solutions, it’s important to assess your options carefully.

What to look for in a supplier

When choosing a supplier, several factors can help to ensure that the technology and service given align with your needs.

Product range & capabilities

Simply speaking, do the printers in their range meet your requirements? Information provided on the printer should include all the criteria you need to know, such as print quality, throughput, min/max print size and resistance to water and dust ingression (IP rating).

Also consider whether the printer can meet your future needs, not just the needs of the business now. If your predicting considerable growth, you should factor this in – can the solution grow with you?

Does the supplier offer a trial or demo of the printer? With many different models of printer and grades of ink available, it’s always beneficial to put the printer to test on your product or packaging prior to making that all important purchase decision. Like with any coding solution, a one-size-fits all approach doesn’t always work.

Expertise in the technology

It’s inarguable that TIJ printers are relatively uncomplicated and are ideal for many coding applications and production lines. However, for the solution to be perfect and the installation to be efficient and seamless, knowledge around the printers and technology is crucial.

For an experienced engineer, integrating printers is quick and painless, with downtime kept at a minimum. They will also ensure that the positioning, parameters and settings of the printer(s) is ideal for the application in question.

Integrity in offering solutions

If a supplier also provides continuous inkjet (CIJ) systems, it’s worth noting how prominently they feature their TIJ offerings. If a supplier relies heavily on CIJ for recurring revenue from maintenence, parts and consumables, they may prioritise these products. Transparency and balance in their approach can help you guage their commitment to TIJ support.

Support & customer care

If you experience an issue with your printer that you’re unable to fix yourself, how quickly will you be able to get it resolved? If it can’t be sorted quickly, can a replacement be sent?

There are suppliers offering TIJ as an off-the-shelf product, shipping it to the customer to fit and operate themselves, using manuals or videos for reference. They may even be based overseas, so providing in-person support will never be an option.

Although problems with thermal inkjet coders are rare, you’ll want to feel assured that if ever there is a problem, it will be addressed and fixed quickly.

Rotech - we're advocates of TIJ

As early adopters of Thermal inkjet, we’ve seen the advancements in the technology first-hand. We’ve seen it evolve from an expensive technology only able to print onto porous surfaces to a cost-effective option, ideal for the majority of coding applications across all industries.

We’re passionate about showcasing the benefits of the technology and helping manufacturers make the switch. We know it’s strengths, ideal applications and limitations and are keen to share this knowledge with anyone that chooses to partner with us.

 

Speak to our TIJ experts

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