NEEDHAM CODING LAUNCHES FIRST OWN BRAND CONTINUOUS INK JET PRINTERS

Robust and reliable ‘N’ series of small and large character continuous ink jet printers offer major cost, performance and environmental benefits In an unprecedented move to help meet an ambitious growth strategy, Needham Coding UK (+44 (0) 114 2570007; www.needham-coding.com) – part of The Needham Group – has launched an own brand range of high performance continuous ink jet (CIJ) printers. The next generation, non-contact ‘N’ series represents a first for the company which has built an unrivalled reputation as a leading distributor of coding and marking equipment.
Needham Coding’s new user-friendly, low maintenance ‘N’ series of CIJ inkjet printers offer small and large character printing from 0.6mm up to 19mm. Providing major cost, performance and environmental benefits, the ‘N’ series boasts a Mean Time Before Failure (MTBF) of 40,000 operating hours and is designed for harsh wet and dry applications across a wide range of industries, including food & beverage, chemical, pharmaceutical, DIY and personal care / cosmetics.

Ideal for global coding and marking applications, the compact ‘N’ series uses multi-national character sets, featuring multiple languages and Unicode character printing. The printers accurately and reliably reproduce a wide range of fonts such as bar codes, batch numbers and best before, sell-by and expiration dates, as well as other logos and graphics, directly onto uneven or flexible substrates like glass, plastics, paper, metal and rubber.

“For the first time in our history, Needham Coding is launching its own brand range of CIJ printers,” comments Aled Ellis, Managing Director at The Needham Group. “It was a natural next step for the business and is the first in a series of exciting initiatives designed to help The Needham Group meet its global growth objectives. It is also a perfect fit with our sister business, Needham Inks, which develops and manufactures inks distributed worldwide via a growing distributor network.

Aled continues: “The ‘N’ series is set to be a real game-changer both for existing customers and previously untapped business. We are confident the printers will meet the efficiency requirements of virtually any production environment with the capability to print anything and marking and coding everything.”

The ‘N’ series offers a range of exciting features including Trupoint™ which provides superior CIJ print quality. Through high speed processing and CIJ specific electronic hardware, millions of drop patterns are dynamically adjusted on the fly to achieve best in class print quality. The printers also incorporate Needham Coding’s proprietary CleanStart™ technology which automatically cleans the system eliminating the need for daily and weekly manual cleaning.

All models in the ‘N’ series provide a true non-contact print operation with the ink thrown from the printhead a minimum ink throw distance of 12mm and up to a maximum distance of 50mm.
Depending on the model, the ‘N’ series can print a single line of text at speeds exceeding 600m/minute, two lines over 200m/minute and three or four lines of print at 100m/minute. The controls are housed in an ergonomically designed stainless steel cabinet which is sealed to IP55 or IP65 standards.

A large 10.4” touch screen is available as standard with full colour display making set up and reprogramming both simple and intuitive. The printers’ CodeConnect™ function boasts integrated USB, RS232, multiple programmable inputs and outputs and optional Ethernet communications enabling network connectivity allowing integration into any applications.

External fill fluid addition allows On-The-Fly Ink and Makeup Filling without needing to open the enclosure. Ink and makeup bottles drain completely so every drop is used with no wastage. An Ecotec™ fluid management system, which comprises a proprietary ink tank, SmartFilter™ pump and twin trap vapour condensing unit, reduces solvent consumption and lowers overall cost of ownership while extending the time between solvent additions and filter replacements.

There are four models in the ‘N’ series – the N16, N16 Plus, N25 and N32. The N16 ink jet printer is designed for basic, entry level applications printing one or two lines of text, barcodes and graphics, while the advanced N32 is aimed at high speed applications printing up to five lines of text, barcode and graphics and offering 10,000 hour operation between service intervals.

Needham Coding’s sister company, Needham Inks, provide a truly extensive range of quick to immediate dry inks to meet any marking and coding application. Globally acclaimed and used throughout many blue chip companies, Needham inks and fluids can be tailored to meet virtually every requirement.