Diagraph's Blog

Managing end-of-line coding needs while facing rising costs and tighter budgets

Fri, 18 Nov 2022 16:36:14 GMT

There is no escaping the fact that nearly everything, including energy, raw materials and labor, is increasing in price. That is why it is critical to consider the total cost of ownership (TCO) when purchasing a new coding solution. Purchasing a lower cost coding solution that has high hidden costs will result in a higher TCO down the line.

Let’s take a car purchase for example. The initial purchase is not the end of your costs. Fuel and/or electricity, road tax, servicing and unexpected breakdowns, maintenance, insurance, and roadside assistance are all additional costs that will be incurred.

The same is true for industrial printers. The machine price is not the only consideration. So, how can you work out your TCO over a printer’s lifetime to get the best value? Diagraph’s TCO calculators can show your TCO costs for continuous inkjet (CIJ) or laser coder. Contact us and let us crunch the numbers so you can make the best choice.

You can help reduce your TCO for industrial printers

There are ways you can save costs when purchasing new coding equipment. If you are thinking about a CIJ system, consider the following:
⦁   Does the model you are considering have long service intervals and self-service as an option?
⦁   Is the user-interface intuitive?
⦁   How much training is needed
⦁   Do the required training and maintenance minimize human error and keep costly rework to an absolute minimum?

Don’t forget about consumables. Our fast-drying 1240 ink for CIJ coders will support 40% of all applications, meaning less stock control for you. Plus, the innovative upside-down ink cartridge design ensures you’ll use every drop.

In contrast, laser coders use no ink or solvents. The robust design and tube life also gives Linx coders longevity, boosting output efficiency while keeping costs down. If have high production volumes or using a coder that consumes high volumes of ink, a laser coder could be an excellent option for you to consider.

Laser coding, the solution to tackling counterfeiting

Thu, 17 Jun 2021 14:54:12 GMT

Laser coding, the solution to tackling counterfeiting

By Chris Clarke, Linx Laser Sales Manager

A laser mark can be used as an important security feature to avoid the counterfeiting of your products.

Counterfeiting can be defined as illegally making something that imitates an authentic product. This could include consumer products such as handbags, watches and fashion clothing. It can also be consumables such as alcoholic spirits, cigarettes and pharmaceutical products.

Each year, thousands of counterfeit goods are seized. However, with the necessary tools becoming more accessible, the quality of counterfeit products have risen to a point where they are much harder to detect than ever before.

Counterfeiting and its impact

Counterfeiting is a global issue which continues to increase year over year. Some estimates state the international trade in counterfeit and pirated goods could reach close to $1 trillion by the end of the decade.[1]

The impact of counterfeiting can affect the profitability of the legitimate company and its reputation. Fewer goods sold results in revenue declines. And the potential lower quality of the counterfeited goods can also negatively affect a company’s reputation.

Refilling genuine packaging with counterfeit product also has a large impact. While this has typically been seen in the beverage industry, more recent examples include the practice of refilling CBD oil bottles and tinctures.

So how do we tackle it?

Anti-counterfeiting measures provide a method which can reduce or eliminate the ability of a counterfeiter to copy a product.

Measures include:

Providing overt marking which is difficult to reproduce
Adding discreet marking for traceability to determine if a product is real or fake
Providing permanent marks such as best before dates on packaging to deter refilling by other companies

Coding and marking can be the surest way to protect against counterfeiting today. The best coding and marking solutions provide excellent protection against counterfeiters and the robust, permanent and complex codes they produce are increasingly the best defense.

Laser marking: A security feature

What are the benefits of using laser coding to avoid counterfeiting?

Of all the different coding technologies, laser coding is often most attractive to companies concerned about counterfeiting because a laser coder can print permanent, high-quality codes at all line speeds onto a wide range of substrates including glass, coated metal, labels and plastic.

Laser codes can’t be rubbed off, making them the ideal solution for traceability and anti-counterfeiting.

Laser marking creates a permanent, indelible mark.
Distinct codes create added complexity to deter counterfeiters.
Laser marks can be discreet or easily visible.
Numerous materials can be laser marked (e.g. paper, glass, plastics).
Laser marking is a fast process which can keep pace with all production line speeds.
Codes can show traceability of the product and help determine if the product is fake or genuine.

