Is thermal inkjet or continuous inkjet better for date codes?

It depends on your line. TIJ gives higher resolution and much lower maintenance on flat or gently curved packs; CIJ suits the fastest speeds and round, recessed, or irregular surfaces. Match the method to substrate, speed, and code type.

Does TIJ need make-up fluid like CIJ?

No. Thermal inkjet prints from sealed cartridges with no make-up fluid and almost no scheduled maintenance, which is a major reason lines switch to it from CIJ where the application allows.

Can thermal inkjet print barcodes and 2D/Data Matrix codes?

Yes. TIJ is high-resolution and well suited to barcodes and GS1-grade 2D Data Matrix codes, which is increasingly important ahead of the GS1 Sunrise 2027 transition.

Thermal Inkjet vs. Continuous Inkjet (CIJ): How to Choose

TIJ and CIJ both print date and lot codes, but they suit different lines. Here is a head-to-head on resolution, maintenance, speed, substrate, and cost.

Two ways to jet a code

Continuous inkjet (CIJ) fires a continuous stream of charged droplets and steers them with an electric field — the drops that are not needed are recirculated. It is a decades-proven workhorse for high-speed lines and awkward, curved, or fast-moving surfaces.

Thermal inkjet (TIJ) heats tiny chambers to fire drops on demand straight from a sealed cartridge. There is no ink stream to recirculate and no make-up fluid, so it runs cleaner and at much higher resolution, but it prefers flat or gently curved surfaces.

Head to head

Neither method is universally better — they trade off against each other. The short version:

Print quality: TIJ wins — higher resolution, crisper small text, barcodes and 2D/Data Matrix codes
Maintenance: TIJ wins — sealed cartridges, no make-up fluid, almost no scheduled service; CIJ needs make-up fluid and regular upkeep
Line speed / throw distance: CIJ wins at the very fastest speeds and can print from a distance onto irregular shapes
Substrates & shape: CIJ handles curved, recessed, and awkward surfaces; TIJ is best on flat or gently curved packs
Consumables & odor: TIJ cartridges are clean and low-odor with water-based options; CIJ solvent fluids mean odor and ventilation considerations
Running cost: varies by application — TIJ lowers maintenance and downtime; CIJ can be economical on very high-volume simple codes

When to choose which

Choose TIJ when you are coding flat or gently curved packaging — cartons, cases, films, labels, rigid containers — and you want high-resolution dates, lot codes, and barcodes with minimal maintenance. It is often the cleaner, lower-hassle choice for food, beverage, pharmaceutical, cosmetic, and general manufacturing lines.

Choose CIJ when you need the very fastest line speeds, need to print at a distance, or are coding round, recessed, or highly irregular surfaces where a near-contact TIJ head is impractical.

Our take

We specialize in thermal inkjet, so we will always tell you when TIJ is the right fit — and when it is not. If your application really calls for CIJ or another method, we would rather point you there than sell you the wrong tool.

Tell us your substrate, line speed, and the code you need to print, and we will help you compare honestly.

Thermal Inkjet vs. Continuous Inkjet (CIJ): Which Fits Your Line?