Squid Ink’s CoPilot 500 Featured in Packaging World

Squid Ink: Flexible ink-jet printing system

Squid Ink Manufacturing has introduced the new CoPilot 500 ink-jet printing system, designed to print superior quality high-resolution characters on porous surfaces.

With up to 2.8 in. print height per printhead, and the ability to run up to two printheads from one controller, the CoPilot 500 offers a versatile, yet cost effective solution for coding and marking.

Squid Ink’s CoPilot 500 features the new 502 series print engine from Xaar, a leading developer of piezoelectric technology for the industrial ink-jet market. The inclusion of the 502 series engine allows more print flexibility including binary and greyscale printing, faster print speeds at lower levels of resolution, and user-defined print droplet size output ranging from 15-75 picoliters. In addition, the new larger 2.8 in. printhead makes an ideal solution for users looking to replace the high cost of labels for their case-coding needs.

The unit’s 4.3 in. full color touchscreen provides access to the system’s internal messages and print functions. Messages are created and edited on Squid Ink’s easy-to-use Orion PC Software and transferred via Ethernet or USB device. For larger applications, a virtually unlimited number of systems can be connected wirelessly or via Ethernet and controlled through one central Orion print station. For users on the go, Squid Ink offers a 10.1 in. full-color Windows tablet with Orion software, ideal for mobile programming within the facility.

The system is capable of running oil-based inks to print up to 5.6 in. (2.8 in. from a single head) of high-resolution characters, razor-sharp text, scannable bar codes, and great looking logos at 200 dpi. Solvent-based systems to print on non-porous surfaces will be available in the near future. For manufacturers looking for more printer mounting flexibility, the CoPilot 500 printhead can be positioned in multiple positions including horizontal, down shooting, and side shooting. For current CoPilot 382 users running 2.1 in. printheads, a controller software upgrade will allow them to run the larger 2.8 in. CoPilot 500 series printheads.