Whether you are a small operation or a large-scale manufacturer, consider a laser-based marking solution to protect your business. It will provide you with high-quality codes, save you money in the long term and increase your protection against the counterfeiters who seek to profit from your brand.

Read our case study to find out how the Linx CSL30 laser provided product marking and brand protection for a CBD manufacturer.

Contact us today to request a sample that shows how our Linx laser coders can produce crisp, permanent text or graphics on many different packaging materials including coated paper and card, plastic, glass, rubber, coated metal and anodized aluminum.

Laser marking on nutraceutical products provide robust traceability

Tue, 27 Apr 2021 20:35:41 GMT

Nutraceuticals are a rapidly expanding market in the United States and the market is expected to continue its growth by more than 8% over the next six years*. Laser coders are an ideal solution for the nutraceuticals market as they provide robust traceability to meet every budget, line speed and substrate material need.

What are Nutraceuticals?

Nutraceuticals are products derived from food sources that are reported to provide health benefits in addition to the normal nutritional value found in foods. Some examples of nutraceuticals are natural whole foods, dietary supplements, vitamins, minerals, fortified dairy products, herbal products, milk and cereals. The United States has seen significant growth in products containing CBD and THC following legalization in specific states.

Why do they need marking?

Typically, foods will require a best before and / or a use by date. Batch and traceability codes may also be needed. Direct marking is sometimes required on the surface of THC edible products to provide a warning symbol.

Why are lasers the ideal marking solution for nutraceutical customers?

Some important benefits lasers provide are:

Ability to mark on multiple surfaces (e.g. plastic containers, laminated pouches, glass bottles, etc.)
Marking on individual products on a moving production line or stationary batches of products in trays
Consumables (e.g. inks, solvents, dyes or labels) are not required
Message content, size and style of font and logos are quick and easy to change
A permanent legible mark is generated to help avoid tampering of use by dates and refilling by third parties
Addition of traceability in the event of a product recall
Visible warning indicators are created with non-contact marking on edibles

Contact Diagraph today to discover the benefits Linx Lasers can provide your company.

*Source: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200520005477/en/722-Billion-Nutraceutical-Market-Size-and-Share-Breakdown-by-Product-and-Region---ResearchAndMarkets.com

Pharma manufacturer increases vaccine throughput with Linx lasers

Mon, 05 Apr 2021 05:01:00 GMT

Pharmaceutical manufacturer upgrades their laser coders from 30W to 60W to increase the throughput to meet production demand for COVID-19 vaccine.

A major manufacturer of pharmaceuticals produces medicines and now COVID-19 vaccines on high-speed lines. Because this customer had 20 years’ experience with Linx printers, they didn’t hesitate when they needed to upgrade their laser coders to increase throughput to meet demand.

The customer need

The customer codes four lines of human readable code onto paper labels which are then applied to ampoules running at a rate of 400 items per minute. The laser codes while the line is static, and the static coding time is 300 fps. The lines run two shifts a day, five days a week.

On another line, the customer codes four lines of human readable code plus a data matrix code onto carton boxes. The production line speed is 131 feet per minute and 250 cartons are coded every minute. These lines run for two shifts a day, five days a week.

The Linx solution

The Linx CSL60 laser coder is a 60W, CO2 scribing laser coder that offers reliable coding for faster and more demanding operations enabling the customer to increase capacity. The flexibility of the coder means that the customer can have the right combination of tube and lens for their application. This level of tailoring means that the laser tube is always running at an optimum rate, which extends the laser tube life beyond other suppliers, and also extends the time between service intervals. As a result, the customer will enjoy less downtime and a lower cost of ownership.

Increase contract packaging productivity by minimizing equipment interventions

Tue, 02 Mar 2021 21:49:14 GMT

Marking and coding equipment should help contract packagers improve productivity. Diagraph accomplishes this by keeping equipment intervention requirements for our product identification equipment to a minimum.

