A new generation of inkjet printheads using neodymium magnets instead of piezoelectric actuators is promising to dramatically increase drop ejection frequency and resolution. Developed by a consortium of Japanese and German engineering firms, the magnetostrictive printheads can fire droplets at over 200 kHz, double the speed of current top‑end piezoelectric heads, while achieving native resolutions of 1,200 dpi. The technology works by applying a magnetic field to a magnetostrictive material, which changes shape and ejects ink. The absence of heat generation reduces thermal stress on inks, allowing use of a wider range of chemistries, including highly viscous UV and white inks.
For manufacturers of Xinflying DTF printers and other digital textile equipment, the new printheads could enable faster production without sacrificing quality. Prototype printers using these heads have achieved print speeds of 150 square meters per hour for DTF and 600 square meters per hour for sublimation, approaching the throughput of single‑pass systems at a fraction of the cost. Imidlertid, commercial availability is still 12–18 months away, as the heads require new driver electronics and ink formulations. Nevertheless, the development signals that inkjet technology will continue to improve, further eroding the advantages of analog printing methods.