Industrial automation and inkjet solutions

Precision in every drop.

We automate production lines, control processes and turn plant data into decisions. And we make industrial inkjet printers work, from sensor to drop.

Nozzle array · live firing pattern
Services

Software for the plant and for the printer.

Two specialities, one craft: making a machine do exactly what it should, shift after shift.

01 · Industrial Software

Automation and industrial software

Automation engineering and systems integration: we program, control and measure production lines, and turn their data into decisions.

See automation and process control →

Production line automation

PLC, HMI and motion control programming for new and existing lines. We integrate robots, conveyors and machines from different vendors, upgrade existing machinery (retrofit) and commission everything on site.

  • IEC 61131-3
  • Motion control
  • Robotics
  • Retrofit
  • Commissioning

Automatic process control

Control loops that hold temperature, pressure, flow or level at setpoint, even when raw material or load changes. With SCADA and HMI so operators see what is happening and act in time.

  • PID
  • ISA-88 batch control
  • SCADA / HMI
  • Alarm management

Measurement and instrumentation

Without reliable measurement there is no control. We select, install and calibrate sensors and analysers, and bring their signals into the control system.

  • Temperature · pressure · flow · level
  • Fieldbuses
  • IO-Link
  • Calibration

Industrial data analytics

Industry 4.0 in practice: we capture plant data and turn it into production KPIs and models that detect drift before it causes scrap or downtime.

  • Industry 4.0
  • OPC UA · MQTT
  • OEE
  • SPC
  • Predictive maintenance
02 · Inkjet Solutions

Industrial inkjet solutions

From marking and traceability of every product to high-speed decoration: we integrate and tune everything between the data and the drop on the substrate.

See inkjet solutions and printhead cleaning →

Production marking, coding and traceability

We mark every part, pack or batch with the information that identifies it: dates, batches, serial numbers, logos and DataMatrix or QR codes. We verify the marking with inline vision and record it in MES and ERP, so every product can be traced from the line to the customer.

  • Marking
  • Coding and serialisation
  • Traceability
  • 1D / 2D codes · DataMatrix · QR
  • Machine vision

High-speed printing

Printing at production speed without losing registration or quality: encoder synchronisation, real-time data transfer to the printheads and waveforms tuned for maximum firing frequency.

  • High firing frequency
  • Registration
  • Real time

Variable data and images

Every print can be different: a complete change of model or design from one piece to the next, personalisation or variable data, without stopping the line.

  • Model change without stopping
  • Personalisation
  • VDP

Printhead integration

Industrial piezo printheads, firing electronics and synchronisation with machine motion.

  • Piezo DOD
  • Encoder
  • Drive electronics

Waveform and drop

We tune the waveform for each ink and measure volume, velocity and satellites with stroboscopic imaging.

  • Drop watching
  • Picolitres
  • Special inks

Ink systems

Recirculation, meniscus pressure, temperature and degassing: ink must always reach the head under the same conditions.

  • Recirculation
  • Meniscus
  • Temperature

Image pipeline

RIP, colour management, screening and compensation for failing nozzles, so prints come out without banding.

  • RIP
  • ICC profiles
  • Screening
  • Nozzle compensation

Printhead cleaning and recovery

We recover printheads with clogged or missing nozzles: cleaning with the right solvent for each ink, dropwatcher inspection and waveform tuning. We also design automatic cleaning stations and nozzle sensing so the machine can recover by itself.

  • Clogged nozzles
  • Missing nozzles
  • Nozzle sensing
  • Dropwatcher
  • Automatic cleaning

UV curing and drying

UV and UV LED curing, pinning between colours and final cure, and drying of water-based and solvent-based inks, synchronised with printing to fix every drop at the right moment.

  • UV · UV LED
  • Pinning
  • Curing
  • Drying

Printheads and electronics we work with

Fujifilm Dimatix
SambaStarFire SG600StarFire SG1024GalaxyNovaS-ClassQ-ClassPolarisSkyfire SF600
Epson
I3200I1600S3200S800T3200D3000
Konica Minolta
KM1024iKM1280iKM1800iKM1024KM1024a
Kyocera
KJ4C-0360KJ4A-0300KJ4B-0300KJ4B-0150KJ4A-ALKJ4A-TLKJ4B-QLKJ4A-RNKJ4B-YNKJ4B-1200KJ4B-1200-M19STKJ4B-1200-N16ST (RC)KJ4A-1200-T16ST (RC)KJ4A-1200-U16ST (RC)KJ4B-0600-020SQKJ4B-0600-B24SQ (RC)
Quantica
NovoJet
Ricoh
Gen4Gen4LGen5Gen6Gen6XL (MH3820)TH5241 (G5i)TH6310F
Riso
CF1CF3CF6
Seiko
508GS1024GSRC1536RCE2560
Xaar
20012002eXAquinox1003Nitrox501502
Xerox
WD SeriesWD1WD2M SeriesMDF1MDF2
Drive electronics
Meteor InkjetAewa

The brands and models listed belong to their respective manufacturers. Eixam Technologies is independent and not affiliated with any of them.

03 · Research & Development

Research, development and consulting

Decide before you invest.

See research and development →

Feasibility and proofs of concept

We validate an idea on the test bench before you commit budget.

Technology selection

Control architecture, instrumentation, printhead and ink suited to your process.

