Oct 30 2010
Memjet, the global leader in color printing technologies that provide remarkable speeds and affordability, will launch its color on-demand printing technology for the labels and packaging markets at PACK EXPO International 2010 (October 31-November 3, booth 3866).
Memjet represents an entirely new category of technology that brings cost-effective, on-demand color printing to the manufacturing floor.
The Memjet printhead is less than 9 inches wide, contains 70,000 nozzles and releases more than 700 million drops of color ink per second.
“We believe that Memjet technology is disruptive and will have a dramatic impact on how color printing is used in packaging activities,” said Sean Marske, president of Memjet Labels.
“The technology gives you the freedom to print exactly what you want, when you want it, and where you want it, making near-line color label printing possible for ‘just-in-time’ and other manufacturing operations. This reduces waste and accelerates the workflow process. It also enables brand owners and manufacturers to move their label, tag, ticket, card and folding-carton printing out of a centralized print facility and directly onto their factory or warehouse floors,” Marske added.
This capability for high-quality, cost-effective, on-demand color speed makes possible a decentralized color-printing model, which can shorten the supply chain, reduce over-buying, and simplify labeling and versioning activities.
A Memjet-powered printer can provide high-speed, variable-data, color printing for localized on-demand label runs and many other trans-promotional marketing activities. Printers that are powered by Memjet can produce a color label or impression in seconds, and a full roll or stack of labels or impressions in minutes.
“Powered by Memjet” Printers Available Now
Memjet provides the core technology that allows innovative Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) partners to deliver new value to their target markets with fast and affordable color printers. These printers are “powered by Memjet.”
Memjet technology has already been incorporated into several commercially available labels, packaging and addressing products, including the following:
- Astro Machine Corp: M1 and M2
- MainStream LLC: The 12 Pacc
- OWN-X Industrial (Europe): SpeedStar 3000
- Rapid Machinery Company (Australia): Rapid X1 and Rapid X2
“Memjet is a promising technology, altogether new, unlike any other available technology,” said George Selak, president of Astro Machine Corporation, a Memjet OEM partner. “The printhead is nearly nine inches wide, as opposed to the typical small heads that have to be stitched together. The fast process color from a single printhead creates a compelling value proposition for our customers,” he added.
“The first color label printers on the market have been relegated to niches because they are slow and their running costs are high,” said Fred Noll, president of MainStream LLC, another Memjet partner. “Memjet color printing technology allows us to serve a broad market because we can overcome these previous speed and running cost obstacles.”
Previews of Upcoming Print Engines
In addition to showing its labels and packaging technologies that are available today, Memjet will demonstrate upcoming color printing technologies and systems in booth 3866. Memjet Labels will demonstrate a color on-demand labels print-engine prototype that operates at 30 inches per second (ips).
PACK EXPO will also be the first public demonstration of the Memjet wide format technologies. A 42-inch-wide print engine will print color, on-demand, on folding carton and corrugated packaging material. Memjet will be making a series of announcements for a variety of industries in 2011.
Memjet’s breakthrough design delivers more than 700 million drops per second of color ink through more than 70,000 nozzles on a single, stationary printhead. The core technology consists of 8.77-inch printheads, custom ASICs, software and ink that OEMs incorporate into their printers. The Memjet technology is protected by 3,000 global patents; 2,000 more are pending.