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Outstanding Modular Stand
By Chris Pangallo, CIJ and Laser Product Manager
To achieve best quality printing with Linx Continuous Ink Jet (CIJ) printers, accurate and stable printhead placement is critical. Additionally, there are several production line specific requirements to consider before selecting the proper mounting accessories to secure both the printer and printhead. These requirements include:
· Equipment needs to withstand wash-down
· Equipment needs to be mounted to a wall to keep walkways clear
· Equipment needs to be bolted to the floor for ultimate stability
· Equipment needs to be flexible with quick and easy change over to different positions
on the same production line
· Equipment needs to be easily moved from one production line to another
· Equipment needs to accommodate accessories such as alarm beacons and wash stations
· Equipment needs to store fluids inventory
Linx meets all of these requirements with their new Haltbar range of printer mounting, introduced with the launch of Linx model 8900 CIJ. The Haltbar mounting is modular, providing the flexibility to meet both current and future application needs, and allows for fixed or mobile applications.
In addition to their ability to address the specific location and flexibility needs of a production line, they are built to withstand the rigors of the production environment. The stands are formed of 304 grade 1.6mm stainless steel and other tough materials for maximum durability.
At Diagraph, we are dedicated in solving your coding and labeling challenges. Diagraph has been assisting customers for over 120 years improving production line efficiencies with simple, reliable, cost-effective coding and labeling solutions. Contact us to learn more about the Linx product line. Visit us at www.diagraph.com or contact us at 800.722.1125.
Selecting ink for your inkjet technology – impulse jet, valve jet or thermal jet – requires an understanding of your application and some basic qualities of the inks available. We asked our inkjet experts for key information to help shine some light on understanding the ink options available in the market:
A: All inks are made up of essentially the same things; a solvent, colorant, resins and other additives. It’s the resins and additives that give inks certain properties that allow them to adhere to specific substrates better than others. Solvent is the carrier of the ink. Colorant is what gives the ink the color you see. The resin gives the ink the ability to stick to substrates. The additives are anything else added to the ink to give it a desired property (surface tension modifiers, dispersing aids, gloss reducers, etc.)
A: Simply put, the surface tension of the ink and surface energy of the substrate determine an ink’s adherence. An ink droplet is made up of many molecules of ink. These molecules of ink have to be attracted to each other to form this drop of ink. So, the surface tension is how much they are attracted to each other. If they are highly attracted to each other (water) then the molecules are close together and hold on tightly to each other. When the molecules are not very attracted to each other then they barely hold onto each other and spread out more. It has to do with the charges of the molecule, or lack thereof.
Water is polar, which means it has a negatively charged and a positively charged end. These negative and positive charges attract to each other like magnets do. For example, when the water is placed on a glass, it just beads up and runs off because the glass has no charge (non-polar). The water is not attracted to the glass. However, if we add soap to the water we alter the surface tension and the dynamic changes. Soap molecules have a charged side (polar) and a non-charged side (non-polar). When the soap dissolves in the water it allows the non-polar side to be attracted to other non-polar substances, like glass.
So, to make an ink better adhere to a substrate, additives are used to change the surface tension of the ink to more closely match the surface energy of the substrate.
A: VOC stands for volatile organic compound. With some exceptions, the solvents used in products such as coatings, inks and adhesives are generally classified as VOCs. Unless they are controlled, these solvents are emitted into the air after they perform their function. Thus, solvent emissions from products and industrial operations are one of several significant sources of VOC emissions. Emissions of VOCs, in and of themselves, do not necessarily give rise to health or environmental concerns. In many areas, however, they react with oxides of nitrogen (NOx) in the presence of heat and sunlight to form ground-level ozone – the primary component of “smog.” For that reason, they are regulated as “ozone precursors” under the federal Clean Air Act and similar state laws.
A: Dyes and pigments are both colorants. Dyes are soluble liquids and dissolve into the ink base. They do fade over time. Pigments do not dissolve as they are solids and do not fade. Since they are solid they may settle, or sink, to the bottom of a container if the ink has a low viscosity, or is thin and watery in texture. The weight of the pigments causes the inherent problems with pigmented ink. First, they can actually clog printheads if they’re too large. Secondly, if they are allowed to settle the ink will not have the same color.
It’s the same concept as pouring Italian dressing on your salad without shaking it. The dressing will have a different taste because the ingredients are not mixed.
A: One component of ink that helps it adhere to substrates is resin. The resins allow the ink to spread creating more surface area helping promote adhesion. Resins can be categorized as either brittle, semi-brittle or flexible. If an ink containing a brittle resin, like acrylic, is used to print on film it can ‘flake’ off the film because the resin is stiff and is not able to adhere and conform to the shape of the plastic. If an ink with a flexible resin was used, the resin would be pliable and therefore be able to bend or flex with the film.
Diagraph’s top-performing ink, ScanTrue II Plus, and all valve jet inks are produced in our Marion, Illinois manufacturing facility. All of our inks have been designed to perform at the highest level with Diagraph manufactured inkjet equipment. If you have any questions, or wish to better understand what kind of ink would be optimal for your inkjet application, reach out to our experts!
What: U.S. regulatory agencies recently announced a new preference to standardize on the use of the quality-based date label of "Best If Used By" on packaged foods. This recommendation is voluntary and based on research-based industry best practices.
Why: Confusion caused by the use of various date label formats leads to unnecessary food waste. Consumers equate date label information with a warning about the timeline for the safe consumption of the food product rather than a statement of a recommended timeline for optimal food quality. This format recommendation is a part of the "Winning on Reducing Food Waste FY 2019-2020 Federal Interagency Strategy" launched by the federal government in April 2019.
