While there have been significant improvements in ink jet coding and labelling systems, Markem-Imaje Key Accounts Manager Jeff Symons, says in line lasers have proven to be a revelation.
“Innovative ink systems, improved print head reliability, shorter start up and easier shut down systems, and more user friendly functionalities in ink jet technology have increased the sustainability of the coders, ensuring that the user gets full term usage out of their coders,” Symons concedes.
“The growing need for automation and integration has seen developments in labelling, especially automated print and apply systems that reduce the need for human intervention and have the ability to work independently or be integrated into production systems.
"This has been the impetus for faster, smarter, and more reliable print and apply labellers.”
“However with both ink jet and thermal transfer coders, the end user still requires consumables, which means that production lines can be stopped should the coder require attention.
"Not so with laser coders, as they require no consumable have little or no start up and close down procedures and are proving to be more sustainable over longer periods of time therefore, improving production through—puts and decreasing running costs.
"Laser coding is fast proving to be the most sustainable of all the coding technologies and is being used in a much wider range of applications than previously envisaged,” he says.
Markem-Imaje National Business Manager Linda Gleeson agrees.
“Laser is one of the fastest growing technologies into the coding and making industry and the offer of product coding with NO PRINTING CONSUMABLES to consider has become very popular as the price of this technology has become more affordable,” she says.
“However, the big challenge for laser is the ability to code onto a wider range of substrates, such as films or foils, while being able to deliver the power necessary to code on to more rigid applications such as glass at high speed.
"Further development on laser will continue as they have for Markem-Imaje with our low Watt CO2 laser range which offers a very compact and affordable solution for a range of applications.”
Gleeson points to the push to move away from fast drying inks that use MEK (Methol, Ethol Ketone,) and derivatives as equally significant.
“Many world leader groups in Food, Beverage, Pharmaceutical, Cosmetics and others are driving for restrictions and legislation to shift us away from such hazardous substances,” she says.
“They are asking for compliance with CEPE restrictive List (76 x substances.) “More ecologically friendly alternatives include alcohol, and water/alcohol inks which have been a part of the Markem-Imaje philosophy from the very early days.
"Inks such as USDA approved 5117 blue ink from the Markem-Imaje symbolise the commitment to the development of inks for coding that meet new paradigms for sustainability.”
From the ink side, Gleeson says the challenge is to meet the need of being fast drying (to ensure no coding transfer occurs,) without the use of traditional MEK or similar carcinogens which requires an intensive commitment to development, trials, resources and investment.
Since customers want suppliers to deliver packaging/coding solutions that are both sound environmentally and able to fulfil their corporate objectives of efficiency, cost reduction, space saving and peccability, development must be balanced with the commercial aspects of costs/market share and customer applications.
“Markem-Imaje fluids have proactively become Methanol free, including our extensive ink range consisting of over 110 different inks,” Gleeson says.
“The majority of inks and solvents on the market still do contain Methanol which is a highly toxic substance and many companies are looking at avoiding its use of in the materials they use. Methanol is also highly flammable presenting risk for the manufacturer should any leaks of gas or spills occur above flashpoint.”
In addition, labelling brings with it a range of issues to investigate. Gleeson says the main focus is two fold; encompassing the recycleability or biodegradability of labels and adhesives, and the RFID capabilities built into labels.
“As varying applications have different requirements, there are specific face coats and adhesives to match applications,” she explains, “for freezer applications, for UV sun exposure, for semi-permanent adhesion and so on. Continuing development by the label manufacturers is bringing greater flexibility and options to all industries embracing the environmental aspects of the labels construction.”
A typical RFID tag consists of a microchip attached to a radio antenna mounted on a substrate. The chip can store as much as 2 kilobytes of data. For example, information about a product, date of manufacture, origin, destination and sell-by date—can be written to a tag.
“Until recently, the cost of RFID has limited its use,” Gleeson maintains. “For many applications, such as tracking parts for just-in-time manufacturing, companies could justify the cost of tags—a dollar or more per tag—by the savings an RFID system could generate.
"The work here will be to deliver an affordable and reliable label incorporating the recycling aspect of the labels.”
According to Gleeson, the big advances environmentally will still come from the area of ink development, as this technology is so prevalent in manufacturing advancements here will have the biggest impact across the board.
“We will see significant changes arising from laser with advancement in fibre optic lasers which have the capability to code onto film, but the technology itself will still be more exclusive in terms of initial costs,” she predicts.
“So for most manufacturers the development of ink will play a significant part in environmental sustainability.”
“As a prominent coding supplier in the FMCG market, Markem-Imaje will continue to provide the highest quality products while taking advantage of state-of-the-art formulation methods and materials,” she says.
“This change will not impact the stability of the ink in the printers, the drying time on substrates or the marking performances. All the new formulations are plug & play with no consequence on the run-ability of the printers.”
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