We design and manufacture coding and labeling equipment to last longer
We are focused on operator and maintenance team product training
We partner with customers to develop a proactive game plan that keeps their coding and labeling equipment well utilized and appropriately upgrade

Designing Coding and Labeling Equipment to Last

Diagraph’s coding and labeling equipment runs cleaner for longer between required interventions and withstands wear and tear, increasing its useful life. This leads to greater equipment uptime and a stronger return on investment over the life of Diagraph equipment.

The number of steps required for routine interventions as well as the length of time between those interventions is minimized. Product capabilities like automatic printhead cleanings help keep inkjet coders operating with optimal print quality for longer. Examining consumable replenishment practices and centralizing ink refills or providing a quick turn label stock webbing approach makes required interventions quicker and hassle-free.

Finally, quality materials and thoughtful engineering matter when it comes to the longevity of your equipment. Diagraph’s focus on impact resistant designs – whether it be an inkjet coder or a labeler – ensures long-term product reliability.

Setting People Up for Success

After making sure your product coding equipment is properly matched to your application and contract packaging environment, it is essential to make sure your line operators and maintenance staff know how to properly handle and maintain your equipment.

Diagraph’s equipment is designed to have fewer touchpoints to enable hassle-free installation, training and maintenance. These easy access touchpoints minimize the amount of time required and eliminate the need to access the entire system to perform maintenance or changeovers.

Because contract packagers regularly deal with worker turnover challenges, routine training to keep workers knowledgeable and able to be good stewards of your equipment is critical. We offer refresher-level training opportunities with each scheduled service visit from a Diagraph field service engineer. In addition, in-depth training is offered on location or at the Diagraph training facility in St. Charles, Missouri.

Partnering to Develop a Game Plan

Our most successful customers partner with us to regularly evaluate and maintain their coding and labeling equipment. We perform routine equipment assessments, provide regularly scheduled service and develop long-term equipment upgrade plans.

Equipment is kept running longer and the need for unplanned interventions is reduced by staying ahead of wear-caused failures and by properly maintaining equipment. As with all things electro-mechanical, equipment performance will eventually impact production throughputs. We help you navigate the useful life of your equipment to determine when to repair and maintain a system and when to upgrade and benefit from performance and feature enhancements.

By working closely together, our account teams can help you develop a multi-year plan that provides measurable cost savings opportunities due to system efficiency gains and consumable usage optimization. These strategic audits also help customers strategically sequence system upgrades of their older technologies to avoid the sticker shock created if your product identification equipment fails at the same time.

Our goal is to always to make it easy for our customers to make the perfect mark. Find the right product for your application by completing this short assessment.

Call us today at 800.722.1125 to learn more about how Diagraph partners with manufacturers to achieve product identification and packaging compliance success.

How to Pick the Best Product Identification Solution

Tue, 17 Mar 2020 16:31:12 GMT

Step one of a manufacturer’s game plan for packaging compliance is to understand your manufacturing code and print application requirements, in order to pick the product identification solution that is best for your needs.

Print Message Requirements

What kind of information needs to be included in your print message? In many cases, especially in food and beverage, consumer-readable information must be included for buyers to determine freshness. In other instances, government and global regulatory agencies have set the requirements for manufacturers to adhere to. In order to meet packaging compliance, manufacturers may need specific product information, manufacturing codes, and barcode information, including:

Product Information
- Product Name
- Product Description
- Quantity/Counts
- Ingredients
- Nutrition Facts Panel
Manufacturing codes
- Batch Code
- Lot Code
- Line Code
- Operator Code
- Date Code – Manufactured On or Expiration Date
Barcode requirements
- EAN/UPC
- 1D
- 2D
- GS1-128
- GTIN-14
- ITF-14
- Other available barcode formats

Once specific print requirements and message placement are determined, manufacturers should also consider their application specifications. What type of packaging substrate does a manufacturer’s product or products use? What other processes in your material handling are occurring to take into consideration? And what kind of line speeds are they trying to achieve?

Application Requirements

It will be important to understand which criteria your application falls under for a marking and coding partner to best match you with a solution that will deliver your desired results.

