{"id":24117,"date":"2025-09-22T13:15:07","date_gmt":"2025-09-22T17:15:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/maplejet.com\/in\/ctij-defining-the-next-era-of-industrial-coding-and-marking\/"},"modified":"2025-09-22T13:49:14","modified_gmt":"2025-09-22T17:49:14","slug":"ctij-defining-the-next-era-of-industrial-coding-and-marking","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/maplejet.com\/in\/ctij-defining-the-next-era-of-industrial-coding-and-marking\/","title":{"rendered":"CTIJ: Defining the Next Era of Industrial Coding and Marking"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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For years, manufacturers have faced a difficult choice in product coding and marking: Thermal Inkjet (TIJ)<\/strong> for its precision and simplicity, or Continuous Inkjet (CIJ)<\/strong> for nonstop reliability. Both technologies have defined the packaging industry, but each comes with trade-offs\u2014downtime, maintenance, consumable costs, or limits on substrates. These compromises are no longer acceptable in today\u2019s market, where compliance, efficiency, and sustainability directly affect profitability and customer trust.<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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To address this challenge, Maplejet has created a new category of coding and marking: Continuous Thermal Inkjet (CTIJ).<\/strong> CTIJ is not a step forward in inkjet\u2014it is a redefinition of what industrial coding can achieve.<\/strong> By combining the zero-maintenance ease of TIJ<\/strong> with the robustness and uptime of CIJ<\/strong>, CTIJ eliminates the weaknesses of both. For executives and production leaders, this means fewer stoppages, lower costs, and greater certainty in meeting compliance and operational targets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Legacy of TIJ and CIJ<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

TIJ\u2019s Role in the Market<\/strong>
TIJ established itself as the coding solution of choice where sharp, scannable codes were critical. Pharmaceutical packaging, food labels, and consumer goods cartons benefitted from TIJ\u2019s high-resolution output and cartridge simplicity<\/strong>. For operators, plug-and-play cartridges reduced training and minimized errors. Yet TIJ also carried hidden costs: frequent cartridge changeovers disrupted uptime, ink portfolios were limited, and consumable expenses climbed in high-volume environments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

CIJ\u2019s Role in the Market<\/strong>
CIJ earned its dominance on fast-moving production lines where uptime and ink adhesion on diverse substrates<\/strong>\u2014plastics, metals, glass\u2014were non-negotiable. Its continuous ink circulation made it ideal for high-speed coding, but at a price: lower print resolution, higher maintenance, and greater environmental impact<\/strong> due to solvent inks and fluid waste.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Together, TIJ and CIJ defined the industry, but they forced production leaders into a \u201cquality vs. uptime\u201d trade-off<\/strong> that slowed innovation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

CTIJ: The Hybrid Solution<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

CTIJ bridges the divide.<\/strong> It delivers the 600 dpi clarity of TIJ<\/strong> with the nonstop operation of CIJ<\/strong>, enabling manufacturers to meet modern requirements without compromise. Built on Brady\u2019s industrial-grade TIJ cartridge technology<\/strong>, CTIJ offers:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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  • Industrial durability<\/strong> \u2013 engineered for vibration, dust, and continuous production.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Reliable ink delivery<\/strong> \u2013 closed-loop pressure systems and quality feedback ensure consistency at high speeds.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Versatile ink options<\/strong> \u2013 water-based and semi-solvent inks for cartons, plastics, foils, bottles, cans, and corrugated boxes.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • No-stop operation<\/strong> \u2013 hot-swappable cartridges eliminate downtime during changeovers.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

    This combination creates a platform that is compliance-ready, cost-efficient, and future-proof.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Where These Technologies Are Used<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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    • Traditional TIJ<\/strong> remains useful for shorter runs, carton coding, and pharmaceutical applications where clarity is paramount and downtime is manageable.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • CIJ<\/strong> still serves in environments where solvent-based coding on glass or plastics is required, despite its heavy maintenance load.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • CTIJ<\/strong>, however, is the clear choice for mainstream, high-volume production<\/strong> where uptime, compliance, and cost-efficiency must coexist. It is particularly valuable in food, beverage, and pharmaceutical industries<\/strong>, where regulatory demands and brand protection leave no room for error.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

      Comparison of Coding Technologies<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
      Feature<\/strong><\/td>Thermal Inkjet (TIJ)<\/strong><\/td>Continuous Inkjet (CIJ)<\/strong><\/td>Continuous Thermal Inkjet (CTIJ)<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><\/thead>
      Print Quality<\/strong><\/td>High (up to 600 dpi)<\/td>Low\u2013Medium (60\u2013120 dpi)<\/td>High (up to 600 dpi)<\/td><\/tr>
      Operation<\/strong><\/td>Intermittent (cartridge-based)<\/td>Continuous (bulk ink system)<\/td>Continuous with cartridge hot-swap<\/td><\/tr>
      Ink Options<\/strong><\/td>Limited, best on porous substrates, and some non-porous substrates<\/td>Wide, suitable for plastics, glass, metals<\/td>Wide, suitable for plastics, glass, metal<\/td><\/tr>
      Maintenance<\/strong><\/td>Minimal<\/td>High (requires servicing, filters, pumps)<\/td>Minimal, closed-loop pressure system<\/td><\/tr>
      Uptime<\/strong><\/td>Limited by cartridge changes<\/td>High<\/td>High (no-stop design)<\/td><\/tr>
      Applications<\/strong><\/td>Cartons, labels, pharma packs, flexible films<\/td>Plastics, metals, glass, bottles<\/td>Plastics, cans, glass, metals, bottles<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

      What CTIJ Means for the Market<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

      The arrival of CTIJ signals a turning point for the coding and marking industry. For years, manufacturers have had to compromise: accept TIJ\u2019s maintenance-free simplicity but live with downtime, or embrace CIJ\u2019s nonstop reliability but bear the burden of servicing and consumables. CTIJ eliminates this choice by delivering both in a single platform.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      For executives, CTIJ means:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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      • Assured compliance<\/strong> with Sunrise 2027 and GS1 barcode standards.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
      • Reduced operating costs<\/strong> through longer head life and bulk-ink options.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
      • Improved efficiency and profitability<\/strong> by minimizing stoppages.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
      • Alignment with sustainability goals<\/strong>, thanks to lower VOC emissions and reduced cartridge waste.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

        In practice, CTIJ gives packaging lines the ability to run smarter, faster, and longer<\/strong>, unlocking measurable gains in efficiency and business continuity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        Looking Ahead: Hx Ultimo CTIJ at Pack Expo 2025<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

        Maplejet\u2019s Hx Ultimo CTIJ<\/strong>, debuting at Pack Expo 2025, embodies this breakthrough. Designed for bottles, cans, and complex curved surfaces, it combines high-throw capability, aggressive ink formulations, and nonstop reliability<\/strong> in a single system. For decision-makers, this is not just a new printer\u2014it is a strategic investment in resilience, compliance, and competitiveness.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

        Equally important, CTIJ is already a validated technology<\/strong>. Since 2022, Maplejet\u2019s Hx Ultro bulk-ink CTIJ<\/strong> has been running successfully in high-volume flexible packaging lines worldwide.<\/strong> Its fully automated bulk ink delivery, combined with zero-maintenance operation, has proven CTIJ\u2019s ability to deliver sustained performance in demanding industrial environments.<\/strong> This track record offers clear proof that the technology is not theoretical\u2014it is real, reliable, and ready.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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