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Continuous Inkjet: the Printing Technology you’ve Probably not Heard Before

Published

5 years ago

September 1, 2019

The term ‘inkjet printing’ is probably familiar to you. In fact, chances are that you probably have a desktop inkjet printer at your home. However, ‘thermal’ inkjet printers (the ones typically found in homes) represent only a portion of inkjet printing technology. In most industrial settings, a continuous inkjet printer is used instead. What exactly is a continuous inkjet printer?

What is continuous inkjet printing?

Continuous inkjet (CIJ) printing was actually the first inkjet printing technology developed – a good two decades before thermal inkjet printers were created. Since the 1950s, the fundamental concept behind its operation has barely changed, which is more of a testament to how reliable and effective the technology is.

CIJ printing starts with a high-pressure pump delivering ink from the printer’s reservoir to the nozzle. The printer nozzle continuously vibrates because of a connected piezoelectric crystal – a crystal that creates vibration when it receives a current supply. The vibration of the nozzle breaks apart the stream of ink into microscopic particles. The spacing of these ink particles can vary according to how quickly the piezoelectric crystal vibrates because of the current that it receives.

From the nozzle, the ink particles go through a charged electrode that creates an electric field. The current supply to this electrode turns on and off, resulting in an alternating series of charged and uncharged ink droplets.

The droplets then pass through another electric field, this time created by a charged plate. The ink droplets are repelled away from the charged plate at an angle determined by the charge status of each droplet. These repelled ink droplets then hit the printing substrate. Uncharged particles simply go straight through the second electric field and enter a recycle stream that brings them back to the printer reservoir.

Where is it used?

Not many people may know about CIJ printing, but just about everyone has seen products of the technology around. Because of its superior printing speed, adhesion, and durability, CIJ printing is the most preferred method for marking product packaging with product codes, expiration dates, and barcodes.

If a product needs to bear markings that should not be rendered illegible under any circumstance – such as warning labels or hazard symbols – then CIJ printing is still the most reliable technology.

CIJ printing is even versatile enough for printing directly on food, such as meat and dairy products. Naturally, food-grade ink needs to be used with CIJ printers for such applications.

The applications of CIJ printing aren’t limited to consumer products. It has also been used to mark medical supplies such syringes, IV bags, and rubber tubes. Even NASA uses CIJ printing for parts that are meant to be used in space, which is quite a statement to the reliability of CIJ printers.

What are its benefits over other inkjet printing technologies?

Faster

The combination of the Rayleigh mechanism for breaking up the ink droplets and the electric field-propelled ejection of ink into the substrate makes CIJ printing extremely fast – up to a maximum of almost 200 meters per minute, or equivalent to around 120,000 drops of ink per second. For reference, even modern thermal inkjet printers are only capable of about half of that speed. This has made TIJ printing the method of choice for high-volume marking and coding requirements.

Better adhesion

Since all ink droplets that hit the substrate are electrically charged, the ink used in CIJ printing adheres exceptionally well to a variety of materials. It has a low tendency to smudge even on smooth surfaces such as glass or photo paper. Prints made using the CIJ method don’t fade or become damaged over time, which makes them excellent for products that can go through a lot of handling or be exposed to the outdoor elements.

Versatile

The superior adhesion of CIJ printing makes it a suitable method for printing on curved or uneven surfaces that can otherwise result in the ink pooling or smudging. Despite being an old technology, there is still a whole spectrum of different inks compatible with CIJ printers that can be used for different materials and applications. CIJ printing performs equally well whether it’s used to print on smooth, porous, absorbent, or biodegradable materials.

Summary

Despite the age of the technology, continuous inkjet printers are still alive and kicking. With so many commercial and industrial applications even until today, it has proven itself to be one of the most enduring printing technologies in human history.

Blog

6 Reasons to Try Cannabis Edibles

Published

1 year ago

February 21, 2023

Jimmy Lerner

Are you looking for a reason to try cannabis edibles? If you’re wondering if there are benefits to edibles that you can’t get with other forms of cannabis, the answer is yes. Here are some of the best reasons to try cannabis edibles.