Packaging Level
- Primary Packaging
- Secondary Retail Ready Packaging
- Case Level Packaging
- Pallet Level Labeling
Product Packaging Substrate
- Glass
- Metal
- Plastic
- Paperboard
- Cardboard
- Shrink wrap
- Other
Integration
- Form fill and seal machines
- Traversing equipment
- Case sealing
- Case gluing
Line Speed and Product Throughput
- How many feet per minute or products per minute do you hope to achieve?
- Under 500 fpm or over 1,000 fpm?
Environment
- Cold or refrigerated facilities
- Hot, humid processing plant
- Dusty environment with debris and other small particles around the conveyor line

After determining the print requirements and application specifications, manufacturers can look at the available product identification solutions and select a technology that is right-sized for their material handling set-up.

Available Product Identification Solutions

A full portfolio range of product identification solutions are available to manufacturers including:

The tables below show how each type of product coding technology is suited to fill specific manufacturer print and application requirements.

In order to achieve packaging compliance, it’s necessary to pick the best marking and coding technology for the product in question. By taking the time to understand print message and application requirements, manufacturers can begin to compare compatible product identification methods and equipment.

Picking the best product identification solution is one step in a multi-step process to achieve packaging compliance. After the information has been applied to your product, message validation is the next step.

Message Validation

Ensuring manufacturing codes are printed on products is not enough by itself to achieve packaging compliance. The codes need to be validated to make sure they are present, accurate, and scannable.

There have been many advancements in product identification and machine visioning technology that have enabled manufacturers to automate the monitoring of real-time print quality. Scanners and vision systems are common components added to the production line postprint to inspect and report any illegible codes or incorrect stock.

Levels of Message Validation

Level 1: Present - Confirm a print occurred on the product without any indication of accuracy
Level 2: Accurate - Confirm a print occurred and it correctly matches the data requested by the printer
Level 3: Scannable - Confirmation that a print occurred, it correctly matches the data requested by the printer and is a scannable, readable mark

Manufacturers know their requirements best, and working with a partner that offers a portfolio of all types of product coding technology will give you a fair assessment of the best solution for your needs. It’s also wise to choose someone who can provide support beyond installation for maintenance and servicing as age and wear and tear occur on your equipment. A reliable partner will also provide training for your maintenance staff should you choose to be as self-sufficient as possible.

However, there are still more steps to ensure manufacturers achieve packaging compliance.

Learn more about the other key considerations Diagraph recommends for guaranteeing packaging compliance:

Discover which Diagraph solution is right for your application by completing our short technology assessment. Click here to complete the assessment.

How to Reduce Marking Mistakes and Ensure Proper Code Adhesion

Tue, 04 Sep 2018 17:09:21 GMT

What does your company do when products are marked with the wrong product identification codes? Scrap? Rework? Mismarked and mislabeled products can create big hits to the bottom line. When encountering marking mistakes with regularity, companies can find it difficult to keep profit margins under control. What’s worse is if mismarked or mislabeled products make it out to market, manufacturers can face penalties from retailers and the risk of product recalls.

There are several factors to consider when trying to reduce marking mistakes:

Coding Technology

The first step to reducing marking mistakes is picking the right coding technology for both your application and your manufacturing environment. When choosing a technology, some factors to consider include:

Packaging design and material
Code contrast requirements
Content of print message or label format
Proficiency of available labor
Production throughput and cost requirements

Available coding technologies include inkjet coders, labelers,thermal transfer printers, and laser coders. Each of these technologies have their merits and should be considered carefully with the help of experts familiar with the advantages and disadvantages. Success will be realized when the best technology is chosen for your unique situation.

Ink, Label, Ribbon Match

Choosing the right technology often comes down to identifying the best possible combination of cost-per-mark and mark adhesion quality. There are numerous inks, label stock types, and ribbon formulations that can help you achieve a durable, lasting code on your product.

If you are marking onto a particularly tricky surface or operating your equipment in a hotter or cooler than average environment, you will want to run code adhesion tests and even demo the full solution for a period of time to ensure that code adhesion is strong once a mark is applied to your product packaging. A quality supplier will be able to run print samples and set you up with trials of their equipment.

Material Handling Before Product Coding

Although choosing the right equipment and matching it with the right ink, label or ribbon is important, an often-overlooked aspect of achieving code compliance is material handling. Heavy vibrations in your production line and skewed products that are not presenting well to the coding technology can impact the overall quality of your mark.

Reviewing your material handling practices and making recommendations for the best use of your equipment is vital to achieving high quality marks on your products.

