CIJ vs. High-Resolution Inkjet Printers
| Aspect | CIJ Inkjet Printer (Small Character) | High-Resolution Inkjet Printer (TIJ/DOD) |
| Working Principle | Continuous Inkjet (CIJ) system. Ink is continuously ejected from a single nozzle, broken into droplets by crystal vibration, then charged and deflected to form characters. | Drop-on-Demand (DOD) system. Ink is only ejected when needed, controlled precisely by electronic signals for high-resolution printing. |
| Nozzle Technology | Single nozzle emits a continuous ink stream. Droplets are uniform in size and controlled via electrostatic deflection. | Multiple high-precision valves/nozzles. Ink droplets are formed by rapid opening and closing controlled by an internal system. |
| Printing Speed | High speed, up to 200 m/min, ideal for fast production lines. | Typically around 30 m/min, suitable for slower or precision-focused applications. |
| Print Resolution | Lower resolution, designed for basic coding and marking. | High resolution (200 DPI and above), ideal for detailed text, barcodes, and graphics. |
| Print Lines / Height | up to 5 lines of text. | No strict line limit; print height typically up to 18 mm. |
| Drying Time | Almost instant drying due to solvent-based inks. | Slightly longer drying time depending on material and ink type. |
| Applications | Widely used in light & heavy industries, including building materials, pipes, cables, and agricultural products. | Ideal for packaging applications such as cardboard, paper, film, labels, aluminum foil, and plastics (PP, PET, PVC, PE). |
1. The working principle is different.
The small character inkjet printer is a continuous inkjet system. The ink is continuously ejected from a single nozzle by pressure.
The crystal oscillates and breaks, forming ink dots. After charging and high-voltage deflection, the printer scans the ink dots onto the surface of moving objects to form words.
The high-resolution inkjet printer is another ink-on-demand printer. It differs from the single-nozzle industrial inkjet printer. It is called a high-resolution inkjet printer because its printing resolution exceeds 200DPI.
2. The nozzle is different.
The main difference is that the nozzles are different. The small character inkjet printer ejects an ink line. After the high-frequency crystal vibrates, the ink breaks into droplets.
Each droplet has the same size, spacing, and electrical charge. After charging, a high-voltage electric field deflects it. Then it sticks to the product surface. It forms letters and patterns.
Multiple high-precision valves make up the nozzle of the high-resolution inkjet printing machine. After the injection signal is received, the internal computer controls the valve at the correct position. It opens and closes fast to form the printed content.
3.The parameters are different.
Printing speed: High-resolution inkjet printers usually print at 30 m/min. Small-character inkjet printers can reach up to 200 m/min.
High-resolution inkjet printers usually have no line limit. The print height must not exceed 18 mm. Small character inkjet printers usually print up to 5 lines.
Printing drying time: Because the machines work differently, the first takes a little longer to dry. The second has almost no drying time.
4. The application fields are different.
The CIJ inkjet printer has many uses in light and heavy industry. It is also used for building materials and farm products. The high-resolution inkjet printer can print on laminated cardboard, film, and paper.
- It works on uncoated and coated paper.
- It can also print on aluminum foil and plastic cards.
- It supports self-adhesive materials.
- It works with PP, PET, PVC, and PE.