Case Study: Eliminating Downtime and Blockages with Perfecta® Limitless Plus
Background A customer required reliable printing of a batch number and best before date for quality control and regulatory requirements
Dynamic Ink Test
The Dynamic Industrial Method correctly evaluates & test the performance of polymer thermal inkjet technology by a different set of performance criteria that reflect actual production lines, not test laboratories.
Test Methods
When evaluating polymer thermal inkjet technology it is imperative to test the inks dynamically, rather than current static methods, given our inks are measured by a different set of performance criteria that reflect actual production lines, not test laboratories.
A series of test methods have been developed to test each element of the polymer thermal inkjet inks.
|
Test
|
Description
|
Information
|
|---|---|---|
|
Open Time
|
Intervals between print activity
|
1, 2, 3, 6, 10, 15, 25, 40, 60 & 90 minutes tested
|
|
Printhead Recovery
|
Intervals between print activity
|
15 mins, 30 mins, 8hrs, 18hrs, 24hrs, 72hrs
|
|
Dry Time
|
Time for ink to dry
|
Time for ink to dry when applied to various substrates
|
|
Rub Resistance
|
Resistance to ink rub off
|
Number of mechanical rubs required for printed text to be rub off when applied to various substrates
|
|
Optical Density
|
Darkness on various substrates
|
Use of Spectrophotometer to measure results
|
|
Ink Delivery Volume
|
Print at various intervals
|
Cartridge capacity volume of usable ink
|
|
Temperature Stability
|
Exposure of ink to cycle of temperature extremes
|
Ink printing capability after temperature cycles to determine shelf life expectancy of the ink
|
ADHESION
Twelve industry substrates benchmartked: polyethylene, HDPE, polypropylene, BOPP, PET, PVC, pharmaceutical coated stock, glass, tin plated metal, aluminum foil, coated aluminum & pharmaceutical pack foil.
There are a number of factors that impact inks adhesion on substrates. The surface energy plays a crucial role in determining the wetting behaviour of inks on non porous substrates. Generally, substrates with higher surface energy tend to be more easily wetted by inks, resulting in better adhesion, while substrates with lower surface energy are more likely to repel inks.
There are a number of factors that impact inks adhesion on substrates. The surface energy plays a crucial role in determining the wetting behaviour of inks on non porous substrates. Generally, substrates with higher surface energy tend to be more easily wetted by inks, resulting in better adhesion, while substrates with lower surface energy are more likely to repel inks.
OPTICAL DENSITY
X-rite spectrophotometers allow us to measure
a variety of substrates used in the FMCG market
globally. Spectrophotometers achieve
consistent and accurate colour measurement.
Full optical density reports are provided for polymer thermal inkjet technology printed on benchmark materials i.e. 80g Kraft paper, clear & coated PET film.
Full optical density reports are provided for polymer thermal inkjet technology printed on benchmark materials i.e. 80g Kraft paper, clear & coated PET film.
NOZZLE LATENCY
Nozzle latency is the time nozzles in HPTIJ 2.5
cartridges can be uncovered and idle before the
printhead performance is reduced.
Polymer thermal inkjet technologies incorporate new nozzle latency techniques thus offering long decap/open times.
Polymer thermal inkjet technologies incorporate new nozzle latency techniques thus offering long decap/open times.
DYNAMIC DROP FLIGHT ANALYSIS
With a single drop, a drop-in- flight analyser can
measure trajectory, velocity, average radius and
volume. Thus, we can detect uneven ink density
or uneven colour quality caused by inaccurate
dot placement or varying dot density.
By utilising drop-in-fl ight analysis we are able to optimise polymer thermal inkjet technology to maximise the printability of the ink when printing text, barcodes or logos.
By utilising drop-in-fl ight analysis we are able to optimise polymer thermal inkjet technology to maximise the printability of the ink when printing text, barcodes or logos.
RUB RESISTANCE
A mechanical rub test machine that emulates
the use of manually rubbing ink on substrates
to identify the rub resistance performance of
inks with minimal variation.
The equipment is primarily targeting the application of the ink on the twelve substrates that are typically used in the industry.
The equipment is primarily targeting the application of the ink on the twelve substrates that are typically used in the industry.
INK DELIVERY VOLUME
Many TIJ inks dry out quickly, due to poor
kogation (Gradual and inevitable degradation),
causing nozzle blockages that ruin printer
cartridge uptime. POLYtij®or polymer thermal
inkjet technology uses advanced rheologies which
incorporate polymer resins that stay primed &
stable inside the printhead, even when idle, a
breakthrough we call intervention free
technology.
With optimized ink delivery, the HP TIJ2.5 printers minimise ink usage while maximising print quality and longevity, resulting in cost savings without compromising performance.
With optimized ink delivery, the HP TIJ2.5 printers minimise ink usage while maximising print quality and longevity, resulting in cost savings without compromising performance.
