Printing on Wood

Unique demands of printing on wood

• Uptime is critically important for building material production lines. Equipment to print on wood must be dependable and easy to operate. Minimal maintenance is essential to eliminate downtime related to printer repairs and routine maintenance activities, such as replenishing ink.
• Challenges of irregular printing surfaces and hot, dusty production environments can be addressed by rugged CIJ, TIJ, and LCM printers designed for printing on wood. They are well-suited to print crisp, consistent codes in these conditions
• Incorrect codes on lumber and other wood products are tough to fix and can lead to scrap. Printers that limit operator intervention and eliminate data-entry errors are imperative.

Videojet expertise

For printing on wood, Videojet offers three printing/marking technologies along with specially formulated inks to meet unique application needs. To help ensure that the right code goes on the right product every time, Videojet printers incorporate Code Assurance capabilities using rules-based software, user-friendly interface, and network communication.

Continuous inkjet (CIJ):

• Ink-based, non-contact printing of up to five lines of text, linear and 2D bar codes, or graphics
• Variable throw distance reduces printhead damage from uneven lumber surfaces
• Available high-visibility resolution white and pigmented inks in black, blue, red, and yellow add contrast on dark surfaces

Thermal inkjet (TIJ):

• Ink-based, non-contact printing uses heat and surface tension to apply codes onto wood
• Ideal for printing 2D and other high-resolution bar codes and logos
• Easy cartridge change-out provides a new printhead each time

Large character marking (LCM):

• Ink-based, non-contact printing of large alphanumeric codes, bar codes, and logos
• Micro-purge technology helps reduces maintenance and prevents printer damage

Laser Marking Systems

• In addition to ink-based solutions, printing on wood can be achieved with laser marking systems
• Using no consumables, lasers can help to reduce a manufacturer’s environmental footprint.
• The complete line of Videojet CO₂, fiber and UV laser marking systems includes a wide range of power and lense options

Inks for printing on wood

• Videojet offers over 640 application-specific fluids including inks for printing on wood.
• Videojet bulk-ink systems for CIJ, ideal for 24/7 manufacturing, help to reduce consumable costs and extend the time between ink reloads.
• Opaque pigmented CIJ inks are formulated to create highly visible codes on dark-colored surfaces, while resisting the pressure and heat of the manufacturing environment and product-to-product contact during processing. Choose from a range of Videojet pigmented ink colors for printing on wood with the Videojet 1710 CIJ printer.
• Fast-dry CIJ inks are also suitable for printing on wood. These inks incorporate special fast-dry solvents and compatible resin technology necessary when there is little time between each code and when those codes come into contact with typical conveyor components and each other.
• LCM inks for high resolution Videojet 2351 and 2361 printers include M512 black, M535 red, and M537 green. Additional colors are available.