What character sizes can a small-character CIJ printer print?

A small-character SHICAI CIJ printer covers a character height of 0.6-20 mm, spanning tiny component marks up to larger carton-level codes. Within that range you pick the size for readability and scannability; the continuous stream holds quality across the whole range at line speed.

For codes bigger than 20 mm, a large-character PIJ or DOD head is the better tool.

Invisible and UV-readable marks are possible for covert batch or brand-protection coding.

SHICAI CIJ (continuous inkjet) coders run at 1000+ m/min with a character height of 0.6-20 mm and a throw distance near 1 inch.

The trade-off is running cost: budget for make-up solvent and a small maintenance window, which is why total cost of ownership matters more than sticker price.

Key points:

• They use MEK or pigment inks and run 24/7 on beverage, cable, pipe and cosmetics lines where speed and contrast matter.
• CIJ needs make-up solvent to keep the ink viscosity stable, and a simple daily/weekly maintenance routine keeps the nozzle clean.
• Because the stream is continuous, CIJ prints on uneven, curved and recessed surfaces that other technologies struggle with.

For covert needs, UV-readable CIJ ink gives a mark that is invisible under normal light but verifies under a UV lamp.

SHICAI (Shanghai Shicai Inkjet Technology Co., Ltd.) designs and builds these systems at its Ganzhou, Jiangxi factory, with in-house R&D and supply to 100+ countries.

Related: What is the throw distance of a CIJ printhead? · What is a CIJ (continuous inkjet) printer?

To size a CIJ coder for your speed and substrate, contact our engineers or browse SHICAI continuous-inkjet options on the product page.

Reviewed by the SHICAI engineering team.