Kyocera develops inkjet head with 1,500 nozzles

Kyocera has announced the development of an inkjet printhead designed to handle high-viscosity industrial materials; a capability the company says has previously been difficult to achieve with conventional inkjet technology.

According to Kyocera, the newly developed printhead incorporates a proprietary piezo actuator structure and optimised fluid channel design, enabling stable jetting of liquids with viscosities of up to 80 mPa·s. The printhead features more than 1,500 nozzles and is intended for industrial applications, including advanced manufacturing, painting, and additive manufacturing.

Kyocera states that, based on its internal research conducted in January 2026, the printhead is the first in its class to combine more than 1,500 nozzles with the ability to handle viscosities of 80 mPa·s or higher.

The company says the development responds to increasing pressure on manufacturers to improve production efficiency while reducing environmental impact and material waste. Inkjet technology is widely regarded for its ability to deposit material on demand, using fine, uniform droplets to minimise waste and improve material utilisation.

These characteristics have led to growing interest in industrial inkjet across sectors including electronic circuits, semiconductor manufacturing and additive manufacturing. Kyocera notes that automotive painting is another area of focus, where inkjet processes are being explored to reduce labour-intensive masking, enable more complex decorative designs and limit paint loss.

Building on its existing expertise in printhead durability, resolution and productivity, Kyocera reports that it has achieved stable jetting of materials with viscosities up to 16 times higher than those supported by its conventional inkjet technology. The company also says the new actuator design enables droplet volumes up to 20 times larger, expanding the suitability of inkjet for applications that require higher material laydown.

A key element of the development is a new piezo actuator structure based on a conventional piezoelectric bend mode, which Kyocera says delivers increased jetting force. In parallel, the fluid channel design has been refined using proprietary fluid simulations to address stability challenges commonly associated with circulating high-viscosity printheads.

Kyocera identifies potential applications for the technology, including automotive decorative coatings and 3D printing of moulds and tooling for complex components such as cast aluminium engine parts.

Technical specifications released by the company include a resolution of 360 × 360 dpi, an effective print width of 111.69 mm and a total of 1,584 nozzles. Under Kyocera’s evaluation conditions, the printhead has demonstrated jetting at viscosities of 80 mPa·s with a drop volume of 280 picolitres. However, the company notes that performance may vary depending on material properties and operating conditions.