Overcoming the Cable Printing Bottleneck | The LEIBINGER Solution

Cable and wire manufacturers often face such tight production demands that minor disruptions can create significant setbacks, not least because extruders on high-speed lines cannot be stopped without generating scrap and causing substantial downtime.

For this reason, cable and wire manufacturers must use reliable hardware that can keep up with these demands. However, with cable often being extruded more quickly than most inkjet printers can handle, the printing process can become an aggravating bottleneck…

This is not the case with specialist LEIBINGER printers such as the JET Rapid Wire, which can print at speeds of up to 1000m/min. Using a range of inks formulated to ensure maximum adhesion on various fluoropolymers, as well as transfer proof inks to prevent the ink transferring when the cable is wound, LEIBINGER printers achieve these high speeds without compromising print quality.

Another issue with traditional continuous inkjet printing is that the ink must dry quickly, so any pause in production can result in dried ink and blocked nozzles, either decreasing print quality or creating downtime for cleaning.

However, with LEIBINGER’s Sealtronic technology, the nozzle automatically seals when production stops, preventing the head from drying out and allowing the operator to restart printing immediately without cleaning or rinsing cycles. Not only does this reduce downtime, but it maintains the correct viscosity of the ink and reduces consumable usage.

As the experts in the cable and wire field, LEIBINGER offers a range of solutions designed for a variety of applications, including stepped printheads specially developed for cable printing, microprinting at font heights as low as 0.7mm, and a speed-dependent-output function that actively monitors pre-treatments such as corona or plasma and controls them via the printer.

Are you unhappy with your extrusion printing setup? Have a particular product you’re struggling to mark? Or simply looking to explore what’s out there? Our team is ready to assist you every step of the way, from initial enquiry to ongoing maintenance. Email elliot@atduk or click here to get in touch.