Two types of drop on demand (DOD) industrial printers exist.

First, there is the thermal DOD inkjet. This technology utilizes heat to eject ink out of a chamber and onto the printing surface. Factors to consider include:

• Typically, these thermal drop on demand inkjets require water-based inks, and pigments or dyes are commonly the colorant.
• Print heads are usually cheaper for thermal drop on demands due to there being no special materials required when manufacturing them.

The second type of drop on demand printer is a piezoelectric DOD inkjet. In this type of printer, a piezoelectric material is used to create pressure that causes the ink to eject from the nozzle (compared to the heat used in a thermal drop on demand inkjet). Factors to consider include:

• A wider variety of inks are typically accepted by piezoelectric drop on demand inkjets, also called Piezo inkjets.
• Print heads are often more expensive.
• Commonly used in production lines when marking products with information such as use-by dates.

If you’re searching for either a drop on demand printer or a compatible ink or fluid, please contact us for more information. As a wholesale distributor of printers and a manufacturer of specialty inks and fluids, we’d appreciate the opportunity to work with you.