Get to market faster and with less risk. GIS Ink Delivery Systems take the complexity out of fluid management, so your team can focus on print quality instead of building ink infrastructure from scratch.
Our modular, field-proven platforms supply, recirculate and deliver conditioned ink at the correct pressure to your printheads – whether you’re developing a new inkjet product or scaling to serial production.
Our modular architecture, combined with in-depth application engineering expertise, enables machine builders and OEMs to integrate tailored solutions that meet their specific commercial and technical requirements.
Select a link below for more information:
Why choose GIS ink delivery systems?
Developing a reliable ink delivery system in-house is a significant undertaking – one that demands deep expertise in fluid dynamics, electronics, firmware and printhead integration. Partnering with GIS means you leverage decades of inkjet engineering experience from day one, accelerating your route to market while reducing technical and commercial risk.
-
Proven Technology
Our systems are built on field-tested hardware and firmware used in deployments worldwide across industrial, commercial and speciality inkjet applications.
-
Faster Time to Market
Ready-to-integrate systems with comprehensive documentation and software tools mean your engineering team spends less time on fluid infrastructure and more time on your core product.
-
Technical Support
Our specialist team provides training and technical support to reduce machine downtime and improve printing quality.
-
Scalability
The same platform that supports your R&D bench can scale to a high-volume production line – protecting your development investment and minimising re-qualification costs.
-
Bespoke Options
Standard configurations cover many applications, but where your requirements fall outside our standard range, our engineering team can develop bespoke solutions tailored to your needs.
Scalable from development to production
GIS Ink Delivery Systems are designed to grow with your programme.
The same modular platform supports a single-head development rig and a multi-channel, multi-colour production system – so your investment in system development, integration and validation carries through from prototyping to high-volume manufacturing.
Whilst GIS can provide the drive electronics for an integrated solution, our systems are also compatible with third-party printhead drive electronics, meaning the IDS can be deployed as a standalone fluid management solution alongside your existing electronics investment.
Expert technical support
Choosing GIS means you benefit from the support of a team that lives and breathes inkjet. Our applications engineers are available at every stage of your programme:
-
Pre-Sales Consultation
System selection guidance tailored to your application and printhead architecture.
-
Integration Support
Hardware and software bring-up assistance during initial integration.
-
Ongoing Support
Technical support as you transition from development to serial production.
-
Knowledge Base
Access to the GIS Ink System Knowledge Base and full suite of documentation.
Standard ink systems
Off-the-shelf solutions
GIS offers a range of standard ink system products designed to meet a wide variety of production requirements straight from the shelf. Whether you need a compact single-channel system for development or a multi-channel platform ready for serial production, our standard range provides a proven, cost-effective starting point.
The right product for your application depends on a combination of practical engineering factors: printhead type, number of heads, shared or independent pressure control, heating and degassing requirements, available space, and the wider machine architecture.
Bespoke ink systems
Tailored solutions
If your application falls outside our standard product range, GIS can design a bespoke ink delivery system tailored precisely to your needs. Using a combination of proven standard modules and custom-engineered components, we develop solutions that address requirements standard products cannot – whether that is an unusual fluid type, a constrained installation envelope, a non-standard printhead interface, or a highly specific performance requirement.
Our engineering team will work with you to understand your application, define the system architecture, and deliver a solution backed by the same rigorous testing and support as our standard range.
Get in Touch
GIS delivery system architecture
GIS ink systems are built from a common set of building blocks, making them straightforward to configure and easy to expand as your requirements grow. Every system is divided into two core elements: Control Modules and IDS Channels.
IDS Control modules
A Control Module houses the system’s control board together with the cabling required to drive the module. A single Control Module can manage up to six IDS Channels.
The location of the pressure regulation components depends on the system architecture. In shared pressure systems these components sit within the Control Module, while in independent pressure systems they are located in each IDS Channel.
IDS channels
Each IDS Channel contains the pneumatic and fluidic components needed to operate the machine, including:
- Pneumatic tank – pneumatic manifold that distributes pressure within the channel
- Pneumatic overflow bottles
- Header tank – fluidic manifold
- Ink pumping and conditioning module
- Cables
- Fittings kit
Pressure control
The primary function of any ink delivery system pressure controller is to maintain the negative pressure – meniscus pressure – at the printhead nozzle plate. Too much or too little pressure leads to nozzle flooding, air ingestion and lost print quality.
GIS systems regulate air pressure over the fluid surface in real time using vacuum pumps and atmospheric venting, with feedback from precision pressure sensors and air-buffer bottles to ensure a stable, consistent meniscus across all operating conditions. Adjustable purge pressure control facilitates purging for nozzle maintenance and printhead filling.
Shared or independent pressure control?
