Inkjet VS. Memjet Printing Methods: Which is Best for You?
Small businesses are always looking for ways to speed up their packaging processes and lower costs while maintaining quality. It’s this reason that Memjet printing technology was invented.
Memjet is different from traditional inkjet printing in several ways. In this article we will share information about Memjet and traditional inkjet printing, we’ll explain why Memjet is better than inkjet and how it will save your business time and money.
What is Inkjet Printing?
The printing method shown on the left above demonstrates how traditional inkjet printing works, which has the printhead gliding back and forth across the material it is printing on. Small nozzles are positioned throughout the printhead to spray ink droplets onto a sheet of paper as it passes by creating defined graphics and text.
Traditional inkjet printers are mostly used in the home and small offices, because they are able to perform multi-functions such as printing, scanning, copying, etc. Although these printers perform these tasks well, they are very expensive to run since the ink costs are quite high. Adding to the cost is the amount of ink these printers waste; as the head glides back and forth, not all the ink is deposited onto the print surface, the leftover ink is simply sucked into a waste cartridge.
There are many different sizes and price points for traditional inkjet printers, but they all lack the ability to cheaply, quickly and effectively print labels for business use. This is where Memjet printing excels and we’ll explain why as you read further.
What is Memjet Printing?
Memjet printing is a newer technology that was released about 10 years ago. It uses waterfall print technology to rapidly lay down ink on the printing surface.Â
The printheads contain 70,400 nozzles that eject ink droplets between 5 color planes. The sheer number of nozzles allows for incredible print quality and resolution. This printing method allows for high speed printing up to 6in-12in per second. These also utilize dye based inks which create a very low cost, effective printing method, but unfortunately does not typically protect against UV, water, and chemicals. However, there are options for pigment based inks which offer protection from the elements mentioned earlier.
Although Memjet printers might cost a little more than the typical inkjet printer, your overall time savings and ink cost reduction in the long run will make it a great investment for your business. You will become more efficient, flexible and gain the ability to create professional labels at a fraction of the cost of having a printing company make them for you.
The Advantages of Memjet Over Inkjet
- Print speed
- Ink cost
- Efficiency
- Flexibility
Which is Best for You?
If price wasn’t a factor, Memjet printers are a far better option than traditional inkjet. But of course, all businesses must consider their need for any piece of equipment before making a purchase. We recommend Memjet printers to companies that need fast, high quality and cost effective label printing. If your business is printing several thousand labels per month, then a Memjet printer is your best option. If less than several thousand, it might be more appropriate to start with a traditional inkjet option and upgrade as your business grows.
Conclusion
We hope you found this information useful, please take a moment to look at both an inkjet printer option and a memjet option at the links below.
I found it interesting when you said that Memjet printing was invented because small businesses aim to speed up their packaging processes and lower costs while maintaining quality. This is a piece of good-to-know information for businesses that need to hire a company for their book printing needs. I could imagine how important it is for these companies to ensure that the number of copies that they would need to print could be met based on the deadline. Thanks for sharing this.