Verification and Validation

You can take your coding and labeling operation a step closer to guaranteed compliance by adopting a product verification or validation step after the mark has been applied to your product. There are several levels of verification that ensure that a mark:

has been successfully applied to the product
matches the mark that you requested be printed
is completely readable

Verification and validation require the use of scanners or vision systems as well as connectivity to your coding equipment and product databases.

Material Handling After Verification

When incorporating a verification or validation step into your coding and labeling operation, you will need some form of reactive material handling after verification takes place if a printed mark is considered to be illegible. When manufacturers encounter poor code quality, a signal can be triggered to stop the production line altogether to correct what is causing the poor print or a reject and redirect action can take place to separate the questionable product from the rest of production. If too many poor quality codes are encountered, production can be stopped to allow for a remedy.

Having issues with achieving packaging compliance and encountering too many marking mistakes? At Diagraph, we can help you quantify the true cost hitting your bottom line and will work with you to develop a game plan to minimize errors and ensure proper code adhesion.

Call us today at 800.722.1125 to learn more about how Diagraph partners with manufacturers to achieve product identification and packaging compliance success.

Is a Product Identification Site Audit Right for Your Facility?

Tue, 04 Sep 2018 16:03:22 GMT

If you haven’t had a top-to-bottom review of your coding and labeling operations within the past 5 to 10 years, you are probably overdue for a comprehensive product identification site audit. Technological advancements have allowed for manufacturers to achieve greater efficiencies and accuracy with their product coding efforts for all levels of packaging – from primary products all the way to pallet level labeling.

Diagraph can take the guess work out of coding and labeling operational best practices by offering free comprehensive site audits. We make a series of recommendations that span anywhere from making modifications to current equipment or practices for enhanced productivity to the complete retooling of your product identification operation to help you achieve your production and packaging compliance goals.

Our site audits include a close review of the following key areas:

Productivity and condition of existing equipment
- Is your equipment performing to its fullest capacity?
- Is your equipment a proper match for your product coding application/goals?
- Are there any modifications or maintenance actions that can be taken to achieve full-productivity?
- How much remaining useful life is estimated for each piece of equipment?
Proficiency of machine operators
- Are there any bottlenecks or workarounds regularly encountered by your team?
- Are there system features that are not being utilized that could improve efficiencies?
- Could your production team benefit from higher-level user training?
Maintenance team strategy
- Are your preventive maintenance intervals ideal for your manufacturing environment?
- Do you have everything you need to quickly overcome unexpected downtime?
- Could your maintenance team benefit from higher-level equipment maintenance training?

After reviewing these key areas and other aspects of your packaging compliance requirements, we provide a site audit report with simple recommendations that you can implement immediately as well as bigger picture recommendations that can be implemented overtime with planning and support. At Diagraph, our goal is to make it easy for our customers to achieve the perfect mark on their products. Regular site audits and account reviews are just one of the ways we work in partnership with our customers.

Call us today at 800.722.1125 to learn more about how Diagraph partners with manufacturers to achieve product identification and packaging compliance success.

What is the Diagraph Uptime Advantage?

Thu, 24 May 2018 21:28:49 GMT

As a key component in our Diagraph Solution Center model, the Diagraph Uptime Advantage focuses on delivering more uptime through our products with minimal intervention requirements. We believe that our coding and labeling solutions should be the least of your worries. This is why our equipment solutions are built to withstand the toughest of manufacturing environments and consistently produce high quality marks – print after print after print.

Our product solution portfolio is built around the principles of reliability and ease of use:

Inkjet Coding

Whether you need entry-level thermal inkjet, high speed continuous inkjet, or high resolution, large format printing, we have a wide variety of inkjet coding solutions that are designed to be low maintenance, user friendly, and offer superior longevity.

Labeling

Because the most common cause of issues with pressure sensitive automated labeling technology is linked back to pneumatic plant air, we have fully embraced an all-electric automated labeling platform that is designed with servo-controlled label dispensing technology and smart sensing controls to achieve precise label placement at high speeds. You get all of the performance without any of the hassle.

