Canada’s MapleJet has developed Hx Cartro, an IoT printer for coding and marking, and which uses Xaar’s 128 printheads to deliver precision and connectivity.

Designed for developing markets, Hx Cartro uses two stitched Xaar 128 printheads. MapleJet noted that as an IoT-enabled printer, Hx Cartro can drive operational efficiencies for companies and reduce the need for maintenance, as the printer can self-diagnose, allowing effective troubleshooting before any potential breakdown occurs. Each printer generates data at the point of print and can send this to the Cloud, providing live reports for manufacturers, helping them control their inventory and production in real-time, and without intervention. This is cited as increasingly important to many factories now as they have adapted to deliver Covid secure environments.

Operators can control several Hx Cartro printers by using their tablet or smartphone via a web-based user interface that works through any browser. Without the need for other devices such as access points or servers, IT system security is maintained, and printers can be scaled as part of a large network to deliver additional flexibility in production.

The Xaar 128 printhead is a 17mm piezoelectric drop-on-demand printhead suited for coding and marking applications. Light and powerful, with a compact footprint and weighing only 16g, the Xaar 128 printhead is suitable for printing everything from 2D data matrix coding and brand graphics, to expiry dates and batch codes across both primary and secondary packaging. Recent manufacturing optimisations have added a programmable circuit that allows advanced control and tuning of the printhead as well as better control of ink characteristics and print quality.

MapleJet CEO Homayoun Shahrestani said, ‘The proven performance of the Xaar 128 printhead has enabled us to develop our new Hx Cartro printer, knowing that it has reliability built-in. With its connectivity and performance, users can rest assured they have a robust solution for their needs and with its low maintenance and reliability. They have the perfect coding solution that requires minimum intervention in these challenging times.’