Inkjet printing

Inkjet printing is a type of computer printing that recreates a digital image by propelling droplets of ink onto paper, plastic or other substrates.[1] Inkjet printers are the most commonly used type of printer,[2] and range from small inexpensive consumer models to expensive professional machines.

The emerging ink jet material deposition market also uses inkjet technologies, typically printheads using piezoelectric crystals, to deposit materials directly on substrates.

The technology has been extended and the ″ink″ can now also comprise living cells, for creating biosensors and for tissue engineering.

There are two main technologies in use in contemporary inkjet printers: continuous (CIJ) and Drop-on-demand (DOD).

A DOD process uses software that directs the heads to apply between zero and eight droplets of ink per dot, only where needed. Piezo inkjet technology is often used on production lines to mark products. For instance, the “use before” date is often applied to products with this technique; in this application the head is stationary and the product moves past. Requirements of this application are high speed, a long service life, a relatively large gap between the print head and the substrate, and low operating cost.