Welcome to Package This 201 — your guide to packaging machinery and materials, produced by the Emerging Brands Alliance in conjunction with Packaging World PMMI, The Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies.
In this episode we will focus on a particular type of packaging equipment: Coding and Marking. These machines can print or mark variables like expiration dates and bar codes on materials such as paper, plastics, metals, and glasses.
Coding systems are crucial for brands, especially in areas like inventory management, safety and traceability. Brands can isolate specific batches of products using batch codes printed on packaging. The expiration date printed on the food packaging is another way that consumers rely on codes to make sure they consume a product before it spoils.
Packaging security features and special decorations can also be produced using the technology of marking and coding.
First, let’s dive into inkjet systems. In this non-contact method, machines propel droplets of ink onto the surface material – called the substrate – to mark lot codes, expiration dates, and other information directly on a package at high rates.
The two main types of Inkjet Coders are small- and larger-character systems.
Small-character inkjet coders You can print In areas as small a 1- to 2-millimeters high. These printers are able to code variable data in a variety substrates. This includes products that have irregular, uneven, or curved surfaces. As we can see from this video, small-character inkjets are used in many different market segments.
Here, Squid Ink’s JetStream system is coding expiration dates on the rounded bottom end of aluminum cans. Continuous inkjet, or CIJ for short, is a technology that uses a constant stream of ink droplets electrically charged to apply the ink onto the material surface. This Squid Ink can print up to five lines and run at up to 1,000 feet per second. Squid Ink provides the JetStream with features that automatically start and shut down to maximize uptime in busy facilities.
Large-character inkjet systems When legibility and machine-scannability of the code is a top requirement, such as when shipping and palletizing, these codes are used to create barcodes, product descriptions, and logos.
Let’s look at Squid Ink’s CoPilot Max inkjet system in action. This large-character printer prints high-resolution characters and text on cases using up to two 2.8-inch printheads. CoPilot Max Turbo prints sharply with oil-based or solvent-based UV curable inks on a variety of porous and not-porous materials. This model also features a 4.3-inch, full-color touchscreen, providing operators with easy access to the system’s internal messages and print functions.
The large-character inkjet system can be used for palletizing or bulk applications. For example, you can print SKU information onto pallets or create labels with product and weight information on bulk bags.
Laser Coding Systems are a distinct type of marking technology. This technology is non-contact and uses focused beams to mark surfaces with precision and durability. Laser coders can be used for similar applications to inkjet, such as coding directly on glass, metal and other materials. Some laser systems are able to apply codes on flexible packaging materials, such as labels.
Consider laser when the most important factors are graphic quality and code durability across the entire supply chain.
Here is a picture of Domino’s U510 UV Laser System applying a code to a white HDPE Plastic Pill Bottle This laser coder is designed to maintain the protective barrier intact. It creates a reaction photochemical on the topmost layer of packaging material, without causing damage. Its laser pulse is of a very short wavelength with a high absorption rate. This reduces thermal stress as well as soot particle accumulation.
Domino’s system can even safely code very thin, sensitive packaging films, making it a solution for hard-to-mark plastics including sustainable packaging materials like recyclable mono-material films.
Other laser technologies can be used to add security features to packaging, like systems that create microtext codes for products or packages.
Thermal transfer codeTTO machines, which are also known as thermal transfer overprints, use heat to transfer an image from a ribbon onto the packaging material. This is used for coding flexible materials like plastic films, foils, and papers. TTO machines use heat to transfer images from a ribbon onto packaging materials. This allows them to produce high-quality barcodes and labels as well as reliable variable data.
TTO technology can be very versatile and blur the line between traditional labeling and coding.
EasyPrint MLP The following is a list of the most recent and relevant articles. BELL-MARK The printer can print up to 8 inches wide at 800 millimeters a second. This TTO is a perfect solution for replacing entire labels, as it can handle logos and nutritional data.
BELL-MARK has a washdown model of this machine with hygienic and watertight features such as a sealed electrical bay, and it is rated IP-67 for use in harsh environments, like those found in the poultry, meat and dairy industries. The HMI touchscreen includes label creation software, allowing multiple users to edit and manage print files as well as monitor systems.
Equipment for embossing and removing debossing It is a good idea to use a bilingual translator Typically used to raise or recess logos of brands, product names or packaging components on aluminum cans and bags. Brands can add aesthetic appeal to packaging by embossing or debossing. This also helps reinforce brand recognition and promote customer loyalty.
Finally, Hot and cold stamping machines They are also used to decorate and mark products, as well as for security purposes. Hot stamping uses a heated tool to transfer a thin foil layer onto the material. This creates a metallic foil impression used on high-end specialty boxes and cartons. Cold stamping machines use pressure to transfer an image or hologram pre-printed onto the material. This is used as a graphic enhancer or tamper evident feature.
There are even more types of specialty coding equipment, such as reciprocating coders used in bread bagging and other applications, that we won’t have time to cover here. There is no doubt that coding and Marking Equipment They are essential tools for brands. They ensure product and package security and help enhance packaging design by adding decoration.
This video is intended to give you a general overview of this technology and some common applications.
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