Some edibles are boosted

When you smoke cannabis flower, you’re only getting cannabis. That’s not a bad thing, but there are brands that sell edibles that have been boosted with other ingredients. For instance, you’ve probably seen capsules with added herbs to help you sleep – the same is true for edibles.

One of the newer enhanced cannabis edibles are the Bits adaptogen-boosted edibles. These new cannabis edibles contain just 5mg of THC per Bit so you don’t overdo anything. Each flavor is packed with a unique blend of adaptogens like ashwagandha, reishi, elderflower, lemon balm, ginseng, guarana, and rose hip.

Why adaptogens? Adaptogens have been proven to have a positive impact on the central nervous system by decreasing sensitivity to stressors. In other words, adaptogens reduce stress and anxiety and contribute to an overall sense of wellbeing. When you consume cannabis edibles boosted by adaptogens, you’re going to feel more relaxed.

Edibles provide precise and consistent dosing

One of the best reasons to try edibles is for precise and consistent dosing. When edibles are made, the cannabis is thoroughly and evenly mixed in, so each serving has the intended dosage when the final product is made. In addition, premium cannabis brands like Verano lab test each batch to ensure quality and consistency with all of their products, including cannabis edibles.

When you smoke flower, you won’t always get the same amount of THC. It’s nearly impossible to know how much THC or CBD you’re getting from smoking flower. Even when you smoke the same strain in the same amount, the THC and other cannabinoids are distributed unevenly throughout each bud.

If precise and consistent dosing is important to you, then edibles are going to be your favorite cannabis delivery method.

Edibles are tasty

Edibles taste good, so why not try them? It’s just like eating a snack or a treat, but with a purpose. If you’ve avoided trying cannabis tinctures or oil because you don’t like the flavor, that’s understandable. Edibles are different because the taste of cannabis itself can be easily masked.

Brands go out of their way to come up with recipes that taste good because they know some people don’t like the strong flavor of cannabis. Edibles like brownies, cookies, and chocolate bars usually just taste like any other cookie, brownie, or chocolate bar. Premium cannabis brands will also use quality ingredients to produce the best cannabis-infused gummies, hard candies, and baked goods.

Edibles are easy to carry

If you want to carry your cannabis around discreetly, that’s easiest with edibles. They usually come in smaller packages that you can fit into a pocket or bag, and edibles are easy to eat without anyone suspecting you’re consuming cannabis.

When carrying edibles, be smart about where you bring them. Make sure you know where you can and can’t have them. If you’re headed to the airport of a government building, for example, you’ll want to leave your edibles at home.

The effects of edibles last for a long time

Smoking flower is great when you need relief quickly, but when you want the effects to last a long time, edibles are your best option. When you ingest cannabis, it takes longer for the effects to kick in, but those effects will last for a much longer time. You also don’t need to consume as much cannabis to get these long-lasting effects.

Everyone is different, and the timing depends on a multitude of factors like our metabolism and whether you’ve eaten or have an empty stomach. However, in general, it takes between 30 minutes and 4 hours to start feeling the effects of edibles. From there, the effects can last a few hours or even up to twelve hours. This is why many people take edibles before going to bed – getting that full impact while they sleep makes them wake up feeling incredibly rested.

Edibles are a great alternative to smoking

Although smoking cannabis is probably the most popular consumption method, it’s not for everyone. Edibles won’t expose you to the potentially harmful effects of smoking. If you’ve been avoiding trying cannabis because you thought you had to smoke it, edibles are the perfect opportunity for you to try cannabis.

Already familiar with edibles? Try something new

If you’ve been consuming cannabis edibles for a while, maybe it’s time to try something new. If you’ve always been into baked goods, branch out and try some beverages, chocolate bars, or even an adaptogen-boosted cannabis gummy for example. There are plenty of edibles to choose from so you can be sure you’ll find something new that you can enjoy.