The industrial printing field has always championed mechanical creativity and innovation. The advent of continuous inkjet (CIJ) printing in the 1950s, for example, allowed for new levels of product coding efficiency. When thermal inkjet (TIJ) printers arrived on the market in the 1980s, their high resolution code for printing on corrugate, and no mess ink delivery allowed companies of all sizes to mark their products with clearly legible text and machine-scannable barcodes.
Today, this innovation continues with printer providers continuously introducing new models with features and benefits that give manufactures solutions to their printing needs. Year after year, companies work towards making their machines faster, more reliable, and capable of operating in harsher conditions than ever before. With these developments, manufacturers have continuously redefined what their printers are capable of.
Here, we look at these innovations by examining how hardware designers have improved TIJ date coding machines in recent years.
InkJet Inc.’s Date Coding Machine Solutions
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InkJet, Inc.’s Date Coding Machine Solutions
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Coding Technology
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Operating Method
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System Options
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Maximum Resolution and Print Height
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Maximum Marking Speed
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Cost Factors
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Compatible Materials
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Thermal Inkjet Printer
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Uses heat to pressurize and eject ink droplets toward the substrate
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Anser U2 Models
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400 x 300 DPI (height varies by model)
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76.2 m/min
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Low unit cost, moderate consumable cost
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Varies by model
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Anser A1
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600 x 600 DPI at 1” height (2” height with stitched print heights)
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300 m/min with HP cartridges, 150 m/min with IUT cartridges
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Moderate unit cost, moderate consumable cost
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Cardboard, paper, wood, metal, plastic, rubber, flexible packaging
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Anser X1
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600 x 600 DPI at 1” height (2” height with stitched print heights)
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300 m/min
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Moderate unit cost, moderate consumable cost
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Cardboard, paper, wood, metal, plastic, rubber, flexible packaging
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Thermal Inkjet Printers: Anser U2, X1, and A1 Models
Thermal inkjet (TIJ) printers
TIJ printers are often designed for slower speed lines and intermittent coding tasks, but some TIJ models also offer high-speed capabilities. InkJet, Inc. carries numerous TIJ printers of varying specialties and price points. Our current options include:
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The Anser U2 Smart and SmartOne Thermal Inkjet Printer: The Anser U2 Smart is InkJet, Inc’s most affordable printer option. Available for $1,499.00, the Anser U2 Smart is compatible with porous and semi-porous packaging such as cardboard boxes and paper. The system’s max speed is 76.2 m/min, and the max resolution is 400 x 300 DPI. The stock U2 Smart has a max 0.5” print height, while the Anser U2 SmartOne has a max 1” print height.
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The Anser U2 Pro-S Thermal Inkjet Printer: Compact and cost-effective, the Anser U2 Pro-S is a great choice for operations that don’t require CIJ-level marking speeds. Like the Anser U2 Smart and SmartOne, the Anser U2 Pro-S has 76.2 m/min max speed and 400 x 300 DPI max resolution. However, the Anser U2 Pro-S is compatible with more materials, for the printer can mark porous, semi-porous, and non-porous substrates.
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The Anser A1 Thermal Inkjet Printer: 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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The Anser X1 Thermal Inkjet Printer: 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 2” max print height (with stitched printheads), IP66 protection, and the ability to simultaneously control two production lines.
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See the chart below for a closer look into how our TIJ options compare to one another:
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InkJet, Inc.’s Thermal Inkjet Printer Options
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Specification
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Anser U2 Smart &
SmartOne
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Anser U2 Pro-S
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Anser A1
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Anser X1
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Max Printheads
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1
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1
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2
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2
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Display
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3.5” Color LCD with LED backlight
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3.5” Color LCD with LED backlight
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5” Color LCD Capacitive Touchscreen
480 x 800 (portrait)
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7” Color LCD Capacitive Touchscreen
(800 x 480 px)
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Input Device
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Pocket-sized IR remote keypad
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Pocket-sized IR remote keypad
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Touchscreen
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Touchscreen
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Print Height
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0.5” with Smart 1” with SmartOne
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0.5”
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1” with single printhead, 2” with stitched printheads
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1” with single printhead, 2” with stitched printheads
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Print Resolution
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400 x 300 DPI
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400 x 300 DPI
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300 DPI
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600 x 600 DPI
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Print Speed
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76.2 m/min
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76.2 m/min
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121 m/min
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300 m/min
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Print Distance
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0.25” (6mm)
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0.25” (6mm)
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0.25” (6mm)
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0.25” (6mm)
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Operating Temp.
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0°C ~ 40°C (32°F ~ 104°F)
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0°C ~ 40°C (32°F ~ 104°F)
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5°C – 40°C (41°F – 104°F)
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5°C – 40°C (41°F – 104°F)
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IP Rating
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N/A
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N/A
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N/A
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IP66
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Dimensions & Weight
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(L/W/H) 4.5″ x 3″ x 2.5″
0.49 kg (1.08 lb) – excluding cartridge and bracket
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(L/W/H) 4.5” x 3” x 2.4”
0.49 kg (1.08 lb) – excluding cartridge and bracket
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(L/W/H) 6.7” x 5.4” x 4.9”
1.8 kg (3.97 lb) w/o guide plate
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(L/W/H) 11.5” x 5.6” x 2”
2.7 kg (6 lb)
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Compatible Materials
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Porous and semi-porous materials
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Porous, semi-porous, and non-porous materials
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Porous, semi-porous, and non-porous materials
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Porous, semi-porous, and non-porous materials
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Need a New Date Coding Machine? Find the Best Model To Meet Your Needs With the Help of InkJet, Inc.
Over the last few years, new printers like the Anser X1 have changed the idea of what date coding machines are capable of. If you’re searching for a new marking system and won’t settle for anything but the best, contact InkJet, Inc. today to learn more about how a thermal inkjet printer can improve your operation.
