High resolution refers to the sharpness of images; beyond that, however, a more specific definition of high resolution shifts with advancing technology. The term is applied to printers, monitors, and graphic images, and is usually given as dots per inch (dpi). The more dots per inch, the higher the resolution. A printer with a resolution of 300 dpi can print 300 dots along a one-inch line. In one square inch, it can print 90,000 dots.

Recently, a high-resolution printhead was developed that produces resolutions up to 300 dpi. It uses piezoelectric technology to produce very fine ink droplets, which means better resolution than other inkjet printers provide. Graphics is the obvious use for this technology, which makes razor-sharp edges, but it is also used to imprint barcodes.

High Resolution in Industry

Printing systems that produce sharp characters need ink that works with them synergistically. High-resolution (hi-res) inks are glycol-based, and create a deep black color that is ideal for printing logos, scannable barcodes, and small characters on individual units. The dark color and crisp characters enhance the legibility of text and graphics, even on porous substrates such as corrugated cardboard.

Obviously, bleeding edges that blur characters and create indistinct images might hinder barcode scanning. This defeats the purpose of imprinting barcodes in the first place; in fact, it wastes the time and money that went into the flawed system. High resolution is a boon to industry in that it contributes to an efficient operation.