Do you need the capability to adjust pressure settings per colour or channel? GIS offers both architectures to suit your application. The two types are commonly combined within a single system – for example, a shared CMYK group alongside an independent white channel – and GIS makes this easy to achieve.
Shared pressure systems
- Best for: same-family multi-channel systems or single-fluid systems
Pressure regulation components are shared across fluid channels, keeping system complexity and cost lower. Effective where all fluids in the system share similar fluidic properties or belong to the same fluid family.
Independent pressure systems
- Best for: multi-fluid systems with differing fluidic properties
Each fluid channel has individually adjustable pressure control. Where fluids have different fluidic properties, independent settings ensure each channel achieves the correct flow characteristics at the nozzle plate.
Ink recirculation
Recirculating ink through the printhead is essential for many modern inkjet architectures – removing air bubbles, preventing pigment settlement, providing thermal stabilisation and reducing maintenance intervals. The system type is driven by the application and printhead chosen. GIS systems support the following recirculation types:
Low
Flow
Gravity-driven recirculation for low-viscosity inks
Medium
Flow
Recirculation using inlet/outlet pressure differential
High
Flow
High-differential recirculation for demanding applications
Header tanks
To suit a wide range of printhead quantities and media widths.
GIS header tanks are purpose-designed manifolds which interface directly with industrial inkjet printheads, providing the fluidic reservoir and pressure interface between the ink supply and the printhead. Available in configurations to suit a wide range of printhead quantities and media widths, they feature:
- Manual isolation valves per head for easy printhead replacement without draining the system
- Integrated overflow protection
- Stainless steel compression fittings for reliable, leak-free printhead tubing connections
- Internal geometry designed to minimise pigment traps and encourage air bubble release
- Automatic ink-level sensing and pumping to maintain consistent fluid levels in production
Fluid conditioning
Consistent fluid conditioning is critical for reliable, high-quality inkjet printing. GIS systems can be configured with the full range of conditioning functions needed for your application:
Filtration
Inline ink filters remove particulates that would otherwise block nozzles or damage pump components.
Degassing
Dissolved gas is removed from the ink to prevent bubble formation within the ink system and at the nozzle plate.
Heating
In-line heater assemblies bring ink to target operating temperature and hold it within tight tolerances.
Fluid recirculation pumping capacity is sized to your specific application, ensuring the conditioning system keeps pace with your production throughput.
Software & networking
GIS Ink Delivery Systems connect to a host PC via standard Ethernet, enabling seamless integration into your machine control architecture. System configuration, monitoring and control are provided through the GIS Atlas software suite, which includes:
- A graphical user interface (GUI) embeddable directly into your machine’s operator interface
- Real-time status monitoring of pressures, temperatures, ink levels and pump states
- Comprehensive error detection with automatic safe-state shutdown and on-screen diagnostics
- Command interface (Telnet/CoAP) for programmatic integration with your own control software
- Configurable pressure set-points, pump parameters and system behaviour via the Atlas Configuration tool
Error detection and safe operation
Built-in error detection logic.
GIS systems include built-in error detection logic that continuously monitors the system for fault conditions such as overflow events and pump timeouts. On detection of a fault, the system automatically transitions to a safe state and alerts the operator, significantly reducing the risk of ink leaks, printhead damage or production losses.
For periods of inactivity, GIS systems provide Idle and Standby modes to maintain pressure while ink recirculation is suspended. When powered down in a controlled manner, pressures are maintained to minimise printhead dripping and protect nozzle integrity. Ink header tanks include mechanical isolation valves that allow the fluid path to be closed if the system is to be left idle for extended periods.
Broad printhead & ink compatibility
GIS Ink Delivery Systems are engineered to work with the majority of industrial inkjet printheads available on the market, giving machine builders maximum flexibility in their system design. Supported fluid types include:
Aqueous inks
UV-curable inks
Oil-based inks
Solvent-based inks
Functional fluids
Speciality chemicals
UV-curable inks
Oil-based inks
Solvent-based inks
Functional fluids
Speciality chemicals
All wetted components are manufactured from materials selected for broad chemical compatibility (including PTFE, FEP, FFKM, stainless steel 303 and specialist polymers). A Materials Compatibility Testing Kit is available to validate your specific ink formulation against the system materials before integration.
Next step…
Connect with us
We’d love to hear from you
GIS offers a range of standard Ink Delivery System configurations to suit the most common industrial inkjet applications. If your requirements fall outside our standard range, our engineering team is ready to develop a bespoke solution tailored to your application. Contact us today to discuss your ink delivery requirements and find out how GIS can help you bring your inkjet product to market faster, with less risk and the confidence of experienced engineers behind you.
+44 (0) 1223 733 733
Get in Touch
