Seiko RC1536A-M Printhead

The Seiko RC1536A-M is an industrial-grade piezoelectric inkjet printhead from the Seiko Instruments RC1536 recirculation series. Optimized for water-based inks, it is well suited to a wide range of industrial printing applications including ceramics, glass, textiles, packaging, corrugated cardboard, and additive manufacturing.

The printhead features an ink circulation structure that keeps ink continuously flowing behind the nozzles. This design enables rapid self-recovery whenever a nozzle becomes blocked or is subjected to shock, eliminating the need for routine cleaning and pre-printing priming. The result is reduced downtime and lower ink consumption, allowing the equipment to run stably over long periods while also supporting Stop-and-Go operation.

The RC1536A-M is equipped with 1536 active nozzles arranged in four rows, with a native nozzle resolution of 360 npi. Each printhead offers an effective print width of 108.3 mm, which means fewer printheads are required when assembling a print bar and helps lower overall system cost. Its drop volume ranges from 13 to 150 pL, with support for up to 8 levels of greyscale, a jetting frequency of up to 37 kHz, and a jetting velocity of approximately 7 m/s (measured 3 mm from the nozzle). Under a 10-drop condition, the maximum discharge reaches approximately 1500 µL/s.

The printhead operates at low voltage through a parallel interface, reducing both driver electronics investment and energy consumption. It weighs less than 700 g, measures 180.0 × 47.6 × 123.3 mm, and supports both horizontal and vertical mounting orientations. In addition to its primary water-based ink capability, the series is also compatible with oil-, UV-, and solvent-based inks, offering a wide usable viscosity range.