Large Character Drop On Demand (DOD) Inkjet
Large Character Drop on Demand (DOD) inkjet printers are a very reliable and durable inkjet printing technology. Each print-head contains several individual valves (usually 7, 16, or 32) that print dots at regular intervals. The valves, arranged in a single column, but able to open and close independently, form ink drops "on demand" to form printed characters on your product as the product is conveyed adjacent to the print-head. DOD printing is a rugged inkjet technology that can utilize a wide variety of inks and therefore can mark many different substrates. DOD Printers provide incredible flexibility, making low to medium resolution marks over heights that can range from 2.5 mm to 128 mm (or higher when print-heads are linked together).
DOD printers are most suited to printing on to secondary packaging and directly on to timber and hardware products, for example, steel pipe, timber and roofing products.
Advantages of DOD Industrial Inkjet Technology
DOD inkjet printers are simple to operate, require minimal maintenance and are very robust and reliable. They typically have lower capital and operational costs than other inkjet technologies. While they have a wide range of inks suitable for most substrates, their lower printing resolution limits their application in many retail packaging applications.
Matthews DOD printing technology is manufactured in Sweden, originally for the Scandinavian timber industry. It is therefore well suited to tough environments, with dust, shocks and vibrations. In recent times, Matthews have pioneered the design and use of micro-plunger valves, with the smallest and therefore highest resolution DOD print-heads on the market. With smaller valves, come higher print speeds, printing at speeds up to 4 m/s. These plungers make use of unique jewel-based wear surfaces, significantly increasing print quality, service life and eliminating print-head blockages, a common problem for other DOD print-heads. Matthews DOD printheads typically require a service once each 2 or 3 years.
The DOD printers can be easily networked in to our iDSnet Packaging Code Management software solution.