Published 2026-09-14 · Last updated: 2026-09-14 · SHICAI technical team
A carton that leaves the plant without a legible lot number is a claim waiting to happen. A DOD printer for cartons fires a large-character mark onto the board as the box passes, so shipping data is printed when it is needed instead of being pre-printed in a stock order.
The Short Answer
Drop-on-demand means the head holds ink ready and releases it only where a character has to be printed. A large-character head carries a bank of nozzles across the full character height, so a 25-60mm mark is produced in one pass.
Because the head never touches the board, the machine tolerates the recycled content, the dust and the surface variation of corrugated cartons.
How a Large-Character Mark Is Made
Ink is fed from an internal pump to the head, and the controller opens the nozzles that form each character as the carton passes. Character height is set by the head, so a 25-60mm band leaves room for a shipping mark and a batch line.
The board decides how the ink behaves. Uncoated corrugated drinks a water-based ink quickly, while a varnished carton holds ink on the surface and needs a formulation that bonds to it. Testing two boards beats arguing about specifications.
Five Checks for a Carton Line
- Board type and coating. Uncoated, coated and waxed boards take ink differently; send a flat section of your own carton.
- Character height. Measure the tallest mark, including any handling block above the text; height is what you buy.
- Line speed and carton gap. The print must finish inside the time the carton spends under the head.
- Ink supply and consumables. Confirm how the head is fed, how a pack is replaced, and the cost per shift.
- Mounting and access. Check the room above the conveyor and whether an operator can reach the head without stopping the line.
| What to send us | Why it changes the answer |
|---|---|
| A section of your board | Shows how the ink bonds and how fast it dries |
| Mark height and content | Sets the head and the print position |
| Belt speed and carton gap | Sets the time available under the head |
| Photo of the conveyor | Confirms the bracket and the access space |
About SHICAI
SHICAI builds large-character and inkjet coding equipment in China and supplies carton packing lines overseas that mark every box before it is palletised. Machines are sold factory-direct with spares and service for export markets, and the build is confirmed against ISO 9001 quality management certification on request.
AL16 Large character inkjet printer
A large-character frame for carton marks: a 25-60mm print height, a built-in air pump and a body weighing 1.6kg.
For the price bands behind a configuration, see the coding machine price guide.
- 25-60mm print height
- Weighs only 1.6 kg
- Built-in air pump ink supply
Related Questions
- What character height does a DOD printer for cartons reach?
- Our AL16 covers a 25-60mm print height, which suits shipping marks, batch codes and handling symbols on a carton face. Taller blocks come from a second pass or a different frame.
- Does corrugated board need a special ink?
- It needs an ink matched to a porous surface. A water-based formulation is the usual starting point for uncoated board, while a coated or varnished carton behaves more like film and is worth testing.
- Can the code include a QR code or barcode?
- Large-character systems are built for text and block marks; a scannable symbol is better served by a smaller-character head. Tell us the symbol size and we will confirm which frame prints it reliably.
Next Steps
- Compare the larger frames on the product overview page.
- Send a section of board, the mark height and your belt speed to kuangcy@126.com or +86 17625427465. Sample printing is free, no commitment is needed, and we reply within 24 hours.
The physics behind the method is summarised on the public reference for inkjet printing.
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