NEWS
CODING & LABELLING
Choosing a drinks coding system
Paul Brody of Linx Printing Technologies highlights some of the important factors to bear in mind when selecting a coding system for a drinks packaging line.
CHOOSING the right coding solu- tion for drinks products is no easy task.
style of the pre-printed packag- ing.
No two applications are exactly the same – code content, the substrate being coded onto, line speed, factory environment and available budget all play a part in determining which ma- chine to choose.
Our own customer feedback has identified that the key drivers behind coder purchases are re- ducing downtime and improving code quality.
However, the first
critical decision to make is which technology to opt for. Both main types relevant to bottle coding – laser and continuous inkjet (CIJ) – have their advantages.
Comparing laser and inkjet coding
If you are looking to apply high quality permanent codes without putting any additional substances on the product, then laser cod- ing is the answer.
Laser codes
can be highly visible or discreet, depending on the material being coded. The permanent nature of the code is also a vital tool in the fight against counterfeiting. Laser coding has no ink involved in the coding process and there- fore no drying time and no risk of smudging. On the other hand, laser coding is highly dependent on the nature of the material to be coded, as some materials are more difficult to mark with laser than others and this affects the speed of printing.
Steered beam laser systems provide perfectly formed char- acters in a variety of fonts and message formats, and enable the use of high quality graphics and logos over relatively large print areas. They are particularly suit- able where high quality codes are required e.g. to blend in with the
32 > packagingscotland
Historically, laser coders have carried a relatively
high price.
However, developments in design have recently given rise to a new generation of lower cost compact scribing laser coders, which offer an affordable alternative to CIJ printers while maximising func- tionality.
Even with this recent trend, CIJ maintains an important place in the market.
tremely versatile, and its
CIJ printing is ex- suit-
ability to print on almost any sub- strate is a very attractive quality. A wide range of inks is available to use with CIJ printers. Choices include inks of different colours, removable inks, fluorescent inks, food-grade inks,
colour-change
inks, UV readable inks for anti- counterfeiting, and many more, adding yet another dimension to the coding process. From cardboard to glass, plas- tics to metal, CIJ can print from one to multiple lines of text and simple graphics at speeds of over 2600 characters per second. Fur- ther versatility is given by the compact printhead that can be situated above, beside or beneath a production line – even travers- ing from side to side across the line if necessary.
Cost of ownership is another factor that warrants considera- tion. It is vital when planning the purchase of a CIJ printer or laser coder that the true cost of owner- ship is taken into account and not just the initial cost of purchase. Capital costs associated with the purchase of laser coding equip- ment have traditionally been higher than for comparable ink jet units, but this can be balanced by the low cost of ownership due to no consumables and relatively
low maintenance. Nevertheless, a decision should not be made on price alone. Line speed, code content and the envi- ronment the printer will be oper- ating in are all important factors to consider before making your choice.
Above all else, make sure you have explored all the options in order to select the coder that meets your exact requirements. Talk to companies with a reputa- tion for providing comprehensive coding solutions for increased productivity.
Off-line coding beats the Christmas rush
CODING specialist PrintSafe is helping food and drink producers date code seasonal products with a high speed offline system that codes and labels cartons, sleeves, watch strap bands and bags at speeds of up to 300 per minute.
When you’re running double shifts to get seasonal products out of the door, coding may not be your biggest headache. But with increased production and additional Christmas lines, coding and promotional labelling can still present quite a challenge. Upping the number of people on the job can seem the quickest and easiest option when you need to increase capacity, but offline coding is a cost-effective alternative that you should seriously consider if you’re looking for speed, accuracy and flexibility. Marston Foods produces hand-made desserts for supermarket high quality ranges and uses an offline coding station to date code a variety of carton types and sizes. Colin Gillespie, Operations Manager says: “Previously, we had an operator on the date stamper pretty much permanently. We were only able to code around 40 cartons per minute and could only run one packing line at a time. With the automatic system, we can code around 250 per minute which means we are always ahead of the game.” He continues, “I can easily swap between products and batches, and I can efficiently run extra packing lines when orders require. I’ve also been able to cut the number of operators I need on any single shift.” PrintSafe’s offline coding station feeds sleeves or cartons in their flat form and applies a date code with an integrated ink jet, thermal transfer or hot foil printer. With the addition of a label applicator, you can also apply promotional labels in the same operation, saving you even more effort. Speed is a huge benefit. Accuracy is another. With the stack to stack feeding system, you can be sure of accurate placement each time, whether it’s a date code or promotional label. For companies producing multiple products and introducing new lines, flexibility is another plus point. Simple adjustments make it easy to code a wide range of packaging and switch between batches.
October-December 2013
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