If you want to buy coding materials in bulk, but are overwhelm by the large number of technical products available, Industrad Group can help you. Read on to discover the most effective and cost-efficient solution for your business.
Choosing the right batch coding equipment is critical to ensuring the continue flow of products through the supply chain.
However, with so many batch coding options available, it is not easy to know which team is the best. Different industries require batch coding equipment that can print codes and data on a variety of products and packages. Other variables, such as production line speed and production environment, also determine which device is best for a particular application.
In this article, we will go over all the different technologies and how they apply to different sectors and products so that you can make an inform decision when choosing the ideal printer.
The importance of batch coding
Batch coding is an important part of the manufacturing process, whether it is in industrial and manufacturing applications, in food and beverage production, or in sectors such as the pharmaceutical or automotive industries.
Lot coding is critical to traceability because it allows products to be track through all stages of production, processing and distribution. Each batch number is a combination of different identifiers relate to the product, production line, production date, production time, etc.
When a customer buys two identical products in a supermarket, they may contain exactly the same ingredients and in identical quantities, but if they were produce on different dates, on different production lines or using ingredients from different suppliers, they will have different lot numbers.
These codes are need in the event of a product recall. If consumers, retailers or others in the supply chain have a problem with a product, the lot number allows them to trace its origin. In this way, products with the same lot number can be withdrawn from sale and costs to the manufacturer are reduced. The larger the batch of the product, the higher the recall costs.
Types of equipment for batch coding
Manual batch coding solutions
Manual batch coding equipment is manually operate and is generally only suitable for very small runs. Examples of this equipment are traditional hot stamping printers and ink PADs, or label roll coders. This type of equipment is typically use by small manufacturers who produce a small variety of products, often by hand or for limit distribution.
Semi-automatic batch coding solutions
Semi-automatic batch coding solutions are electronic and automatically print codes, but are not integrate into automatic supply lines, so product entry and output must be done manually.
Automatic batch coding solutions
Automatic batch coders print the data for a product as it passes through a production line without operator intervention. Once the automatic batch coder has establish the correct code, the product data is automatically enter and print until the product or code needs to be change. Automatic batch coding solutions are the prefer choice for automate production lines or mass production.
Contact or contactless coding?
All equipment use for batch coding, whether manual, semi-automatic or automatic, falls into two main categories: contact and non-contact. The demand for both types of batch coding equipment varies depending on the industry and the type of product being manufacture.
Contact batch coding equipment
Batch coding equipment comes into contact with the surface of the product or package. Contact batch coding solutions include traditional rubber or metal emboss printers and automatic thermal transfer printers.
Non-contact batch coders
It not touch the product surface, but use technology such as laser and ink jet printers to print the correct code. Non-contact printers are suitable for batch codes that need to be change frequently. Examples of non-contact batch coding solutions include continuous ink jet (CIJ) and thermal ink jet (TIJ) printers and laser coders.
Technology
Thermal transfer printing
Industrad Group V-Series thermal transfer printing systems can be use at high speeds to print high-quality codes on labels and flexible materials. Thermal transfer printing is a particularly suitable technology for coding stacks of process food and staple foods, as the printers are integrate into packaging and processing equipment such as tray sealers, shrink systems and packaging machines.
Thermal transfer printing transfers the code directly to a product’s package or label by applying heat to a ribbon in a specific target area; therefore, the print head must be in full contact with the print area to generate a code.
Continuous inkjet printing
Thermal inkjet printing
The G Series Thermal Inkjet Printer Family Industrad Group are non-contact ink coding equipment that can deliver high resolution printing at very high speeds. They are ideal for the mass coding of medicines and medical devices with increasingly sophisticate codes and texts.
Laser encoders
For some applications, an inkless batch coder may be the best solution. For example, in the beverage industry, printing batch numbers on the bottom of beer cans, wine bottles and water bottles will require a system that can print on laminate, PET and glass, such as a laser system.
