Cracking the coding system

In addition to reducing costs and boosting efficiency, the right type of coding machinery can also add significant value to the business by cutting waste. 

Large character printers, when used for the right type of application are an effective alternative to labels and pre-printed boxes. Large character coders, such as the Linx IJ355 and IJ375 from Linx Printing Technologies, offer a solution for high definition printing directly onto cartons – helping to keep costs low. 

Direct printing can help to cut down on waste since boxes are printed on demand, which means there is no danger of excess stock at the end of a production run.  Direct printing also offers the customer the flexibility of being able to customise text rapidly while not being restricted by label size. Often a manual label process can cause a bottleneck in the production process, so having a large character printer can prevent errors as well as helping a manufacturer or packer to react to sudden production demands or changes.

An effective ink system can also mean reduced downtime and savings on consumables. The ReFRESH ink system used in conjunction with the Linx IJ355 and IJ375, for example, can maintain premium code quality and avoid wasted ink during printhead cleaning. Ink and dust that collect in the nozzles are removed with an ink purge and air knife; ink from this procedure is collected, passed through a high performance filter to remove impurities from the system, and delivered back ready for printing. 

This saves time and money usually wasted on purging procedures and delivers quality print without wasting any ink. This enables significant cost savings as some standard printhead cleaning techniques can waste enough ink in a single clean to code up to 2000 boxes.  

Cardboard packaging in a range of styles such as the retail ready pack (RRP) is growing in popularity – offering a solution to create a high impact secondary form of packaging that fits easily in a supermarket environment.  

Brand owners need the assurance that products can be traced and scanned: an effective coding system helps to ensure the integrity of a product by using traceability information such as the product name and code, pack size and best before date. The Linx range of coding systems, for example, offer customers a quality solution without having to compromise on performance in the production environment.

.../

As well as providing a fast turnaround, a coding system that is easy to use in a busy production environment is often needed. The Linx TJ725 thermal ink jet printer has a large colour touch screen, and provides streamlined coding onto boxes, trays and sleeves. Installation is simple, and downtime is further reduced with no servicing required. 

Selecting a coding system with consistent code quality also increases speed in production. The TJ725’s Active Cartridge Care System slows down the ink drying in the nozzles – making first prints more reliable. 

Effective coding and marking equipment must also be capable of meeting changing demands in the future. One of the most significant challenges will be the implementation of EU Country of Origin labelling regulations, published in October 2011 and due to come into force from mid-December 2014. 

The legislation aims to modernise, simplify and clarify food labelling within the EU. It harmonises information rules for all food labels, including the list of ingredients, 'best before' or 'use by' dates and specific conditions of use. 

The new rules also add a requirement to list key nutrition information on food packaging, in a mandatory 'nutrition declaration'. Labels must also be made more legible. Finally, the new rules will streamline requirements for listing allergens, the country of origin, sources of vegetable oils, and other information designed to ensure that consumers are not misled.

Although it is not yet known how the regulations will be implemented in the UK, it’s clear that there will be increased demands for information on coding and labelling. Forward-thinking manufacturers and retailers will be thinking now about the equipment they need, in order to ensure that their packaging is compliant in time.