Piezo vs Thermal print heads

[srialto]

I make lenticular prints and our industry has always promoted piezo print heads (epson, mutoh, mimaki) as being capable of laying down dots more precisely than thermal print heads (hp, kodak). Rather than repeat the same mantra without data it would be useful to know if this is currently still the case. Anyone that can weigh in on the issue?

 

[kinni88]

Lenticular -- srialto, I have known a few printers using inkjet for lenticular labels. It wasn't necessarily the type of printhead, but it was more to do with the type of ink or resolution of the printhead. Wide format printers really do not use the highest resolution heads, but they will scan back and forth over the substrate doubling or quadrupling the "dots per inch". Most wide format printers use piezo industrial heads for durability and the ability to use UV inks. Some of the new thermal heads -- HP Pagewide and Memjet are higher resolution and they are single pass technology.
The printers printing lenticular images were printing in-mold labels for plastic cups. It was important that:
The ink would stick to the material
The resoltuon has high on the printer
And they had compatibility with the Human Eyes lenticular product.
The NeruaLabel 300x is a roll fed system that is 8.5" wide, 4 color inkjet, pigment ink, high resolution and prints up to 100 fpm. It is a thermal head and getting looks by lenticular printers.

 

[srialto]

Not really an answer, but thanks.