What are the difficulties in inkjet printing of corrugated cardboard?

Cartons, boxes, point-of-purchase displays and signage made of cardboard or corrugated cardboard are the most commonly used materials today. In the U.S. alone, more than 80 billion corrugated boxes are used each year, with a large number of these containers being used for shipping purposes or directly for storing various products. Cartons are widely used in shipping and product packaging because they are lightweight, tear-resistant, flexible, and typically made from 100% renewable materials.

None of these qualities necessarily make them particularly suitable for printing. Cartons have a number of specific qualities that can cause inconsistent print results. Low-quality printing can cause many problems that cannot be solved unless you actively seek solutions.

Introducing the inkjet printing inks used for corrugated cardboard The main challenge in this case is the cartons, whether they are made of cardboard alone or a paper/plastic composite, which are usually porous substrates - which means that the ink Penetrates into the material when applied to the surface. The ink bleeds out of the substrate and then causes blurred and inconsistent marks. Poor marking can make the printed code unreadable to the human eye. Poor identification can also affect code scannability - a major cause of concern when distributors rely on scannable codes for security and supply chain continuity. The color of the corrugated board can also affect the scannability of the printed code if the contrast between the printing ink and the surface color is insufficient. With today's industrial inkjet printing technology, there are many ink types and machines specifically designed to solve these problems, offering inkjet inks in a variety of formulations to suit your printhead technology and support a variety of printing applications. Paperboard printing using inkjet technology has many advantages over conventional printing using flexographic presses. Variable data and personalization - Digital offers unlimited customization and personalization. Additionally, tracking information, addresses, and barcodes can be added. Packaging flexibility with multiple or multiple SKUs - For brands looking to print less per SKU or larger brands looking to print more, flexibility is one of the biggest benefits of inkjet printing. Since there are no plates, multiple SKUs can run at the same time, so brands can combine multiple SKUs into a single order or print. Reduce Waste - Reduce the need for long print runs that can lead to wasted material. Inkjet printing eliminates the material used for pre-press plating. Companies that choose to print on in-package cardboard eliminate additional shipping costs, thereby supporting environmentally friendly production. Print without touching the substrate - unlike flexo printing, inkjet printing does not directly touch the board, thus avoiding damage to the material. Inkjet Technology for Paperboard Printing Many inks are available for printing corrugated board using thermal inkjet, piezoelectric inkjet and continuous inkjet technology.