Diagraph's Blog | Food and Beverage
Create Config
Edit Name Description Configiration Type Type

Featured Posts

  • Avoid Labeling Mistakes by Removing Plant Air Posted 8 months ago
    All-electric label applicators revolutionize the packaging industry by eliminating the reliance on plant air, providing precise applicator control for consistent and accurate label placement and ensuring secure label control for various label sizes.
  • Is training production line workers creating a challenge? No problem!  Posted 7 years ago
    Companies rely on engineers or technicians to keep production lines up and running. These job functions are essential to hitting production targets, so it is key that their skill level on equipment is proficient. When making the decision to replace this equipment, the amount of time and money that will have to be invested in training your labor is a major deciding factor.
  • How do I get labels to stick in hot and humid environments? Posted 4 years ago
    Something to be aware of when considering using labeling for product identification in a hot or humid environment is that labels are sensitive to temperature, making facility environment temperature a determining factor in choosing what label material to use on a product.  
  • Superior labeling power source — pneumatic air/electric labeling Posted 7 years ago
    Which is a superior labeling power source — pneumatic air or electric? There is a great debate in the packaging technology industry around the core driver.
  • How Push-Mode Piezo Print Technology Saves Significant Costs in Packaging Compliance Posted 3 years ago
    Every package printed with a noncompliant mark is a package you can’t ship, costing your company time and money. Improving print technology can help improve packaging compliance. Diagraph’s industrial inkjet printing technology was built specifically to improve print quality and production line uptime for manufacturing environments.
Read More »