We found such a solution in the D-Series range of long-life CO2 laser encoders.and Series F of fiber lasers from Industrad Group, high speed laser marking equipment for demanding environments capable of coding on a wide variety of elements and materials, including glass, plastic, laminates and metal.
Options for handling batch code information
Another important consideration when choosing batch encoding equipment is how you want to manage your data. There are several possible options, from manual data entry to fully automate encryption.
Manual data control
In terms of data entry, these can be enter directly into a batch coding printer to print on a product or package. In such a situation, an operator would be employ to input all the data into a code or label design template. The team would then print the code on the product. Such a system can be prone to coding errors if the operator makes a mistake during data entry, which could lead to product recalls.
Semi-automatic control
Another option for manufacturers is semi-automatic data control, where a batch coder can automatically fill in a label or code template base on certain information. In such a situation, an operator would have to enter the data for define categories, eg date, product code, number of lines, etc., into software that would subsequently translate the data into the final code to be print. The Industrad Group QuickStep user interface is includ in all Industrad Group batch coding equipment, and enables operators to design label and code structures and automatically use layouts base on manually enter information.
Fully automatic data control
A more advance solution for manufacturers would be batch coding software that would be integrate into an existing supply system to create batch numbers base on product data and automatically use label generation software. Industrad Group QuickDesign automate encoding and label design software enables allIndustrad Group printers to integrate with MES and ERP systems, to accurately collect data and automatically change text. An automate coding system does not require human intervention, resulting in fewer errors, reducing downtime and allowing the operator to take care of other tasks on the production floor.
The main sectors and the most suitable technologies
Each industry requires its own type of batch coding equipment. The following sections highlight common batch coding systems in some of our major industries.
Industrial and manufacturing sectors
In the industrial and manufacturing sector, batch coding printers can be use for various products with manufacturer-specific batch and tracking codes, such as cables and extrusion, automotive and aerospace parts, electronic components, etc.
The nature of this industry may require the printing of codes on curve or irregular surfaces, which can be achieve with the use of non-contact Industrial date code printer printing technology. Non-contact batch coding equipment can also be use to replace complicate manual printing processes for faster overall production.
Food and drinks
Batch codes are essential for manufacturers who make and sell food and beverage products , as well as for the retailers and end consumers they are intend for. In the food and beverage industry, the type of equipment require may vary depending on the substrate to be encode. This includes various substrates use in food and beverage packaging, or sometimes in the food itself, as is the case with batch codes that are print on eggs.
Industrad Group Ax Series continuous inkjet printers are an ideal printing solution for batch coding on various food and beverage products and packaging, such as glass jars, plastic bottles, and cardboard boxes. Industrad Group V Series range of thermal transfer printing systems is perfect for printing on flexible film packaging, laminate cartons and vertical bags.
Other Food
For some other food and beverage applications, an inkless batch encoder may represent the best solution. For example, in the beverage industry, printing batch codes on the bottom of beer cans, wine bottles, and water bottles will require a system capable of printing on laminates, PET, and glass. We found such a solution in Industrad Group D-Series and F-Series range of long-life CO2 laser encoders of fiber lasers, high-speed and harsh-environment laser marking equipment capable of printing codes on a wide variety of elements and materials, such as glass, plastic, laminates and metal.
Pharmaceutical sector
Batch code printers are critical to the pharmaceutical industry , where manufacturing and best-before dates, DataMatrix anti-counterfeiting codes, and serialization codes from local laws are often require by law.
The incorporation of codes into pharmaceutical products is essential to guarantee the correct supervision of medicines and health products, as well as to avoid misuse by patients, members of the health sector or, increasingly, criminal organizations.
Industrad Group G-Series range of thermal inkjet printers are non-contact ink coding equipment that can deliver high resolution printing at very high speeds (up to 300 m per minute). They are ideal for mass coding of medicines and medical devices with complex codes or texts to ensure compliance with local and global legislation.
How much?
The cost of a batch coding system will vary greatly depending on each factory, the type of technology require, the number of equipment, and the number of products that require coding. It’s about striking a balance between the number of codes require, the cost of initial setup, and the cost of running the printer over time.
