David’s Memjet Label Printer FAQ

What is Memjet?
Memjet is a new concept in inkjet printing for labels and other flexible materials. Unlike previous generation inkjet printers, where the printhead has to move across the labels, the Memjet head is stationary and applies ink to the label material as it moves past.
For a long time there has been a lot of interest in being able to produce high quality coloured labels right at the time they are needed. Memjet promises to make this finally possible.

Will Memjet work with my existing labels?
Unless the labels are specially made for inkjet printing, the chances are that they will not work on a Memjet printer. Indeed, from the testing we’ve done, not all inkjet labels will print well in these printers.
We have a range of label materials that we have tested and proven to work well on the Memjet printers. You can be confident that these will give excellent results. If you need to use any other label materials, we’ll be happy to test them on our printer to make sure they are compatible.
If you buy your Memjet labels from ID Technology, you will have the assurance that they have been thoroughly tested to perform correctly with the Memjet printers.

What is the resolution of the Memjet printer?
The Memjet printer has 1600 dots per inch across the printhead. In the direction of label feed, the resolution can be set to be 800 or 1600 DPI.

How fast will the Memjet printer print my labels?
Current Memjet printers operate at either 6 inches per second (at 1600 x 1600 DPI resolution) or 12 inches per second (at 1600 x 800 DPI). We have found that the slower speed/higher resolution gives noticeably better ink coverage.

How much will each printed label cost me?
Our VP700 printer comes with a utility that calculates exactly how much ink is used to print a particular label format. It allows the user to enter the cost per liter of ink and the program will show the actual cost of ink used to print that label.

How quickly does the ink dry?
If you are using compatible labels with your printer, the ink is dry just about instantly. In the event your labels are not Memjet compatible, the ink will probably never dry.

What are the largest and smallest labels I can print on my Memjet printer?
The Memjet printer can print on labels as large as 8.5 inches wide and down to 2 inches wide. Our VP700 is designed to handle a roll of labels up to 8 inches in diameter.

Note that Memjet printheads are often stacked to produce wide-web digital label presses, but that’s not really what we are looking at here.

Can I use Memjet for GHS labeling?
While the colour print from Memjet is great for printing those Pictograms on GHS compliant labels, the inks used are not going to be compliant with the durability demands of BS5609. If you need to meet this requirement and want to use Memjet, you’ll need to apply a clear over-laminate to the label to protect the print.
An alternative to Memjet for GHS labeling is to use our VP495 printer which uses pigment based inks. These are capable of meeting BS5609 as long as our approved label material is specified.

Are all Memjet printers basically the same?
To some extent, yes. While there are a number of manufacturers selling Memjet based printers, they all use the same printing module that is sourced from Memjet. This comprises the label feed mechanism, the ink management system, the printhead, electronics and the cutter module. OEM manufacturers take this Memjet assembly and build their machine around it.
If you look at the machines on the market, there are a number of different form factors and interfaces, but the underlying concept is identical.

Can I buy the ink at Staples as I do for my HP printer in the office?
No, the ink cartridges for Memjet printers contain in inks specially formulated to use in the Memjet machines and are only available (at least at the moment) from your equipment vendor. The inks are in 250 ML bottles and the Memjet printer uses 5 of them, Cyan, Magenta, Yellow and 2 Blacks. CMYKK.

Can I use my existing label software?
In the case of our VP700 printer, yes you can. Others will depend on the driver type that is supplied with the machine. All the printing I’ve done has been done using BarTender label design software, although the Windows driver that comes with the VP700 allows printing from any Windows application.

How can I find out if Memjet is right for me?
Talk to us at ID Technology. We’ll discuss what you are looking to do and help you decide if a Memjet printer makes sense or if there is a better way to reach your objective.
If Memjet looks good, we can make you some test prints on our VP700 so you can see the quality and test the durability. We provide you with a video of your tests being printed and a comprehensive quotation showing everything you’d need to get started.

Why ID Technology?
As one of the biggest label manufacturers in North America, we know label printing – we do it everyday in six different locations. We’ve checked out all the Memjet printers before deciding to partner with VIPColor and sell their VP700.
By purchasing your Memjet printer from us, you have access to all our expertise as well as our support team located all over the USA and Canada. We’ll get your printer installed, help you get up and running and train your people. That’s the IDT Advantage!
Want to get started? Great – give me a call at 603-598-1553 x237 and I’ll get you in touch with an IDT specialist in your area. You can also contact our main office at info@idtechnology.com

Happy Memjetting!

Oh, Memjet is a registered trademark of Memjet IP Holdings Ltd.