Miniature Solenoid Valve for Inkjet Printing

Customer Problem

A global leader in CIJ small character printers used in diverse manufacturing & production environments, required miniature solenoid valves with greater repeatability, higher reliability and longer operating life. 

IMI Solution

We designed a precision miniature solenoid valve in a 10mm body with smallest possible overall footprint and internal volume, repeatable specified operating times and leak rate, an increased valve life cycle and higher reliability to withstand clogging in continuous operation with viscous ink.

The miniature solenoid valve was designed to be compatible with MEK (Methyl ethyl ketone) based inks to compensate for “swelling” of elastomer seals and precision control of highly aggressive media.

The miniature solenoid valves was then designed to be an integrated dual-valve assembly in a single housing. The miniature integrated precision solenoid valve assembly is 100% tested to the OEM customer specifications achieving the highest quality and inspection standards allowing for KANBAN shipments arriving at the customer as “door to floor” with no incoming inspection.

The product represented an extension of an existing product technology platform and was co–developed over a 24 month period between us and the OEM customer project engineering at one of our premier precision miniature solenoid valve manufacturing units.

The solution met the dimension & footprint, repeatable flow & response time and life cycle requirements of the OEM customer. In turn, while Norgren developed the precision control miniature valve enabled the OEM customer to focus on its core competencies which decreased its development time, launch to market faster and realize sales revenues 6 months sooner.

We are the world’s leading supplier of miniature solenoid valves for Continuous Inkjet (CIJ) printing. Many of the world’s leading CIJ printer brands use Norgren technology within their fluid circuits, due to their high durability and suitability for aggressive solvents and inks.