Timbermark, the supplier of marking systems for the timber industry, has been working to develop solutions for printing on construction panels.
The new systems use thermal inkjet technology, or “TIJ”, which delivers a sharp quality print well suited for use on fast production lines, up to 150m/minute.
Where previous inkjet systems were notoriously messy and unreliable, TIJ machine technology is low cost, simple to use, reliable and provides high resolution print quality.
The controller is solid state, and the ink system is gravity fed, so there are no moving parts, pumps or solenoids. Because the print head is integrated into the ink cartridge, the servicing and fault finding requires no specialist knowledge or maintenance skills.
The print quality is super-sharp and works at high line speeds.
The benefits of this new technology have already been recognised by some panel producers. Currently there is an order in progress with Swiss Krono Group’s Hungarian plant, to mark sheets of OSB on its main production line and also on the tongue and groove conversion process.
Sussex-based Matchboard, which machine beads profiles onto sheets of MDF is a longstanding Timbermark customer. Matchboard has a Sojet printer on each of its three production lines. The reason for choosing the TIJ system was its print quality, ease of use and affordable purchase price.
Timbermark is also a supplier to Sotrinbois in France, a producer of MDF profiles for the DIY sector. Sotrinbois has a Sojet system in place to print with 18-print heads. The arrangement is to print the pieces with their reference and a bar code. The panel is printed before being cut into strips and then processed in a moulder. The print quality is very sharp, allowing Sotrin to print retailer bar codes directly onto the material, obviating the need for paper stickers.
For conversion operations, there is a portable printing option available, using a hand-held printer. Sojet handjets have the same capabilities as the fixed position installations, but are available mail order, ex stock, and from under £1,000.
Swiss Krono originally requested a couple of Sojet’s “Dragon” D1 printers to add custom marking post-production to secure an export order. Impressed with the print quality and user-friendly nature of the hand-held option, it then opted for Sojet TIJ technology when purchasing the fixed position printers for its production line.
Timbermark will be exhibiting at Ligna in May 2021, where the full range of applications will be on display. The company has kept focus on its European export business, with sales in 2020 to Hungary and Slovakia.
Timbermark is a core distributor for Sojet, and holds comprehensive stock of printers and consumables at its premises in Oxford. The full range of Sojet TIJ printers and cartridges can be purchased direct from Timbermark’s e-commerce site, www.t-mark.co.uk