Who: The Food and Drug Administration (FDA), US Department of Agriculture (USDA) and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) are endorsing the "Best If Used By" industry standard set forth by the Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA) and Food Marketing Institute (FMI) in 2017.
Industries of Interest: Food, Beverage
Resources:
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Understanding the Expected Cost of Operations
Are you spending more than you should on maintaining
your marking and coding equipment?
By Bruce Castro, US Service Manager
Ever wonder what you spend on parts to keep your marking and coding equipment running? Even more importantly, do you know what you should be spending? We all know that maintenance isn’t free and everything with a moving part wears out sooner or later, but few really understand the expected cost of their application.
Many operate under the assumption that the costs they pay are the expected costs of operation.
If you want to know your spend on Diagraph or Norwood parts, just reach out to us and we’ll engage the local Service Engineer and Field Service Manager to find out. This service audit will identify your current spend and compare that to your expected spend on inkjet, label application, thermal transfer overprinter and hot stamp parts.
Through a service audit, allow us to review how you are performing and make recommendations for lowering your operating costs if your audit indicates that you are above the expected spend. We provide more than just equipment – we provide solutions to help you improve your marking and coding operational efficiencies.
After reviewing your comprehensive service audit, you may be wondering if it is the right time to move into a new system versus absorbing the cost of continuous maintenance on your current equipment. At your request, we will provide you with a downtime avoidance and maintenance savings analysis to help you determine if purchasing a new system is the right investment for your production line.
If you use Diagraph inks and solvents, or have more than one Diagraph technology in your facility, you may qualify for a free service audit. There are other ways to request this audit at no charge. Contact us 800.526.2531 to find out more information.
We are at your Service.
St.Louis, MO. . .Diagraph is pleased to introduce the LINX7900 Continuous Ink Jet Coder. With LINXInsight® remote monitoring, super-long service intervals of up to 18 months or 9,000 hours*,and an 18-month warranty, the new LINX 7900 sets the standard for continuous ink jet. It’s exactly what you want, everything you need, more than you expect!
TheLINX 7900 offers advanced additional features as standard, providing an exceptional value with no hidden costs.
Simple printer control
LINX Insight® enables remote monitoring from a smart phone, plus message download and control from a PC.
QuickSwitch® software allows simple and accurate code changes using a barcode scanner.
USB port means easy transfer of messages between printers.
Lowe strunning costs
Intelligent ink system enables up to 9,000 hours* between scheduled service intervals.
18 month warranty* on printer from installation at no extra cost.
Mistake-free message editing is provided by customizable on-screen prompts, to reduce coding errors.
*excludesLINX Spectrum/Food Grade Models
Increased production up time
Hermetically-sealed print head with no moving parts, no manual adjustments to make.
FullFlush® system automatically cleans and dries the print head and conduit at every shutdown.
SureFill® enables fast, mistake-free refills every time.
Additional standard features
For more information, call 800-722-1125,send emails to info@diagraph.com or visit www.diagraph.com. To view videos of our labeling and coding product applications, customer success stories and demonstrations from the trade show booth, please visit YouTube’s Diagraph Channel www.youtube.com/diagraphitw. Also, please take a moment to “Like Us” on www.facebook.com/diagraphitw and receive announcements and stay in touch with what’s new at Diagraph.
Diagraph, An ITW Company is a leading manufacturer and distributor of marking, coding and labeling systems, and has been in the product identification industry for over 100 years. Products include automated labeling systems, LINX continuous ink jet and laser coders, and large character ink jet and thermal jet systems. Acquired by Illinois Tool Works (ITW) in 2001, Diagraph has the resources and financial backing of a multi-billion dollar organization. ITW has 850+ business units in over 50 countries employing nearly 60,000 men and women worldwide.
Are you prepared to move quickly to meet the new standards set to be released by the FDA by the end of this year? The Food Safety Modernization Act of 2011 gives the FDA broad powers to closely inspect food manufacturers and enforce strict traceability standards across the industry. Legally mandated facility inspections will start in 2016. Here is what we know:
Resources: FSMA Rules & Guidance For Industry A comprehensive listing of the draft proposals that are likely to go into effect as enforceable regulations.
GS1: Product Tracing, Critical Tracking Events and Key Data Elements Moving toward a single global standard for implementing traceability measures in the food and beverage industry.
Product Coding Technologies
Small Character Inkjet
Thermal Inkjet
Thermal Transfer
Laser Coders
Label Applicators
Hot Stamp
Case Coding Technologies
High Resolution Inkjet
Print and Apply Labeling
Large Character Inkjet (Dot Matrix)
Pallet Coding Technologies
Print & Apply Labeling
St. Louis, MO. . . Diagraph is pleased to introduce the Platinum Series Label Print/Apply Systems. The Platinum Series (PA/6000 and PA/4600) made their debut at Pack Expo 2006 (October 29-November 2, 2006 at McCormick Place in Chicago, IL) and are Diagraph’s 4th generation automated labeling systems. These printer/applicators are quality engineered and built for performance, reliability and ease of use. They deliver everything you need, exactly what you want, and more than you expect.
The PA/6000 is engineered for high-performance, high-speed, 24/7 operation in the most demanding conditions. Some key features of the PA/6000 include:
The PA/4600 is engineered for medium-speed applications. Some key features of the PA/4600 include:
For more information, call 800-722-1125 or send e-mails to info@diagraph.com.
Diagraph, a division of Illinois Tool Works Inc., manufactures and distributes automated marking, coding, labeling and RFID systems and supplies. Primary product lines include: small character ink jet systems, large character ink jet systems, and automated labeling systems. With sales and service offices located across the United States and throughout the world, Diagraph is a leading supplier of industrial product identification systems.