The Contract Proof - 2000

Drop-on-demand ink-jet technology comes in two flavors—thermal and piezo-electric. Thermal ink jet actually heats the ink to push it from the nozzle. Piezo-electric technology applies pressure to squeeze the ink out of the nozzle.

While thermal is faster, the speed comes at a price. Heating the ink causes some colors to shift and creates a larger, less consistent droplet. Piezo ink flows better, with smaller droplets that make sharper prints. Piezo ink colors are also purer, and piezo printheads do not need to be replaced at regular intervals, the way thermal printheads do, which translates into greater stability.