The latest arrival in the SmartDate® product line from Markem Imaje, the SmartDate 5/128 thermal transfer coder, prints large amounts of complex information on flexible packaging films.
Its main advantage is the extended print area; up to 128 mm wide and 75 mm long on intermittent filling machines, and up to 150 mm long on continuous filling machines.
The SmartDate® 5/128 delivers a new level of efficiency in wide format printing of information ranging from multi-pack applications to ingredient lists and nutritional statements.
As with all SmartDate 5 coders, the latest addition to the SmartDate 5 family also offers up to 300 dpi print quality. Markem-Imaje’s family of SmartDate® thermal transfer coders combines a robust design built for industrial applications, no known wear parts requiring preventative maintenance, high speeds and increased economy for printing solutions to suit a variety of needs.
The standard SmartDate 5 delivers performance and flexibility in printing. It comes readily configurable between intermittent and continuous mode and between left- and right-handed operations capable of speeds of up to 1000 mm per second.
To prevent the loss of prints that can occur in high-speed wrapping lines subject to challenging speed profiles (where rapid acceleration and deceleration result in a very brief span of slow speeds), the SmartDate 5 coder is capable of printing consistently at speeds as low as 5 mm per second.
Additionally, the SmartDate 5 can successfully meet the acceleration rates created with the new “no product-no film” option on packaging equipment.
The SmartDate 5 also cuts operating costs on consumables. Markem-Imaje has pioneered a ribbon-saving feature to shrink the gap between prints to just 0.5 mm, allowing up to ten percent more prints from the same print ribbon.
Additionally, there are a variety of ribbon saving options available to further help reduce the cost of ownership.
“With tens of thousands of successful installations behind us, we’ve learned that customers are looking for advanced capabilities and a more tailored approach to bring additional efficiency to their coding process,” explains Catherine Topp, Markem-Imaje Marketing Specialist.
A controller with a full color touch-screen is an option available on the SmartDate 5. The icon-driven menu guides the operator through set-up and procedures while clearly displaying the selected images to avoid errors and ensure correct and efficient coding in the production run from beginning to end.
Users can still opt for the classic controller design, with its monochrome graphic display, since the two options are interchangeable.
With regard to networking, others who prefer to integrate the coder controls with the controls of the parent packaging line can also do so by using web browser technology to guide the entire line from a single control point.
Remote code management is also an option for the SmartDate 5 Series. The coder allows for easy connectivity with third-party equipment and devices and the ability to source images and data from a PC or factory ERP system.
Coding images can be created using CoLOS Create® and downloaded to the coder from the network or a USB memory device. Production data can also be uploaded for analysis and auditing.