Thermal Transfer Printing

Diagraph’s thermal transfer printing solutions offer not only the highest resolution mark on web- and foil-based product packaging, but also the widest print area range, offering ideal solutions for printing simple product codes all the way to complex messages like ingredient panels and ingredient lists.

Laser Coding

Using CO₂ and fiber lasers, we can offer an eco-friendly and consumable free option to create permanent traceability codes on packaged goods. Laser coding is an excellent low maintenance option for manufacturers that are implementing anti-counterfeit measures or need a discrete code.

At Diagraph, we will help you formulate the ideal coding and labeling solution for your unique manufacturing environment, code durability requirements, and staff capabilities. This is just one of the many ways we partner with customers to deliver tangible value throughout a long-term relationship. How much time and money can you save by taking a new approach to your coding and labeling operations? Let’s find out together.

Learn more about the other three components of the Diagraph Solution Center:

Questions to Ask When Evaluating CIJ Versus Laser Coding for Your Food Production Line

Tue, 30 May 2017 18:16:24 GMT

It is estimated by the US Grocery Manufacturers Association that over half of recalls cost companies over $10M. In addition to the financial implications, recalls for defective products could be harmful to the health of your customers and ultimately damaging to your reputation. These two major factors support the necessity of product identification in the form of date codes, lot codes and batch codes to track and trace in the event of a recall.

Two common automated marking and coding solutions for food packaging are continuous inkjet and laser coding. Which solution best fits your application is dependent on a number of factors. To help you in this evaluation process, we have outlined a few consideration questions:

Is your packaging porous or non-porous? Light or dark-colored? What is the shape of the packaging – curved or smooth?

Continuous Inkjet Considerations

Continuous inkjet (CIJ) can mark onto virtually any substrate type, rounded or flat, ranging from plastic bags, glass jars, metal cans, paper cartons and more. Because of the variety of ink types and colors available, you can achieve a high-contrast mark on nearly any color packaging.

Laser Coding Considerations

Laser, by comparison, creates a permanent mark on most surfaces although not all packaging types will guarantee a high-contrast batch, lot or date code. The etched marks from laser will last, although on clear plastics and glass the coding may not be as easily visible as black ink from CIJ.

How often are you changing over products or switching product messages? How much time and money has been lost on product rework?

Continuous Inkjet & Laser Coding Considerations

Accurate batch, date and expiration codes are essential for customers and retailers alike. If your production lines perform multiple changeovers for different products each shift, this leaves room for errors. Leading CIJ and laser solutions have features for storing unique, variable messages and icon-based interfaces that can be operated without extensive training for message creation and retrieval. Reliable, accurate coding methods will keep your line running in uptime and ensure speedy recall of products in that event.

Do your products require any security or anti-counterfeiting codes?

Continuous Inkjet Considerations

If your products have high retail value, they may be susceptible to counterfeiting. There are internal tracking and security codes that can be made on a product discreetly, that are only visible under certain circumstances by the manufacturer to verify authenticity and product origin. For CIJ, one option is security UV inks that are nearly invisible until exposed to UV light.

Laser Coding Considerations

The low-contrast, permanent marks created from laser etching are a benefit in the case of anti-counterfeiting codes. Codes can be applied to packaging in an inconspicuous location without compromising the appeal of the packaging design.

These are only a few considerations to keep in mind when selecting between continuous inkjet and laser coding for your food or beverage packaging line. For more information on how coding ties into food safety and traceability, download our full whitepaper.

Coding for Safety & Traceability in the Food Supply Chain: A Comparison of Continuous Inkjet & Laser Coding

NEW MODELS EXTEND LASER CODING CAPABILITIES

Wed, 01 Mar 2017 22:13:26 GMT

(March 1, 2017) - Linx Printing Technologies is launching two laser coders that will open up the benefits of laser technology to more companies and applications. Key benefits of the new Linx CSL range are even faster printing speeds and greater versatility, making the coders ideal for a wider variety of products. Quicker and easier installation and set-up help to make laser coding simpler and more accessible.

The Linx CSL10 (10 watt) and CSL30 (30 watt) laser coders feature a new, more powerful processing board with the ability to relay the message from the control unit to the marking head more quickly, delivering higher speeds. Ideal for the requirements of high speed packing and bottling lines, the coder can handle complex messages and graphics without any loss of quality. Both models apply crisp codes onto many different packaging materials including coated paper and card, plastic, glass, rubber, coated metal and anodized aluminum.

