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Inkjet has matured into a reliable, versatile platform. But its real potential lies in the emerging technologies that push it into new realms: nanotechnology, precision optics, and hybrid processes that blur the lines between printing and manufacturing. At IPI, the emerging technologies track showcases how researchers and companies are extending inkjet into areas once considered out of reach.

 

BEYOND THE DROPLET: REDEFINING DEPOSITION

Traditional inkjet relies on droplets in the 1-10 picolitre range, optimized for smooth films and patterned graphics. But many emerging applications require either much finer resolution – sub-micron patterning for displays and electronics – or entirely new material classes such as nanocrystals, conductive pastes, and biological particles. Meeting these demands means rethinking droplet formation itself.

Scrona, for example, is leveraging electrohydrodynamic jetting to go beyond piezo limitations. By using electric fields to draw fluid, rather than pressure waves to push it, EHD achieves feature sizes and viscosities unattainable with conventional systems. This not only expands material compatibility but also opens new scaling paths through MEMS-based multinozzle arrays. Scrona’s approach shows how EHD jetting opens applications for electronics and optics that need finer features and thicker materials.

 

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Viscosity has long defined the boundaries of inkjet technology. For decades, piezoelectric printheads have been optimized to jet fluids in the range of 8-25 mPa·s. That range has enabled remarkable growth in graphics, textiles, packaging, and even some functional printing. Yet, entire industries remain out of reach because their materials – adhesives, coatings, paints, resists – are simply too thick. The future of inkjet depends on breaking this viscosity barrier.

 

WHY VISCOSITY MATTERS

Viscosity is not just a number. It is the expression of a fluid’s resistance to flow, shaped by its molecular structure and interactions. High-viscosity fluids tend to carry functional payloads – polymers, nanoparticles, conductive fillers, or resins – that enable electrical, optical, or structural performance. But these same properties make them difficult to jet: they resist acceleration, risk clogging, and require careful control of surface tension and nozzle geometry.

For industrial production, this is a critical limitation. Manufacturers who rely on screen printing or dispensing have access to a much wider viscosity window, which allows them to work with richer and more functional formulations. If inkjet is to challenge these incumbent processes, it must stretch far beyond its comfort zone.

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Every inkjet system, no matter how advanced, depends on one deceptively small component: the printhead. It is where digital design becomes physical reality, as carefully engineered waveforms and fluid properties are transformed into droplets traveling at velocities approaching a dozen meters per second. At IPI, the printhead track explores this core of inkjet technology – focusing on what productivity, durability, and performance truly mean for OEMs who need reliable uptime and predictable costs.

 

BEYOND RESOLUTION: THE TRUE MEANING OF PRODUCTIVITY

When we talk about productivity in printheads, the conversation often begins and ends with specifications: resolution, frequency, velocity. These are important, but they are not the whole story. For an OEM building a sustainable printing system, productivity is measured not in droplets per second, but in uptime, consistency, and predictability.

Aidan Feighan, Technical Special Projects Manager, Fujifilm Dimatix stresses this broader perspective. In a production environment, a printhead is valuable not just because it can jet faster. Its real value is in continuing to jet reliably after thousands of hours. Predictable performance minimizes downtime and simplifies cost modeling, allowing OEMs to promise end-users both speed and consistency. This is where productivity becomes less about “how fast can it go?” and more about “how long can it keep going at the same quality?” His perspective highlights why uptime and consistency often matter more to OEMs than sheer jetting speed. 

12 November 2025, 11:20: “Performance, Productivity, Durability: Behind the Slogan, at the Core of Fujifilm Dimatix’ Inkjet Technology” by Aidan Feighan, Fujifilm Dimatix
Visitor takeaway: Productivity in printheads is defined by predictable performance and minimized downtime – the real drivers of cost efficiency on the factory floor.