The iS series, based on the KM1024i printhead, is slower at a maximum 50m/min than IIJ's existing 81m/min iM series but can print at a higher apparent resolution thanks to its smaller drop size (6pl compared with 14pl for the iM).

IIJ director of technology Paddy O'Hara said: "We've had lots of success with the Colour and MonoPrint iM but we did find for the higher quality prime label work the 14pl drop size was a bit big.

"The iM was three times faster than its predecessor but it just wasn't quite hitting that quality level for close viewing; then last year we got access to the iS printhead and we started work on the iS series to complement the iM."

O'Hara added that there was a trade off in speed that came with the smaller dot size, although he added that IIJ hoped to push the speed of the iS series up by another 10m/min.

The current speeds are 30m/min when printing with seven greyscale levels, 35m/min with three levels and 50m/min binary (a single drop per dot). O'Hara said that for most substrates five drops would be the maximum, but that for some "trickier substrates" like foils, you could use seven drops.

Print resolutions vary from 360x360dpi to 360x1,440dpi, although the apparent resolution is much higher, with O'Hara quoting an "apparent resolution" of 1,500dpi when printing 360x720dpi with three greyscales (6, 10 and 18pl).

The print engines are available in a range of web widths, including 72, 142, 282 and 352mm, and are designed for integration with existing narrow-web flexo printers. O'Hara said that IIJ could offer a combination of iM print engines for printing white and spot varnish with iS print engines for the high-quality images.

"Anything that needs extra opacity or a thick layer or where speed is key and the 14pl drop is enough - so some commercial printing, packaging, security applications and coding, we would recommend the iM," said O'Hara. "For colour labels and items with a close viewing distance you would want the iS."

The cost of the smallest MonoPrint iS print engine is around £35,000, including PC, software and training, while for a Colour iS it would be around £150,000. O'Hara added that existing iM series print engines could be upgraded to iS via a software update.

IIJ will show print samples from the new print engines for the first time at Labelexpo Americas in Chicago next month (9-11 September).