Metal and Steel Pipe Marking
Steel pipes and similar metal parts are essential to construction businesses, automotive manufacturers, oil/gas companies, and countless other fields.
Steel and metal pipe production takes place in harsh environments. Facilities are often home to extreme temperatures, dust, humidity, manufacturing/cutting fluids, and vibrations. Not only can these elements damage unfortified machinery, but they can also render product codes unreadable.
Metal and steel pipe producers frequently have to mark their products with alphanumeric codes and machine-scannable markings. Depending on the product and its intended application, these codes may indicate:
- Pipe grade and material
- Size and thickness
- Manufacturing standard
- Manufacturer name/logo
- Pressure ratings
- Directional arrows
Product codes also boost supply chain traceability and prevent counterfeiting.
InkJet, Inc’s industrial marking solutions help metal and steel production facilities more effectively complete pipe coding applications. Our systems offer impressive coding capabilities and ingress protections, enabling companies to mark metal parts quickly, reliably, and accurately.
Here’s how our metal and steel pipe marking technologies can benefit your business:
High-Quality Metal and Steel Pipe Marking Solutions for Demanding Applications
InkJet, Inc. carries multiple metal pipe marking solutions for companies with different line setups, production methods, and facility environments. Valve jet DOD printers used to be the industry-standard metal pipe marking solution. However, modern inkjet printers and laser systems offer numerous advantages over valve jet models.
Benefits include:
- Better technical specifications
- Greater code resolutions (which enable machine-scannable code printing)
- Easier setup and operation
- More diverse coding abilities
- Expanded ink choice
InkJet, Inc’s inkjet printer and laser options are listed in this table. Additional information on each option can be located further below. Click the title in the table’s leftmost column to jump to a specific section.
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Inc’s Metal and Steel Pipe Marking Options |
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Continuous Inkjet Printers: DuraCode Touchscreen, Keyboard, and Pigment
Continuous inkjet (CIJ) printers are non-contact production line printing systems designed to mark substrates moving at 300 m/min and above. Built with powerful ink circulation systems, CIJ printers can operate up to 24 hours daily without downtime. The wide ink compatibility and versatile printheads of CIJ printers equip metal pipe operations to outfit their products with high-quality, resilient codes.
InkJet, Inc’s comprehensive CIJ ink catalog is filled with formulas ideal for metal and steel pipe marking. Many of our formulas offer special properties as well, including:
- Superior substrate adhesion
- Ultra-quick dry times
- Alcohol resistance
- Sunlight resistance
- Extreme temperature resistance
- Oil/grease penetration
- Condensation penetration
- Soft and hard pigmentation
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All DuraCode systems can mark porous and non-porous substrates at speeds up to 320 m/min. Equipped with an IP55 outer structure and able to operate in temperatures ranging from 41-113° F, the DuraCode CIJ can withstand potentially hazardous environmental elements to deliver consistently excellent results.
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See the chart below for a closer look at the DuraCode models’ most important specifications.
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Thermal Inkjet Printers: Anser X1, A1, and U2 Models
Thermal inkjet (TIJ) printers are smaller, lighter, and more cost-effective than CIJ systems. While CIJ systems typically weigh around 100 lbs and can cost well over $10,000, most TIJ models weigh 5-10 lbs and cost as low as $1,499.00.
Although thermal inkjet systems are compact and lightweight, they offer impressive coding specifications. For example, the Anser U2 Smart can create 400 x 300 DPI codes up to 0.5” tall (1” tall with the Anser U2 SmartOne). Higher-end TIJs like the Anser X1 can create 600 x 600 DPI codes up to 2” tall with stitched printheads. These qualities enable TIJ operators to complete product marking tasks as well as case coding applications.
TIJ printers are often designed for slower speed lines and intermittent coding tasks, but some TIJ models offer high-speed capabilities as well. InkJet, Inc. carries numerous TIJ printers of varying specialties and price points. Our current options include:
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Compact, intuitive, and cost-effective, the Anser U2 Pro-S is an excellent choice for metal pipe applications that don’t require CIJ-level marking speeds. The Pro-S delivers a 76.2 m/min max speed, 400 x 300 DPI max resolution, and 0.5” print height, all for a low price of $1,699.00 |
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The first all-in-one TIJ that offers 2” printing and mid-message DPI adjustments, the Anser A1 is both powerful and affordable. Built with 2 cartridge slots, the A1 can create 2” tall markings with varying DPI elements (e.g., 300 DPI QR code with 150 DPI text). These qualities make the A1 an excellent case coding printer. For product marking applications, the A1 maxes out at 300 m/min with certain cartridges. Users control the A1 through a large touchscreen interface. |
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Even though the Anser X1 is a thermal inkjet printer, you wouldn’t know that from its spec sheet. With printing speeds up to 300 m/min, the Anser X1 is one of the most powerful TIJs on the market today. Beyond industrial speed marking, the Anser X1 offers a 600 DPI max resolution, a 3.87” max print height (with stitched printheads), IP66 protection, and the ability to control two production lines simultaneously. |
See the chart below for a closer look into how our TIJ options compare to one another:
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Laser Marking Solutions: Fiber, CO2, and UV Laser Models
Laser marking systems are perfect for steel and metal pipe manufacturers that require high coding speeds, reliable accuracy, and exceptional code appearance. Laser users can mark and engrave pipes with visually appealing text, scannable codes, traceable serial numbers, and other essential markings.
Laser systems are more expensive than TIJ and CIJ printers upfront but do not use consumables. Moreover, they have minimal maintenance needs and do not require annual servicing. Depending on your product output, these factors can make laser marking more cost-effective than inkjet printing.
Inkjet Inc. offers four laser models:
- F8100F Fiber Laser Marking Machine
- F8100C CO2 Laser Marking Machine
- LDR 7100 Laser Marking System (CO2 System)
- F8100U UV Laser Marking Machine
Our laser systems offer similar specifications and benefits. The F8100F, F8100C, LDR7100, and F8100U provide:
- Marking speeds up to 2000 characters/sec.
- 24/7 uninterrupted coding
- Reliable ingress protections
- Long laser tube life
- Enhanced high-resolution mark quality
- Plug-and-play laser module for easy line replacement
- User-friendly control panel via computer or smartphone app
Material compatibility is the main difference between our laser options. Fiber, CO2, and UV lasers produce beams of different wavelengths. Beam wavelength significantly influences material compatibility, so it’s important to understand which laser technology best suits your substrates as you consider your system options.
This chart illustrates the material compatibility of fiber, CO2, and UV laser systems:
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See the chart below for a closer look into our laser systems’ most important specifications.
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InkJet, Inc’s Metal and Steel Pipe Marking Solutions Enhance Operational Efficiency
Improve your steel pipe marking processes with InkJet, Inc’s industrial coding solutions. Our continuous inkjet printers and laser marking systems are fortified against threatening environmental factors to deliver high-quality results 24/7. With our systems, you can enhance operational efficiency by increasing coding speeds, eliminating mistakes, and reducing downtime. Contact InkJet, Inc. today to discuss which solution is right for you.
To learn more about metal and steel pipe marking, contact us online today or call 1(800) 280-3245.