Curb your costs

17 April 2009



Steve Ellison discusses advances in thermal transfer technology that can help manufacturers reduce costs


A recent survey reveals that a quarter of manufacturers are losing money in the current climate and must take urgent action to reduce their outgoings. Although only a small part of the production process, coding and labelling have a role to play in leaner manufacturing.

By choosing high quality equipment that extends the lifespan of your consumables, saves power consumption and eliminates downtime, you can keep your costs to a minimum.

Turn on the heat

Advances in thermal transfer technology have led to a new range of coders, which offer excellent resolution of text, logos and barcodes at very high speeds. These developments have brought with them a variety of new functions designed to help manufacturers cut their consumable costs.

Interlaced mode or radial ribbon are ribbon management features that are aimed at reducing running costs and curbing downtime. Interlaced ribbon-save mode can cut ribbon usage by up to 50 per cent, while radial ribbon management allows you to use every last inch of your ribbon for printing.

Some thermal transfer coders also enable manufacturers to reduce the gap between prints to just 0.5 mm, allowing up to 10 per cent more prints from the same ribbon.

Another recent development is a power-save function that automatically switches the coder into ‘sleep mode’ if the parent packaging machine is powered down or idle. This can help manufacturers greatly reduce their energy bills and limit their carbon footprint.

As with any coder, it is important not to skimp on the efficiency of your unit just to save a few pennies. Rather than buying an inferior model, consider cutting back on the optional extras that come with the coder. For example, many coders come with a colour touch screen as standard, but do you really need one? Why not buy a mono screen that will do the job you need it to do but at a reduced cost?

Consider also the long-term effectiveness of your coder. Some of the latest models come with both built-in RS232 and ethernet communication, so when you are ready to network your coders on the factory floor, you won’t have to pay out for a new coder or additional connectivity.

Getting the most out of inkjet

Continuous inkjet (CIJ) is considered to be the most versatile of the inkjet coding technologies as it can be used in a wide and diverse range of applications. One of the simplest ways to reduce your consumables bill with a CIJ coder is to reduce the number of dots used in the character height. This is very easy to do and you will see tangible results very quickly. Just make sure that your codes are still legible.

Another option is to ensure you use every last drop of ink in your cartridge. Choose a coder that shows clearly when a cartridge is empty or needs topping up and if you are using a cartridge-based system, make sure the cartridges are recyclable so you don’t throw money away on landfill costs.

Investing in a twin-jet coder can also save you money in the long run. A twin-jet, or ‘bi-jet’, coder allows you to print double the amount of information at the same speed as a single-jet system. Having a twin jet is particularly useful when retailer requirements change because you’ll be able to add more details to your packaging without having to buy a second coder.

On the case

When it comes to economising on case and pallet labelling, you could consider switching from manually applying labels to buying a low-cost print and apply unit. Print and apply systems are becoming increasingly popular to identify generics cartons and label pallets in an automated environment.

This will not only allow you to utilise your workers elsewhere in your factory, but it will also save you money on buying in pre-printed labels.

However, if print and apply isn’t a viable option for you just yet, consider case coding as a lower-cost alternative. You can purchase plain generic corrugated boxes and use a case coder to print variable data on the side of the box including text, graphics and barcodes. This eliminates the need to purchase and hold stock of labels and multiple pre-printed outer cases.

So, whether it’s short-term savings that you are looking to make, such as cutting back on all-singing, all-dancing functions that you can do without, or if it’s longer-term savings such as the ability to be networked with the rest of your coding systems, there are certainly steps you can take right now.

Steve Ellison is Sales Manager for Markem-Imaje


Mind the gap! Just a 0.5 mm gap between prints with SmartDate 5 thermal transfer coder by Markem-Imaje

Mind the gap! Just a 0.5 mm gap between prints with SmartDate 5 thermal transfer coder by Markem-Imaje Mind the gap! Just a 0.5 mm gap between prints with SmartDate 5 thermal transfer coder by Markem-Imaje


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