As a country, Germany is understandably proud of its reputation for creating new and innovative products. And there is one award that recognizes this more than any other: The German Innovation Award, operated and judged by the prestigious German Design Council. In 2024, LEIBINGER is delighted to be nominated for the Award, thanks to its remarkable new IQJET industrial printer. But what is special about the newest and most advanced printer?

CEO Christina Leibinger is delighted about the IQJET nomination for the German Innovation Award

Continuous inkjet printing (CIJ) is an essential part of the production process for printing onto a huge variety of products, from food packing to eggs and electronics. The information they print – such as barcodes, batch numbers and expiry dates – is important for the efficient tracking of products and the digital operation of the world’s supply chains.

But while modern businesses have had to reduce costs, improve sustainability, and reduce downtime, many manufacturers are still using legacy platforms selling of printer that has been in use for decades. Not so with LEIBINGER. We have constantly innovated to address these major concerns in the following ways.

The IQJET is maintenance-free for five years thanks to its SMART.CARE concept. Unlike other CIJ printers, the IQJET has no constantly running feed pump, reducing wear and tear on components. Reducing maintenance costs to zero is a huge advantage for cost-conscious businesses.

When there is a break in production, many printers become clogged as ink dries in the printhead. This entails lengthy cleaning cycles prior to resuming production, where even an hour of downtime can result in significant costs! The unique IQPRINT technology used in IQJET eliminates this completely. IQPRINT combines the world famous LEIBINGER automatic nozzle sealing technology with a new smart ink management system. No clogging, no cleaning, no downtime. Simply high printing quality at every time.

By automatically sealing the ink circuit, IQJET uses far less solvent than competitors. It also condenses evaporated solvent and feeds it back into the system. The result is a more sustainable solution that reduces consumption by 50%. Even the new ink cartridges are designed to empty to the very last drop, unlike many competitive designs. In terms of power, the IQJET also draws only 36W on average, making it one of the most efficient on the market. LEIBINGER summarizes this overall package of IQJET benefits as SMART.EFFICIENCY.

The SMART.OS technology of IQJET offers straightforward installation and effortless operation. With its diverse range of interfaces, including OPC UA and an integrated PLC, IQJET seamlessly integrates into any packaging line. The latest HMI provides an intuitive user experience through drag & drop functionalities like on a smart device.

German companies are known for their innovation and quality. Since the LEIBINGER company was founded in 1948 by Paul Leibinger it has always innovated to meet the changing needs of customers. Now, in 2024 under the guidance of Paul Leibinger’s grand-daughter Christina Leibinger, we are delighted to continue that tradition – and proud to be recognised by the German Design Council for our achievements.