Large Character / DOD Inkjet
Bold, visible marking for cartons, bags, and building materials
What It Is
A drop-on-demand inkjet technology optimized for large, bold characters visible from a distance, commonly used for shipping marks and bulk product coding.
How It Works
An array of solenoid-actuated valve jets fires larger ink droplets on demand to form large dot-matrix characters as the product passes beneath the printhead array.
Typical Machine Appearance
A wide printhead bar with multiple visible jet modules, mounted above or beside conveyor lines, connected to an ink reservoir cabinet.
Typical Applications
- • Shipping case marks
- • Bag and sack coding (cement, plywood, chemicals)
- • Pallet and pipe marking
Suitable Substrates
Speed & Print Quality
Speed: Medium, tuned for large-character legibility rather than fine detail
Quality: Good for large bold text; not designed for small barcodes
Consumables & Maintenance
Consumables: Ink (oil or solvent-based depending on model)
Maintenance level: Medium — jet module cleaning and ink system upkeep
Best-Fit Industries
Advantages
- Highly visible bold marks
- Robust for rough/porous substrates
- Good for outdoor/warehouse legibility
Limitations
- Not suited for compact or high-resolution codes
- Ink consumption can be higher per character due to large dot size
- Limited font/graphic flexibility
Common Mistakes
- Using DOD where a small barcode/QR is actually required
- Ignoring nozzle wear on abrasive substrates like plywood
Hidden Cost Factors
- Higher ink usage per print due to bold character size
- Nozzle wear from porous/dusty substrates
When Not To Use DOD / LCM
When fine text, small barcodes, or premium print quality is required — TIJ/TTO/Piezo are better fits.