Labelling Get smart! By Tom Kerchiss of RK Print Coat Instruments.
o stay one step ahead of competitors, food manufacturers and others, must innovate and provide goods that are relevant to the consumer. At the same time label and packaging must be secure and safe with presentation and performance properties made appropriate for the product and for the client or customer: the brand owner, retailer and consumer. Multiple retail food supply chains rely on close communication and cooperation not only within group headquarters and regional/international branches, but also between label and package converters, manufacturers and logistic hubs. Investment in information technology paved the way for closer integration with regard to stock movement and control using electronic data interchange (EDI) and electronic point of sale or EPOS at point of sale, etc. Smart labelling, which encompasses active and intelligent packaging is a logical and progressive step forward for the narrow web converter, providing the food and beverage product packaging segments with a raft of benefits, including making it harder for shoplifting and counterfeiting. Thin PS labels incorporating both RFID/NFC technologies, which fit flexibly onto any background are now becoming available, replacing or supplanting earlier RFID technologies where and when appropriate. Possibilities exist for connecting and establishing a closer relationship with the consumer using active and/or intelligent labelling/packaging or a blend thereof. For instance alerting a consumer when a food item in a fridge or cupboard is about to run out or the expiry date is approaching. Imaginative, realistic and health and safety benefits are readily identifiable and in many instances are being implemented.
T
First it’s necessary to briefly outline how active and intelligent labelling or packaging is defined. Active includes the sensing of the packaging
environment and manipulating the quality of that environment with the aid of absorbers, scavengers, etc., taking into account time, temperature, etc. Intelligent packaging or labelling/ tags revolves around areas such as anti-counterfeiting, supply chain management, marketing and branding; indicator that potentially harmful spoilers such as micro-organisms’ are becoming significant and/or gas concentrations within a pack such as for example salad greens have changed. Smart labelling/packaging and integration within a product or components is in place and in use in a variety of industrial segments and retail concerns other than food and beverage. Adoptees include fashion retail, batteries (both packaging and components), logistics, batteries, pharmaceuticals, aerospace, postal services, and electronics, automotive. Cost affects take up of smart, intelligent and active labelling and packaging to some extent with regard to food and beverage goods. Manufacturers must weigh up whether implementing the technology for low cost food items packed in formats as different at laminated pouches and foil containers or shrink-wrapped labelling, all of which may require customised smart labelling or packaging approaches is economical. Although indicators suggest that food and beverage take up is set for rapid growth as costs come down and as enough time has elapsed for technologies to bed in other sectors.
Coating and indeed laminating are important processes. In order to develop new coating materials or modify existing products there must be systems in place to trial and to coat materials onto the chosen substrate. The thickness and stiffness of a substrate surface is one of the processing conditions that can affect viability. Thicker materials may exhibit the same degree of thickness but extensibility and stiffness may vary. Thinner substrates and thinner components as is the case with smart labelling and associate technology will require higher tension regulation and selection of appropriate coating applicator technology. Thinner webs, necessitates thinner and uniform coatings in order that performance is not compromised. Consider batteries as an example.
In the manufacture of batteries thinner filmic webs are necessary for batteries to function effectively and for longer periods and at higher power output. Smart technology, active and intelligent can be used for batteries. Intelligent indicator technology for example, can be integrated in with the packaging and within and on the battery itself to provide a visual indicator of the effectiveness of the battery and the level of power that remains in the battery. As mentioned earlier, counterfeiting, track and trace and stock management can also be included. Slot die coating can be ideal where very thin or optically clear coatings need to be deposited, as is the case with batteries or for that matter many labelled products and flexible packaging films. Slot die is used to apply polymers such as adhesives, inks and electrolytes onto thin substrates such as electronic displays and in battery production. Slot die is one of the many selectable coating technologies available for integration in with the customer bespoke VCM pilot/production coater. Information on the detailed supply of RK Print Coat Instruments VCMs for customers involved in R & D and trialling of batteries and production is subject to commercial confidentiality agreements, suffice it to say that the VCM incorporates high specification drives and web controls with best available processing accessories provided. Zones may be made ATEX compliant and the VCM can be configured for the clean room conditions that may be required for smart labelling production.
Xwww.rkprint.com
18
December/January 2022
www.convertermag.com
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46
