Konica Minolta has announced that new printheads being developed leveraging its proprietary MEMS technologies have been successfully trialled for the first time at drupa. MEMS (Micro Electro Mechanical Systems) technologies form micro-sized mechanical systems on a silicon or glass substrate, which require highly advanced micron-scale fabrication technologies.

On its booth at drupa, alongside Industrial Inkjet Ltd (IIJ), experts demonstrated the capabilities of the MEMS printheads in a first public showing. These are being developed to better serve commercial printing, label printing, and various other industrial printing purposes with their well-balanced designed to meet a variety of the market’s needs.

The nozzles arrayed in high density have enabled both higher-resolution printing, and printheads to be downsized. MEMS technologies constitute the core technical prowess of the Konica Minolta Group, incorporating the printheads onto the market in response to various user needs. In doing so, the company aims to contribute to the expansion of the industrial-use inkjet market and the development of new inkjet applications.

Katsuaki Komatsu, Group Executive, Inkjet Business Unit Konica Minolta, Inc, said: “The reaction from visitors to these first trials at drupa was extremely positive and has given us even more confidence moving forward. With the capability to deliver higher resolution, compatibility with a wider range of inks, and higher ink resistance, these inkjet printheads will meet and even exceed the market’s needs.”