Kyocera unveils high-viscosity inkjet printhead to unlock new industrial applications

INDIA – Kyocera Corporation has introduced what it describes as an industry-first inkjet printhead capable of reliably jetting high-viscosity materials, a development expected to significantly broaden the role of inkjet technology in industrial manufacturing.

The newly developed printhead features more than 1,500 nozzles and is powered by Kyocera’s proprietary piezo actuator and advanced fluid channel technology.

Together, these innovations allow the system to handle materials with viscosities far beyond the limits of conventional inkjet solutions, opening the door to applications such as advanced manufacturing, industrial painting, and 3D printing.

Inkjet technology is increasingly viewed as a key enabler of sustainable manufacturing, thanks to its ability to deposit precise, uniform droplets on demand.

This results in higher material utilization and reduced waste compared with analogue processes. As manufacturers face growing pressure to improve efficiency while lowering environmental impact, interest in inkjet-based processes has accelerated across sectors including electronics, semiconductors, and additive manufacturing.

Kyocera notes that automotive painting is one area seeing strong momentum, as manufacturers explore inkjet processes to enable more creative designs, reduce labour-intensive masking steps, and minimize paint loss.

However, the adoption of inkjet in these and other industrial applications has historically been constrained by limitations in handling high-viscosity fluids.

Building on its experience in developing high-productivity, high-resolution, and durable printheads, Kyocera says it has now overcome this barrier.

By refining the conventional piezoelectric bend mode, the company has engineered a new actuator structure that significantly increases jetting force.

This enables stable jetting of materials with viscosities up to 16 times higher than Kyocera’s previous technology, while also allowing droplets up to 20 times larger.

“These capabilities bring manufacturing processes that rely on thicker paints and functional materials into a practical inkjet range for the first time,” the company says, positioning the technology as a potential alternative to traditional coating and deposition methods.

Another major challenge in high-viscosity inkjet systems is maintaining stable jetting in circulating printhead designs.

Kyocera addressed this by optimizing the internal fluid channel architecture using proprietary fluid simulation technologies.

The result is more stable jetting behaviour, improved print quality, and higher overall productivity, even in demanding industrial environments.

The announcement comes amid broader industry efforts to adapt inkjet for non-graphic applications.

Printhead suppliers and system integrators are increasingly targeting functional printing, electronics, and industrial coatings as growth markets, as traditional print volumes remain under pressure.

With its new high-viscosity-capable printhead, Kyocera aims to position inkjet as a core manufacturing technology rather than a niche process, supporting the shift towards more flexible, resource-efficient, and digitally driven production models across multiple industrial sectors.

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