How Continuous Inkjet (CIJ) Printers Work + Costs

A continuous inkjet printer (CIJ) is a non-contact industrial inkjet printer that fires a continuous stream of charged ink droplets, then deflects selected droplets to form characters on a product surface while unused droplets are recirculated. Because nothing touches the product, a CIJ printer codes fast-moving lines with dates, batch numbers and barcodes. Running costs come mainly from consumables (ink and make-up solvent), filter changes and periodic servicing, so the biggest cost lever is keeping the printer maintained and running with minimal downtime.

How a CIJ printer works

Continuous inkjet works by generating an unbroken stream of ink droplets under pressure. The system charges individual droplets, then passes them through a deflection field. Charged droplets are steered to land on the surface and build up characters, while droplets not needed for the code are captured and returned to the system to be reused. This recirculation is what the word "continuous" refers to: the ink stream never stops during printing.

Nexus Australia supplies and supports Markem-Imaje CIJ printers Australia-wide for date coding, batch numbers and barcodes. Continuous inkjet printing offers automatic nozzle cleaning and compatibility with different inks, which suits food, pharmaceuticals, packaging and electronics applications.

The charged-drop and ink circulation system

Two things make CIJ distinct. First, the charged-drop mechanism lets the printer place ink precisely at high speed without a printhead ever contacting the product. Second, the closed ink circuit keeps the fluid moving, which is why automatic nozzle cleaning matters: it helps prevent the fine nozzle from clogging between jobs and at start-up and shutdown.

What substrates and products CIJ suits

Continuous inkjet is commonly used on packaging materials such as paper, cardboard, plastics (PET, PVC, HDPE, LDPE), glass bottles, metal cans and flexible films. It is also applied to wood, fabrics, foils, rubber, ceramics and electronic components for product identification and coding.

Typical codes a CIJ printer applies include batch or lot numbers for traceability, expiry and manufacturing dates, barcodes and QR codes, serial numbers, logos and branding, ingredient and nutritional information on food packaging, warning labels, variable data and production codes for quality control.

Line speed and production environments

Markem-Imaje inkjet printers print from low up to high speed applications, so CIJ fits everything from slower manual-fed benches through to fast continuous conveyor lines. The non-contact method is well suited to curved, uneven or moving surfaces where a contact coder would struggle, which is why it is a common choice across food, pharmaceutical, packaging and electronics production.

Consumables and what drives the running cost

CIJ is a consumable-driven technology. On the Nexus page, Markem-Imaje inks cover a broad spectrum of applications to suit different substrates, with a choice of ink colours. In general terms, the recurring running cost of any continuous inkjet system is shaped by a few things:

• Ink usage, which depends on how many characters you print and how often the line runs.
• Make-up solvent, which most CIJ systems consume to keep ink at the correct viscosity as solvent evaporates during operation.
• Filters and service parts that are replaced on a maintenance schedule to protect the ink circuit and nozzle.
• Servicing labour and uptime, since unplanned stoppages cost more than the fluids themselves on a busy line.

These are general cost drivers for continuous inkjet, not a Nexus quote. Actual consumable use varies with your substrate, code content, shift pattern and ambient conditions, so any per-code or annual figure should be worked out against your real line. For an accurate estimate, ask us to scope a CIJ printer against your production line.

Maintenance and minimising downtime

The practical way to control CIJ running costs is to reduce downtime. Automatic nozzle cleaning helps keep the printhead clear through start-up and shutdown, and following the recommended maintenance schedule (replacing filters and service parts on time) keeps print quality stable and avoids the larger cost of an unplanned line stop. Keeping ink and solvent topped up and stored correctly, and having the right consumables on hand, also helps the printer stay in service during a run.

Where CIJ fits alongside other coding methods

CIJ is one of several coding and marking options. For solvent-free permanent marks some sites choose a laser coding system, and for high-resolution codes on labels and film a thermal transfer overprinter is often used. We compare the main technologies in our inkjet vs laser coding guide, so use that if you are weighing methods against each other rather than focusing on CIJ alone.

Frequently asked questions

How does a CIJ printer work?

A CIJ printer produces a continuous stream of ink droplets, charges them, and deflects selected droplets onto the product to form characters. Unused droplets are recirculated back into the system. It is non-contact, so it prints on moving products without touching them.

What does a CIJ printer cost to run?

Running cost is driven by consumables (ink and make-up solvent), filters and service parts, and servicing labour, plus the cost of any downtime. There is no single figure because usage depends on your substrate, code content and shift pattern. Contact Nexus for an estimate based on your line.

What can a CIJ printer code on?

Continuous inkjet is commonly used on paper, cardboard, plastics (PET, PVC, HDPE, LDPE), glass bottles, metal cans and flexible films, and is also applied to wood, fabrics, foils, rubber, ceramics and electronic components.

How fast can a CIJ printer code?

Markem-Imaje inkjet printers print from low up to high speed applications, making CIJ suitable for both slower benches and fast continuous production lines.

Which brand of CIJ printer does Nexus supply?

Nexus Australia supplies and supports Markem-Imaje CIJ printers Australia-wide for date coding, batch numbers and barcodes.

Want CIJ scoped and costed for your products? Talk to the Nexus team for a quote on request and we will match a continuous inkjet printer and consumables to your line.