EPS presents a financial analysis of transitioning from traditional product-decoration methods to industrial inkjet printing technology.
The baseline
The piece establishes baseline assumptions: current decoration methods yield $1 profit per unit at 800 units per hour, while single-pass inkjet printers generate $3 profit per unit at 1,200 units per hour. This scenario demonstrates substantial financial gains. Using current machinery, the company is generating $800 in profit per hour compared to $3,600 with the newer technology.
Why per-unit profit climbs
The article attributes higher profitability to several factors: minimal ink waste through recirculation, elimination of cliché production costs, premium pricing justified by advanced capabilities like variable-data printing and anti-counterfeiting features, and tactile finishing options.
The 7-figure annual delta
Financial projections are striking. The upgraded system would generate an additional profit every week of $112,000, translating to approximately $5.6 million annually from increased throughput alone. Additional cost advantages include reduced warehouse requirements, potential salvage value from existing equipment, eliminated labor for cliché management, and operational flexibility allowing single operators to manage multiple machines simultaneously.
The technical caveats
The article acknowledges technical challenges: substrate compatibility, droplet trajectory variance, and part-geometry complications remain significant obstacles requiring specialized expertise and innovation in part-handling solutions.