A new marking head has been introduced for wide web applications, enabling the coders to code across multiple lines using just a single laser where previously two machines would have been required. An area of up to 440mm x 600mm can be coded – ideal for applications such as flexible sheet for lids.

In addition, a wider range of marking heads and positions mean that the Linx lasers offer over 20,000 standard configurations, and can therefore be tailored to the precise requirements of each coding application. This unique feature makes the Linx CSL10 and CSL30 the most versatile laser coders available. Tailoring the laser application to the customer’s precise requirements means optimal use is made of the laser system, contributing to the lasers’ long tube life.

An increased choice of conduit lengths – 3, 5 and new 10m sizes – together with a more flexible conduit design, detachable marking head, connectors and conduit, and quick disconnect umbilical cable, have made installation of the coders easier, particularly where the lasers cannot be placed close to the power supply or where space is limited. These same features speed up service times and make it simpler to relocate the machines in the factory.

Both models can be specified in an IP65 version, allowing the coder to operate in harsh, wet and dusty environments such as frozen, dairy, beverage, chemicals and construction.

Both the Linx CSL10 and Linx CSL30 retain the proven features of Linx laser technology including a highly efficient operating system that delivers one of the longest tube lives on the market – around 45,000 hours – and its unique VisiCode® function for producing unsurpassed high quality codes on glass and PET while reducing energy usage by up to 50%. An enhanced version of its LinxVision® operating system allows for fast and simple set-up that minimizes errors.

About Diagraph, An ITW Company

Diagraph, An ITW Company is a leading manufacturer and distributor of marking, coding and labeling systems and supplies, and has been in the product identification industry for over 120 years. Diagraph’s products include all-electric printer applicator labeling systems, Linx continuous ink jet and laser coders, large character ink jet printing systems and thermal transfer overprinting systems. For more information, call 800.722.1125 or email info@diagraph.com.

Side by Side Comparison: Fiber Lasers and CO2 Lasers

Mon, 19 Sep 2016 14:35:49 GMT

A different laser technology has been getting some new press lately, thanks in part to growth in the Fast-Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) market. Fiber lasers aren’t new, but their application in the consumer packaged goods market has definitely hit a growth spurt. Product packaging is evolving and making use of different materials, like High Density Polyethylene or HDPE which is most desirable for its high-quality presentation, durability, and versatility in handling liquids from automotive oils to shampoo and specialty drinks. It’s no mistake then that the fastest growing laser marking technology is fiber laser which has the ability to mark directly onto HDPE as well as a range of materials not previously well served with CO₂ lasers.

What then, are the other key differences between CO₂ and fiber lasers?:

Fiber lasers don’t necessarily use more power, but do use power differently. The laser beam produced is in a different part of the light spectrum and is a much tighter beam. This is what allows the laser to mark materials that other lasers can’t, such as HDPE. Or, mark into other materials better such as rubber and metals.
By comparison, fiber laser can be quite small and compact. Instead of a bulky tube of gas, fiber lasers use optical fiber as their lasing medium. The exact science of it can be quite detailed but the bottom line is: these lasers are compact and have a small footprint. This allows for easy and convenient installation to the packaging line.
Like most industrial equipment, fiber lasers do come with their own set of safety requirements which can be managed safely through proper guarding and training.

CO₂ Versus Fiber Laser Feature Comparison

Comparison of CO₂ and Fiber Laser Marking Materials

The good news in the FMCG packaging and product identification market space is that there are lot of new materials and innovative packaging designs. Even better, Linx Printing Technologies has introduced a fiber laser with easy integration, reliable operation, and the flexibility to deliver high quality codes across the widest range of materials for both static and dynamic applications. This durable product, which includes the IP54 rated marking head, enables the coders to operate in more challenging environments with the fiber laser beam source lasting more than 100,000 hours.

If you have any questions about the benefits of lasers, or specifically about the Linx FSL20 (20W fiber) or FSL50 (50W fiber), feel free to reach out to one of our marking and coding experts here at Diagraph. We are happy to walk you through the best options to meet your specific application needs. Call 1.800.722.1125 to speak with an expert today!

