1-Inch TIJ Printing: IUT, HP, Brady & DHI

What Is 1-Inch TIJ Printing — and When Do You Need It?

A 1" TIJ cartridge prints a seamless one-inch-tall code in a single pass — and it is not one brand's trick: IUT, HP, Brady, and DHI all offer 1" formats. Here is how they differ from half-inch heads and when the extra height earns its keep.

What "1-inch" TIJ printing means

"1-inch" describes a print height, not a single product. A 1" (25.4 mm) thermal inkjet cartridge lays down a full inch of print in a single pass — a seamless tall code without stitching two heads together. The familiar half-inch format prints a 12.7 mm swath; a 1" cartridge doubles that height in one pass.

The 1" format is offered across cartridge technologies — IUT, HP, Brady, and DHI all make 1" cartridges today, and more suppliers are entering the space. So 1" is a size class you can get in whichever technology best fits your ink and substrate, not a feature locked to one vendor.

The Anser X1 controller supports HP, Brady, IUT, and DHI cartridge technologies, so you can run half-inch or 1" heads — or two 1" cartridges for a ~2" high-resolution code (48.7 mm / 1.92") — from the same controller.

When you actually need 1-inch print height

Taller is not automatically better — a 1" code uses more ink and is overkill for a small date stamp. Reach for 1" when the code has to be big or dense:

Large cases, totes, and shipping cartons where the code must be readable at a distance
Tall stacked content — big lot numbers plus a barcode or logo in one pass
GS1-grade 2D Data Matrix codes that benefit from more height and cell area
Applications where a single seamless swath is cleaner than stitching two half-inch heads

1-inch vs. half-inch vs. dual heads

A single half-inch head is the economical default for standard date/lot codes on retail packs. A 1" head — in IUT, HP, Brady, or DHI form — gives you double the height in one seamless pass. For roughly 2" — 48.7 mm (1.92") to be exact — you can drive two 1" cartridges together. The right choice balances how tall the code needs to be against ink cost and throughput.

Inks and where it fits in our lineup

Our Odyssey ink line comes in 1/2", 1", and 1" high-volume (160 mL) formats in both water-based and solvent chemistries, so you can match height and ink to the job. If you are deciding between a half-inch and a 1" setup, tell us your code content and substrate and we will size it with you.

Not sure which ink or method fits your line?

Tell us your substrate, line speed, and the code you need to print, and our team will help you qualify the right solution.

Talk to our team Request a quote

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between a half-inch and a 1-inch TIJ cartridge?

A half-inch cartridge prints a 12.7 mm tall swath; a 1-inch cartridge prints a 25.4 mm swath — double the height in a single seamless pass. The 1" format is offered across cartridge technologies (IUT, HP, Brady, and DHI), and the Anser X1 supports all three, plus dual 1" cartridges for ~2" coding.

Is 1-inch printing only available as IUT?

No. IUT is one 1" cartridge technology, but not the only one — HP, Brady, and DHI also offer 1" formats, and more suppliers are entering. Choose 1" as a print height, then match the cartridge technology to your ink and substrate.

When should I use a 1-inch printhead instead of half-inch?

Use 1" when the code must be large or dense — big cases read at a distance, tall stacked lot/barcode content, or GS1 2D Data Matrix codes. For standard retail date/lot codes, a half-inch head is more economical.

Can one controller run both half-inch and 1-inch heads?

Yes. The Anser X1 supports HP, Brady, IUT, and DHI cartridge technologies, so you can run half-inch or 1" cartridges — and two 1" cartridges together for a ~2" code — without changing controllers.