EXTENDED SHELF
Polymer thermal inkjet technology utilises
polymer resin, as such we have an extremely
stable ink architecture. The inks are subjected
to extended periods of freeze/thaw and
high temperature testing in controlled
environments to accelerate the temperature
stability of the inks.
BARCODE PRINTABILITY & VERIFICATION
By utlising a drop fl ight analyser and barcode
verifier we can optimse the performance of
polymer thermal inkjet technology for print
of high quality 1D & 2D barcode symbolgies
on a wide variety of substrates.
The drop-in- flight analyser capture clear images of single drops in flight. The barcode verifier enables us to accurately scan the 1D & 2D barcodes and ascertain the overall printability of the inks on the substrates.
The drop-in- flight analyser capture clear images of single drops in flight. The barcode verifier enables us to accurately scan the 1D & 2D barcodes and ascertain the overall printability of the inks on the substrates.
ADHESION
Twelve industry substrates benchmartked: polyethylene, HDPE, polypropylene, BOPP, PET, PVC, pharmaceutical coated stock, glass, tin plated metal, aluminum foil, coated aluminum & pharmaceutical pack foil.
Inkjet Receptive Kit
Test if Your Materials Are Ready for Inkjet Printing
Before starting a production run, it’s important to know whether your packaging materials will hold ink properly. That’s exactly what our Inkjet Receptive Kit is designed to help you do.
What It Does
This kit helps you check if your surface (like plastic, foil, or film) is suitable for our polymer thermal inkjet inks. It shows whether the ink will stick well — so you don’t waste time, ink, or materials.
What’s Inside
- Test pens to check your material’s surface
- Sample ink for real-life testing
- Easy instructions and tools to help you get started
How It Works
- Use the pen on your surface to see how the liquid behaves.
- If it spreads out smoothly and stays flat — you’re good to go.
- If it beads up or pulls away — the material may need surface treatment before printing.
When to Use It
- Trying new packaging materials
- Printing on tricky surfaces like plastic film or foil
- Troubleshooting poor print quality or ink smudging
This simple test helps you catch issues before they happen — so you can print with confidence, reduce waste, and get the best possible results.
OPTICAL DENSITY
X-rite spectrophotometersallow us to measure a variety of substrates used in the FMCG market globally. Spectrophotometers achieve consistent and accurate colour measurement.
Full optical density reports are provided for polymer thermal inkjet technology printed on benchmark materials i.e. 80g Kraft paper, clear & coated PET film.
NOZZLE LATENCY
Nozzle latency is the time nozzles in HPTIJ 2.5
cartridges can be uncovered and idle before the printhead performance is reduced.
Polymer thermal inkjet technologies incorporate new nozzle latency techniques thus
offering long decap/open times.
DYNAMIC DROP FLIGHT ANALYSIS
With a single drop, a drop-in-flight analyser can measure trajectory, velocity, average radius, and volume. Thus, we can detect uneven ink density or uneven colour quality caused by inaccurate dot placement or varying dot density.
By utilising drop-in-flight analysis, we are able to optimise polymer thermal inkjet technology to maximise the printability of the ink when printing text, barcodes, or logos.
RUB RESISTANCE
A mechanical rub test machine emulates the process of manually rubbing ink on substrates to identify the rub resistance performance of inks with minimal variation.
The equipment primarily targets the application of ink on the twelve substrates that are typically used in the industry.
INK DELIVERY VOLUME
Many TIJ inks dry out quickly due to poor kogation (gradual and inevitable degradation), causing nozzle blockages that ruin printer cartridge uptime. POLYtij® or polymer thermal inkjet technology uses advanced rheologies which incorporate polymer resins that stay primed and stable inside the printhead—even when idle—a breakthrough we call intervention-free technology.
With optimised ink delivery, the HP TIJ2.5 printers minimise ink usage while maximising print quality and longevity, resulting in cost savings without compromising performance.
EXTENDED SHELF LIFE
Polymer thermal inkjet technology utilises polymer resin; as such, we have an extremely stable ink architecture. The inks are subjected to extended periods of freeze/thaw and high-temperature testing in controlled environments to accelerate the assessment of temperature stability.
BARCODE PRINTABILITY & VERIFICATION
By utilising a drop-in-flight analyser and barcode verifier, we can optimise the performance of polymer thermal inkjet technology for the printing of high-quality 1D and 2D barcode symbologies on a wide variety of substrates.
The drop-in-flight analyser captures clear images of single drops in flight. The barcode verifier enables us to accurately scan the 1D and 2D barcodes and ascertain the overall printability of the inks on the substrates.
Our People
Find a Distributor Near You
Use our interactive map Below to locate an authorised DIT distributor in your region. Click on a country to see available suppliers and contact details.
Find Distributor
Looking for us? We’re just around the corner! Connect with our team to learn more about our services near you.
Need some support?
We’re here to help! Reach out, and we’ll provide the guidance and support you need.
Have a question?
Got questions? We’ve got answers! Contact us for any inquiries or more information.