Replacing Your Antiquated Valve Jet Printer

Introduction

You are considering replacing your valve jet printer with a modern thermal inkjet industrial box coder. The valve jet printer is antiquated technology, low dpi and large drop size. On the other hand, thermal inkjet is a good replacement for the large character valve jet printer.

The valve jet printer is also known as a large character printer. For decades, companies coding their products have been using the valve jet printer not realizing that there is a better printer out there such as the E900 Box Coder from XYCode.

In today's world, products are more than just something you buy. They're a statement of who you are—and they're an important extension of your image.

What is a valve jet printer?

A valve jet printer is a device that can print on cardboard boxes and other materials. It uses ink drops to apply a coding pattern onto the material. Valve jet is used for labeling, coding and marking.

The valve jet consists of an ink system, a housing, an electronic controller and a print head. The ink system holds the ink under low pressure and ensures that it is delivered at the correct moment to the print head. The housing accommodates the electronics controller and the print head as well as connecting them via a flexible line.

The print head itself is fitted with individual nozzles, which are controlled by valves that can be opened or closed individually as required. When an individual drop of ink is needed, the appropriate valve opens and allows it to be forced out under slight pressure onto the material being printed.

Disadvantages of valve jet printer

Disadvantages of valve jet printers include:

  • Antiquated technology. Valve jet printers have been around since the 1960s, and they are the equivalent of using a typewriter for the digital world with variable data, bar code, and QR codes.
  • A valve jet printer can be bulky and it uses pressurized ink-filled cartridges that are difficult to refill.
  • The valve jet printer has a large drop size resulting in low dpi (drop per inch), i.e., low resolution.
  • The ink is under a slight pressure so an air compressor would be needed adding cost to your production line while taking up expensive production floor space.

If you have a large character printer that uses valve jet ink, it might be time to replace it with a modern thermal inkjet industrial box coder.

Advantages of thermal inkjet box coder

The advantages of thermal inkjet are:

  • Cost per print is low and the ink cartridge, e.g., RIO Ink 402K, can be acquired at a fraction of the printer cost giving you an equivalent of a new printer with each cartridge change.  The print engine is integrated into each cartridge.

  • Cost of operation is low, since there's no maintenance required, service call fee or consumables (make-ups).

  • Self installation is possible and it doesn't require technical knowledge or skills; even a novice can do it with ease! The installation process takes less than 30 minutes.

  • Reliability and durability are guaranteed thanks to its robust design which makes it suitable for a wide range of production environment.

Closing

In conclusion, there are many advantages to using thermal inkjet over valve jet printing. The technology is much more advanced and it is much cheaper to operate. Thermal inkjet printers can also be run completely on their own without the need for service calls or maintenance. If you need help with replacing your current printer with a new thermal inkjet industrial box coder please contact us at XYCode.

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