Line and machine audits

We analyse existing installations and propose measurable improvements.

Support for R&D projects

We write the technical part of projects applying for public funding or R&D tax incentives.

04 · Training

Training

Tailored company training, courses, talks and masterclasses on everything we do.

See training →

Tailored training for companies

Designed around your machines, your processes and your team. At your plant or remotely.

Courses

Beginner, intermediate and advanced programmes, with theory and practice.

Talks and masterclasses

For conferences, trade fairs, industry associations, universities and engineering schools.

Topics

Automation, process control, industrial data, inkjet, printhead cleaning, marking and R&D.

Technology

From sensor to decision. From nozzle to drop.

A plant and an inkjet printer both work like a swarm: many parts that have to understand each other. We organise them in layers, and we work on all of them.

A plant is a pyramid of information: measurement at the bottom, decisions at the top.

  1. Analytics
    Data and decisionsKPIs, OEE, SPC, predictive models and reports.
  2. Management
    MES and ERPProduction orders, traceability and quality.
  3. Supervision
    SCADA and HMIVisualisation, alarms, historians and recipes.
  4. Control
    PLCs and controllersLine logic, PID loops, motion control.
  5. Field
    Instrumentation and actuatorsSensors, analysers, drives, valves and fieldbuses.
  6. Process
    The physical lineRaw materials, machines, kilns, conveyors.
↑ what the business decideswhat happens on the line ↓
Industries

Process industry and inline manufacturing.

Ceramics and porcelain

Press, dryer and kiln control, plus digital decoration and glazing, in the Castellón ceramic cluster and beyond.

Food and beverage

Dosing, batch control, traceability and pack coding.

Chemicals and plastics

Reactor, mixing and extrusion control. Process instrumentation.

Packaging and board

Packaging line automation and direct printing on board.

Textile

Dyeing and finishing process control. Digital textile printing.

Wood and décor

Panel, lacquering and digital décor lines for panels and flooring.

Labels and graphic arts

Coding, variable data and high-speed printing.

Functional printing

Printed electronics, coatings and material deposition.

How we work

From test bench to production line.

  1. Assessment

    Understand the problem

    We visit the plant and analyse the machine, the process and the production data.

  2. Proof of concept

    Validate before touching production

    We test the solution on the bench with your ink and your substrate.

  3. Integration

    Install and commission

    Development, installation and commissioning on your line, with minimal downtime.

  4. Support

    Stay around

    Maintenance, upgrades and training once the machine has been running for months.

EIXAM
/əˈʃam/ · Catalan: swarm

A swarm has no one deciding every move. Thousands of bees follow simple rules, and the result is precise.

An inkjet printhead works the same way: thousands of nozzles, each firing its drop at exactly the right moment.

Our job is to write those rules.

FAQ

What people usually ask us.

What industrial automation services do you offer?

PLC and HMI programming, motion control and robot integration; automatic process control with PID loops, batch control and SCADA; instrumentation and sensor calibration; and production data analytics: OEE, SPC and predictive maintenance.

Can you upgrade a line or machine that is already installed?

Yes. Much of our work is retrofit: replacing obsolete controllers, reprogramming the logic, adding instrumentation or connecting the machine to MES or ERP, reusing the existing mechanics with minimal downtime.

What is inkjet printing with variable data and images?

It means printing different content on every piece without stopping the line: a serial number, a batch, a DataMatrix or QR code, or even a different model or design. It is the basis of production marking, coding and traceability, and of personalised digital decoration.

How do you achieve full production traceability?

By marking every product or batch with a unique code, verifying the marking with machine vision and recording each reading in the MES or ERP. That way you know, for each unit, when, where and with which materials it was made.

Where do you work?

We work from Castellón (Spain) for clients all over the world. We are based in Borriol, next to the province’s ceramic cluster, and take on projects in any country: we travel to the plant for assessments and commissioning, and provide remote support.

Do you recover clogged printheads?

Yes. We diagnose missing and deviated nozzles, clean the printhead with the right solvent for each ink (UV, water-based or solvent-based), check the result on a dropwatcher and tune the waveform if needed. If the problem keeps coming back, we review the ink system, the cleaning station and the machine’s nozzle sensing.

Which inkjet printheads do you work with?

Industrial piezo printheads from Fujifilm Dimatix (Samba, StarFire, Galaxy, Nova, S-Class, Q-Class, Polaris, Skyfire), Epson (I3200, I1600, S3200, S800, T3200, D3000), Konica Minolta (KM1024i, KM1280i, KM1800i), Kyocera (KJ4 series), Quantica (NovoJet), Ricoh (Gen4, Gen5, Gen6, TH5241, TH6310F), Riso (CF1, CF3, CF6), Seiko (508GS, 1024GS, RC1536, RCE2560), Xaar (2001, 2002, 1003, 501, 502, Nitrox, Aquinox) and Xerox (WD and MDF), plus Meteor Inkjet and Aewa drive electronics.

How does a project start?

With a conversation about your line or machine. If needed, we visit the plant for an assessment and send you a proposal with scope, timeline and budget.

Contact

A line that could perform better? A machine that doesn’t print the way it should?

Or a project that is still just an idea. We work from Castellón, Spain, for clients worldwide: tell us what you are working on and we will reply within two working days.

Write to us hola@eixamtech.com
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