Comparison Engine
Compare Industrial Printing Technologies
Select up to 3 technologies, or choose a preset comparison, to see a category-by-category breakdown.
Profile Comparison
Category-by-Category Comparison
| Criteria | CIJ | TIJ | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| CAPEX (Investment Level) | Medium | Low-Medium | TIJ |
| Running Cost (OPEX) | Medium-High | Medium | TIJ |
| Print Speed | 9/10 | 6/10 | CIJ |
| Print Quality | 6/10 | 9/10 | TIJ |
| Ease of Maintenance | 5/10 | 8/10 | TIJ |
| Consumable Dependency (lower is better) | 8/10 | 6/10 | TIJ |
Best Fit For Your Use Case
- Continuous Inkjet (CIJ): FMCG, Beverage, Food, Cable & wire, Pipes
- Thermal Inkjet (TIJ): Corrugation, FMCG secondary packaging, Pharma cartons, E-commerce
Warning Points
- CIJ: Ongoing solvent/makeup consumption
- TIJ: Cartridge cost per litre is higher than bulk CIJ ink
Questions to Ask Vendors
- What is the guaranteed cost per print at our actual production volume, including all consumables?
- What is the printhead/laser source/consumable replacement interval and its cost?
- What is the average service response time (SLA) in our region?
- What preventive maintenance schedule and cost should we budget annually?
- What is the expected uptime/reliability track record for this model in our industry?
- Can you provide reference customers running similar substrates/volumes?
- What training is included for our operators, and what is the learning curve?
- What is the warranty period and what does it exclude?
- What spare parts do you recommend keeping on-site, and their cost?
- How does the machine perform at our specific line speed and substrate?
Management Summary
Among Continuous Inkjet (CIJ) and Thermal Inkjet (TIJ), the right choice depends on your substrate, volume, and quality requirements. Use the category winners above as a starting point, but validate with a live trial and a vendor-quoted total cost of ownership before final purchase.