Digital inkjet technology is a technique that sprays tiny ink droplets onto a material to present images and text. The device itself does not come into contact with the printing surface and is a non-contact printing method. The spraying of ink droplets relies on the print head. So, the print head is a very important component in inkjet technology. Because of this, the price of print heads is relatively expensive.
Here are some International printhead manufacturers or brands:
The main print heads in the current UV inkjet printing market include:
1. GEN5/GEN6/GEN6 PLUS from Ricoh Corporation in Japan
2. KM1024I/KM1024A from Konica Minolta in Japan
3. Japan Epson I3200/T3200/S3200 and other series
4. Kyocera KJ4A series from Kyocera Corporation of Japan
5. Japan Seiko Electronics 1024GS
6. US Starfire SG1024
7. Toshiba CA4, Japan
Ⅰ. Kyocera, Japan
The single head printing width of Kyocera inkjet printing head can reach 108mm-112mm. A single nozzle has a large printing width, high action frequency, high precision, high production capacity, and long service life, with a stainless steel nozzle panel and metal shell, making it suitable for industrial printing . Multi level variable ink drop rate is suitable for printing with different image quality requirements. In the field of UV printing, Kyocera print heads are widely regarded as the fastest but most expensive print heads. At present, the performance of the domestic market equipped with this head is mixed. In terms of accuracy, it has indeed taken another step forward; The color expression is average; In terms of ink matching, there are currently not many available inks: due to their fast speed, there is high requirements for ink fluency; and high precision requires high requirements for ink droplet delicacy, high technical requirements, and high printing head costs, there are fewer manufacturers supporting them, and the price of the entire machine is relatively high.
Ⅱ. Ricoh, Japan
At present, the market share of Ricoh print heads in the UV market should be the highest. The overall structure of G5 and G6 is similar, but there are still differences in key areas and chip boards. G5 adopts a screw or belt drive method, while G6 adopts a magnetic levitation drive method. G6 is more than 30% faster in speed than G5. In terms of high drop printing technology, G6 has more advantages. The improved spraying accuracy of G6 can achieve small particle size and high-precision printing, and the printing of 0.1mm text is also very clear. The G6 head comes in two styles: a two-color MH5320 and a four-color MH5340, which customers can choose from. G6 head is compatible with various inks such as water-based, eco solvent, UV, textile ink, etc. Therefore, G6 is known for its high production capacity, high precision, and high ink compatibility. Our factory has chosen the most cost-effective Ricoh G6 head.
Ⅲ. Konica, Japan
The most commonly used Konica print heads in the market are the 512, 1024, 1024i, and 1024a industrial printing series. The biggest feature of the KM1024i series print head is its independent channel driver technology. According to this independent channel driving technology, its driving speed can achieve a driving frequency (45kHz) approximately three times higher than the KM1024 series. For developing a single channel inkjet printer capable of high-speed printing, KM1024i is the ideal inkjet print head. The newly launched KM1024A series, with a high frequency of 60 kHz and a minimum accuracy of 6PL, has significantly improved both speed and accuracy. Given the high cost-effectiveness of Konica, the FORTUNE Equipment Factory has also adopted Konica print heads for its large spray machines, which has received high customer recognition.
Ⅳ. Seiko, Japan
The application of the Seiko series print head on inkjet printers has been very successful. When turning to the UV market, it was completely overshadowed by Ricoh's trend. The 508GS/10214GS currently being promoted is a good head, with improved accuracy and speed. However, the manufacturer using this head is unique, so there are not many users in the market, and consumers can only receive limited information. They do not have enough understanding of the performance and performance of this print head, which also affects their choice.
Ⅴ. American Starfire (Fuji)
This print head is sturdy and durable, with a long lifespan, and can withstand harsh industrial textiles and other applications. Compatible with solvents, UV curing, and water-based inks. Due to some market reasons, this print head has been buried, making it difficult to see a presence in the UV market, but it is commendable in other fields.
Ⅵ. Toshiba, Japan
Compared with traditional binary inkjet heads, Toshiba CA and CF series print heads are more suitable for displaying smooth density levels from light to deep in various industrial printing. The CA series technology of spraying multiple ink droplets onto a single point can create a wide grayscale range, with each point achieving a minimum of 6pl to a maximum of 90pl (15 droplets), suitable for high productivity industrial applications. From the perspective of cost and effectiveness, there is a market for the use of small UV devices.
Ⅶ. Epson
Epson is the most well-known print head, but it has been used in the photo market before. In 2019, Epson developed many print head permissions and released multiple new heads, including the I3200/T3200/S3200 series. Epson UV printheads are also starting to emerge in the market!
For end users, more consideration is still given to the overall situation of the machine, the cost-effectiveness of the equipment, and the brand value of the product. Because besides the print head, the motherboard software installed on the machine is more critical. Of course, users can also evaluate from various aspects such as the manufacturer's mastery of printhead development, as well as the cost of using the purchased machine, printhead cost, consumables cost, maintenance cost, etc. Overall, when selecting devices, users should be clear about their business planning and overall development needs, and choose products that meet their comprehensive requirements for accuracy, speed, stability, and other aspects.