The Container You Choose for Your Brew Determines Which Coding Technology You Should Choose

Wed, 27 Apr 2016 18:28:59 GMT

The Container You Choose for Your Brew Determines Which Coding Technology You Should Choose

An excerpt from 2016 Comprehensive Guide to Date and Batch Coding in the Craft Brewing Industry

Different types of technology are needed for printing on your primary (bottle or can) package and on your secondary (outer box) package. Continuous ink jet (CIJ) and laser are the most common options for printing date codes, batch codes, other text, graphics, barcodes, QR codes and other codes onto primary beverage packages.

When selecting a coding system for your primary packaging, the first step is to consider what type of material you will be printing on. Keeping in mind that you can reasonably expect the printer to last five to seven years, what types of packages are you using now and do you plan to use in the years ahead? Bottles can be coded with either laser or CIJ systems. Cans are coded with CIJ technology. This means that a craft brewer who wants to be able to code on both cans and bottles will need a CIJ system.

The next consideration that should factor into your coding technology decision is production volume. Download our free guide to view cost comparisons based on the number of bottles and/or cans you fill per day.

2016 Comprehensive Guide to Date and Batch Coding in the Craft Brewing Industry

As a leading provider of marking and coding technology, Diagraph works with breweries of all sizes across the country to fulfill product traceability needs that can easily scale up for future capacity and complexity. Diagraph manufactures batch coding and date coding technologies that span the entire packaging line -- from primary product to secondary packaging all the way to pallet labeling.

A Look at Laser Coder Power Ratings

Mon, 30 Nov 2015 17:37:19 GMT

By Eric Janes, Laser Product Manager

We all know that bigger is better and we all want more. It’s what we do, right? If 10 of something is good, then getting 20 of it is great, and 30 of it is fantastic! Well that is up until we have to pay for it anyway. When cost becomes the focus of our attention, it’s safe to say that less is more. Regardless of what we are buying, we need to look at what we need, and this tampers down all the enthusiasm for bigger is better. A Bugatti Veyron could get me to the office faster than almost any other car on the road, but with a growing family that spends its time in the Suburbs and semi-rural areas, a minivan with a bunch of cup holders ranks higher on the “needs” list.

With laser coding we should take needs into consideration in each application, and power may or may not factor into it. Yes, lasers can really power up if you want to go looking for power. While much of the technology has consolidated, choices in power ratings seem to keep increasing. In some respects it’s almost as if there is a nuclear arms race in laser power rating. Sure you have 10 watt lasers in your widget plant, but the guy on the other side of the business park just got 50 watt lasers on his bottling lines. You might be missing something, and need to upgrade, right?

Probably not, and here are some straight forward concepts to keep in mind with laser coding and power ratings. First, you are going to pay for power. No if and or buts about it, regardless of laser type, as the power rating goes up, so will your cost of equipment. Economically, it’s in your interest to get the lowest power laser possible.

Second, what power really gets you is speed on production lines. Often power is thought of as “burning harder” into materials and while there is truth to that, the reason we burn harder is most likely to keep up with production rates. Low power lasers can mark most product and packaging materials…if we give them enough time. We are talking seconds for some materials, whereas for many coding operations a typical message might code in the range of 100 milliseconds, or even less for high speed lines.

So the bottom line becomes, what material are we marking and how fast is it moving through production? When we dial in on these factors with testing and sample codes, we can narrow it down to the lowest power option. This will help make the project justification and keep your line operators from slicing open the new plastic bottles on your brand new conveyors.

If you are near the top of the chosen lasers output, there is a question left to ask and it might make the case for tweaking up the power. So, what does your crystal ball say? If your line speeds and production might increase, or your materials might change, a power upgrade might be sensible. Typically, lasers last a long time without much intervention. So while some coding technology can get cycled on a regular basis, you want to plan ahead with lasers.

At Diagraph Marking & Coding, we’ve got the people and experience to work with you, in your plant and with your crystal ball, to work out the best, but not necessarily the biggest, solution. We’ll focus on coding for cost, letting you manage your business.

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Tue, 22 Sep 2015 17:12:19 GMT

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