At PACK EXPO Connects, Videojet Technologies launched its new Videojet® 1280 Continuous Inkjet (CIJ) printer that has been designed with two key focuses—reliability and simplicity— making it easy for operators to use and maintain.
“While there is a push for more advanced connectivity and the Industrial Internet of Things, a lot of people just need a good, basic coder that is simple, reliable, and flexible that they can use for their manufacturing needs. And that’s really the niche this product fits into,” explains Mark Breunig, Videojet’s Regional Product Manager for CIJ, North America. “It has the print capacity for up to five lines of print, which meets what pretty much everybody needs in these speeds for all sorts of basic coding applications. So it’s good for all the things ink-jet gets used for—batch codes, serial numbers, barcodes, all those sorts of things.”
The entry-level coder, which comes with an entry-level price, joins Videojet’s existing entry-level printer, the 1220, which Breunig says provides similar speeds to the 1280, but employs the company’s older, core-based maintenance system. “While it offers a very long time between replacement of the core, when you do have to do it, it’s a bit more cumbersome," he explains. "For the 1280, while maintenance has to be done a little more often, it’s quicker and easier, and you can do it yourself.”
As Mark Breunig explained during Videojet's live demo, SmartCell technology makes printer maintenance quick and easy.According to Videojet, with its SmartCell™ service technology, manual maintenance takes just five minutes—a reduction of 95% versus its legacy systems—performed either every year or when the printer reaches 3,000 hours, whichever occurs first. In addition, to help reduce unplanned printer downtime, the 1280 features Videojet Dynamic Calibration™, which enables the printer to constantly monitor environmental conditions and automatically adjust jetting parameters to help maintain superior print quality and maximize uptime. The 1280 is available with an optional dry air kit for very harsh and humid environments.
“Dynamic Calibration keeps the printer running better, longer and keeps the print quality high,” Breunig confirms. “Even in these basic applications, the plant environment can change—it gets cold one day, and it’s hot the next. The dynamic calibration tracks those variables and makes sure the printer has the right settings for the environment it’s in. Even if it’s a simple application, the environment can be challenging, and the printer needs to be able to cope with that.”
If an issue does occur, on-board how-to videos guide operators through basic tasks without the need for extensive training. In addition, optional VideojetConnect™ Remote Service offers remote servicing capabilities. Operators can gain instant access to Videojet’s network of CIJ experts, connecting the Videojet technician directly to the production line for immediate assistance.
Says Breunig, not only can operators connect with technicians via the company’s Videojet Remote Service, but VRS also features dashboards that allow the operator to see the status of their printers. “When they look at a printer, and they see how that printer is doing, it’s like a proxy for the production line,” he explains.
Another feature of the 1280 is the company’s “no mess, no waste, no mistake” SmartCartridge™ system that drains fluids from the cartridge and offers additional protection against leakage during transport and handling. According to Videojet, the 1280 can remain unused for up to 14 days and can still provide excellent print quality on start-up without the need for additional printer intervention.
The 1280 also includes Videojet’s SIMPLICiTY™ interface, launched in 2018. On the 1280, a tablet-inspired, 8-in. touchscreen display is designed to reduce operator printer interactions and help eliminate potential user errors by making it easier to create and manage codes. “It’s a WYSIWYG [What You See is What You Get], tablet-based interface, like using your cellphone, which is definitely an upgrade from the product in that category that it was replacing, which still has an older, membrane-style interface,” says Breunig.
"The Swiss Army knife of print technology,” as Breunig calls CIJ, the 1280 is applicable for almost every application. "Whether you’re printing on boxes, cans, bottles, or wires, and from eggs to airplane parts, it’s an applicable technology,” he says.
Users can choose from a variety of long shelf-life inks designed to meet their requirements. Videojet iQMark™ inks are responsibly designed and manufactured to maximize contrast, adhesion, and uptime while meeting safety, environmental, and regulatory requirements. Every batch is tested to ensure it meets strict quality control specifications.
To view demos from Videojet (available through March 31, 2021) and to add the company to your MyConnects Planner, click here.
