Thermal Inkjet Coding Technology Breakthrough: Extended Reach Ink Cartridge for Date Coding Concave and Hard to Reach Surfaces.
Since its introduction into coding and marking many years ago, thermal inkjet (TIJ) technology has steadily expanded its market presence with incremental technology and ink innovations. Originally, thermal inkjet coders were only used as case coders due to the limited ink options - essentially, only water based inks for porous surfaces like master cases. The last few years have seen an expanding of applications due to new ink cartridge innovations allowing for more aggressive, solvent based inks. These new inks made it possible to install TIJ coders into all types of applications from bottle coding to various types of plastics and much more! While ink formulations contributed to an increase in potential installations and applications for the technology, the throw distance was still a limiting factor.
Aluminum cans are a choice option for many beverages due to the fact that they can be recycled, are lightweight, and that they don’t rust. With these positives, how could you not be considering using the aluminum can for your beverage business? If this is a consideration of yours, today is your lucky day. Here we have shared thoughts on what to know before printing and marking aluminum cans that might just make your decision all that much easier.
Why is the Batch Number or Lot Number important in a Product's Distribution Cycle?
Once the manufacturing process ends and the product is prepared for distribution, printing batch number or lot number, a component of product traceability, is one of the ways for manufacturers to exercise control in case the product is subjected to certain manufacturing issues such as contamination or failure of the product quality of a batch.
Example of manufacturing date, expiry date and lot number printed on pharmaceutical packaging.
What is a batch or lot number?
According to the Code of Federal Regulations of the Food and Drug Administration, ¹“lot number or batch number can be any distinctive combination of letters, numbers or symbols, where the history of manufacture, processing, packaging, holding and distribution of batch or lot of drug product or other material can be determined.”
How is a batch number or lot number printed?
Batch numbers should be printed directly on the product’s primary packaging or on the labels at the end of the manufacturing process. To print a batch number it is important to understand the substrate of the packaging or labels where it must be printed. This is to ensure that the print will adhere to the packaging from holding the product in the warehouse to distribution in various shelves in the market. Maplejet, a Canadian industrial inkjet manufacturer, offers reliable and simple solutions to print batch number or lot number in any types of materials through Hx Nitro thermal inkjet printer.
Why is Hx Nitro best for batch coding?
Hx Nitro thermal inkjet printer has built-in technology to make designing and printing batch number easy and simple for small to large manufacturing industries. It allows the use of personal smartphones or any smart devices to communicate with the printer through its built-in Wi Fi module. This provides operators an easy and convenient way to design the message, set up the correct print parameters for each message, and monitor the status of printers in the production line.
The printer can be mounted on many types of packaging lines. This flexibility gives the Hx Nitro an advantage to print batch number or lot number on bottles, packs or even onto cartons. There are also different types of ink available and color options to print on certain materials.
For consumers, batch numbers printed on the packaging may be just additional information required for a product to pass the government's guidelines and regulations, but it is actually an important part of the whole product distribution cycle to ensure consumer food safety.
The 3 key elements for a successful TIJ installation
We offer and ship our thermal inkjet (TIJ) coding printers all over the country and in some instances around the globe, yet we don't have a single field service technician. "How is this possible?", you ask! Well, the Hewlett-Packard® driven thermal inkjet engine is maintenance free and simple to use. We call it a self-installation technology. That being said, there are three key elements to a successful install, which I'll cover here with three simple terms and definitions.
One of the great advantages of being a Master Distributor is our direct connection with the manufacturer. This allows us the ability to advocate on behalf of our customers and the market response we receive on products. The Meenjet M6 Automatic is a great example of this collaborative partnership we have with Meenjet.
Cost effective printer for coding cans on depalletizer
This spring we were approached by Roy DeWitt, owner of Wind River Brewing Company in beautiful Wyoming. He was seeking a cost effective coding option to attach to his newly acquired twist rinse cage and depalletizer.
Although Roy was new to the world of inkjet date coding, he knew what he wanted. His main requirements for a coding printer were that it was easy to use, affordable and pain free. Ultimately, he wanted to be able to "set it and forget it" as we like to say. He also needed
We are starting to work with more and more craft brewers as it continues to be a booming industry - 1,049 new breweries and brewpubs opened across the United States last year alone! Craft brewers are some of our favorite customers to work with as they remind us very much of our own company. Each craft brewer usually has a great story that lead them to opening their own business much like our owner, Bryan.
The three most common date coding applications we work with are coding directly on the can, coding directly on the bottle or coding on a label prior to being applied to a can or bottle. Here's a brief overview of the setups and things to consider when deciding which route is best for you.
Do you struggle with constant coding and marking equipment failures?
We will share information and success stories about how you can Keep Coding Simple in order to focus your energy and efforts on strategically growing your business. There will be insights from customers and industry experts on the various equipment and technologies available to simplify your complex coding and marking challenges.
The 3 key elements for a successful TIJ installation
