Continuous Inkjet Printer Is Design Award Finalist

Linx Printing Technologies' 4900 Continuous Ink Jet (CIJ) printer has been selected as a finalist in the Design Business Assocation's (DBA) design effectiveness award.

Linx Printing Technologies' 4900 Continuous Ink Jet (CIJ) printer has been selected as a finalist in the Design Business Assocation's (DBA) design effectiveness award for its outstanding combination of design and performance.

The DBA's annual design effectiveness awards are said to highlight successful projects that integrate the design brief with business aims and objectives from the outset.

The Awards use commercial data as a key judging criteria, meaning that winning products have already proved themselves in the marketplace.

Linx was nominated in the industrial product category jointly with its design partner, PDD, for their work on the Linx 4900.

The project began when Linx briefed PDD to enhance the perceived quality of its products through the development of the visual brand and incorporation of the latest feedback from customers.

The result, launched in early 2004, was the Linx 4900, which is claimed to meet everyday product coding and marking requirements through low total cost of ownership and trouble free operation.

Claimed to be capable of printing up to two lines of text and logos at production line speeds of up to 6.25 metres per second, the Linx 4900 can print on to virtually any material, thanks to the range of inks available.

A menu-driven interface with message preview means that code creation is easy, whilst a 50 message memory store and automatic date creation minimise the need for editing, said Linx.

The curves of the Linx 4900 give it an aesthetic presence but the appearance also has functional benefits - with its stainless steel case and IP55 washdown rating, the printer provides clean operation in all production environments where washdown is important, according to the company.

The design does not require factory air, allowing quick and easy installation and relocation, whilst the coder's self-cleaning printhead and automatic power down give mess-free, trouble-free starts and stops, it is claimed.

Linx said that it set a target to increase sales by 20 per cent for this product category within six months of the system's launch.

The target was exceeded by some margin, claimed Linx and today the 4900 is used by manufacturers across a variety of sectors, including food, beverage, cosmetics, pharmaceutical and industrial.

Neil Bennett, engineering director at Linx, said: "The DBA stands for the same values as Linx, so we are delighted to be a finalist.

Good design is at the heart of all of our coding products, enabling us to provide excellent return on investment and customer satisfaction alike.".

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