Diagraph's Blog

rss

Diagraphs Blog covers the latest in coding and labeling products


Ink for CIJ Printers
New accessories are also available for use with the printers, cover tube seal, splash cover, and specialty air knife kit, each designed to help food manufacturers with humid environments meet production requirements.
Top Considerations When Selecting Coding Equipment In The Dairy Industry
Specify Alternate Text
Products containing animal milk are on a constant time clock. Cows must be milked every day, meaning it is possible for dairy operations to be running 24/7 to get products with an under 20-day expiration period out the door and onto shelves. In these fast-paced manufacturing environments for fluid milk, cheese, yogurt, butter and ice cream products, there are several factors that impact the method and features required for achieving legible marks and labels onto packaging.
New Yellow Ink Provides High Contrast Code on Dark Colored Bottles
Coding and marking specialist Linx Printing Technologies has launched its new Linx Yellow bottling ink 1088 to meet the demands of customers who require a high contrast code on dark colored bottles. These bottles are usually returned from the marketplace and cleaned in a caustic wash process, typically used for returnable bottles, before refilling and coding.
Food, glorious food - the benefits of using Continuous Ink Jet
Specify Alternate Text
2020 will go down in history as a challenging time for food producers. While it is vital that food supplies to supermarkets are uninterrupted and rigorous hygiene is maintained, we should not forget the importance of the printed information that is provided to the consumer when it is on the shelf. There are heavy fines for batch and date codes that do not meet required legislation, and the printed codes must meet stringent traceability requirements should any recall be needed.
You need to think about your ink
Specify Alternate Text
We’ve all been there. Starving at the end of the day and rushing into a supermarket to pick up something to eat. Consumers may give a cursory glance at the best before date on the package to confirm that the item is safe to eat. They give no thought (and why should they) to how much research and development has gone into the ink displaying the information on the package. Not so for those responsible for coding and marking in the food industry.
How to Overcome Manufacturing Challenges During a Crisis
Specify Alternate Text
During the COVID-19 pandemic, manufacturers in essential industries such as food, hygiene products, and medical supplies are needed more than ever. It’s critical that these products continue to be produced and shipped in a timely manner, to support the growing demand. Current manufacturers are doing the best they can to keep their production up at this time. And moreover, companies in industries from cosmetics to breweries to sustainable clothing are pivoting in the face of the COVID-19 disaster.
Score Savings with Diagraph at PACK EXPO Las Vegas in Booth C-4000
Specify Alternate Text
Every year the biggest show in packaging and processing raises the bar for innovation and consumer trends. Whether you're looking for a solution to production challenges or you're attending to absorb new industry information, experts from across the industry exhibit at PACK EXPO to share their latest and greatest products and services. This fall, PACK EXPO kicks off in Las Vegas on September 23rd through the 25th.
Demand for Flexible Packaging Expected to Grow
Specify Alternate Text
The US food industry is the leader for flexible packaging with the market continuing to grow with an expected 3.9% CAGR and valuation of $392 billion by 2023. Flexible packaging currently accounts for 19% of the packaging market – second only to corrugated paper. Advancements in slider closures, fitments, and improved barrier properties are driving preferences amongst both manufacturers and consumers.
Standardizing Food Date Labels in the United States
Specify Alternate Text
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. 
Top Considerations When Selecting Coding Equipment In The Dairy Industry
Specify Alternate Text
Products containing animal milk are on a constant time clock. Cows must be milked every day, meaning it is possible for dairy operations to be running 24/7 to get products with an under 20-day expiration period out the door and onto shelves. In these fast-paced manufacturing environments for fluid milk, cheese, yogurt, butter and ice cream products, there are several factors that impact the method and features required for achieving legible marks and labels onto packaging.
Top Recommended Inks for Inkjet Coding in the Dairy Industry
Specify Alternate Text
No one wants to risk their health or the health of their family by bringing home dairy products with indistinguishable expiration dates. Regardless if your dairy plant produces fluid milk, cheese, yogurt or ice cream, if your product does not have a legible expiration date on it chances are your product will remain on grocer’s shelves.
Keep Up With Snack Packaging Trends With Smarter CIJ Technology
Specify Alternate Text
No longer is it the case that snacks are packaged specifically for children’s lunch boxes. Today, the snack market is heavily geared towards adults with 94% of adults snacking at least once a day and 50% snacking 2 to 3 times a day.* Snack producers are tasked with changing traditional packaging to address a different kind of consumer.
Color Contrasting Inkjet Coder Runs Cleaner for Longer
Specify Alternate Text
Diagraph is pleased to announce the launch of the Linx 8900 Plus Series – an advanced range of color contrasting inkjet technology that provides the highest levels of printer reliability and ease of use. Enhancements in printhead design and pigment particle dispersion in the Linx 8900 Series prevent common clogging issues associated with inkjet systems when using color soft pigment-based inks.
Benefits of automated coding in the meat, poultry and seafood packing industries
Specify Alternate Text
According to a recent PMMI Business Intelligence Report, the meat, seafood, and poultry packing industries are experiencing “a global boom” due to several factors including import and export opportunities expanding into new markets, growth in foodservice, and growth in ready meals. Food producers are rapidly moving to automate processing and packaging to be prepared to meet increased demand and be flexible enough to adapt to changing product coding requirements.
Using Product Coding and Labeling to Manage a Growing Number of SKUs
A number of factors contribute to the drastic rise in SKUs, like company acquisitions and portfolio merging, flavor variety, count variety and retailer-specific case sizes, to name a few. Managing an increasing number of SKUs is costly for snack food manufacturers, especially when a bulk of them only contribute a small portion to their bottom-line profit.
What is Retail Ready Packaging?
Retail-ready packaging, warehouse with cases and pallets, product identification
Retail ready packaging (RRP) is increasing in popularity among big box retailers. A retail-ready package refers to secondary packaging that is branded appropriately to be able to move to retail shelves in a quick, “one touch” movement.
Sneak Peek at Diagraph's PACK EXPO Las Vegas Show Specials
Diagraph is offering exclusive show specials for PACK EXPO Vegas attendees who have their badges scanned at Booth C-4010.
Enhance the Food Safety Process with Functional Inks
Continuous inkjet (CIJ) is the technology of choice for food packaging coding as the solvent based inks adhere to a variety of materials like cartons, plastics, films, foils, metal and glass. CIJ is ideal for food packaging in that it offers high speed, non-contact small character printing and enables food processors to incorporate inkjet codes into their functional safety and traceability processes.
Questions to Ask When Evaluating CIJ Versus Laser Coding for Your Food Production Line
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.
Achieve Less Downtime in Food and Bottling Lines When You Choose These Durable CIJ Features
All food and beverage manufacturers have a commitment to efficient operations and strive to increase output with maximum uptime. Many of these manufacturers require variable information such as lot or batch codes, expiration dates, or barcodes on their product and make use of Continuous Inkjet (CIJ) to achieve these required codes.
Code Adhesion: How to make inkjet codes stick to slick surfaces
Many companies, especially in meat and dairy processing, struggle with the requirement to mark variable information onto slick packaging.
Small Character Inkjet Features That Shine in the Meat Packing Industry
The meat packaging industry has coding and traceability requirements similar to other food industries, yet the cold and humid environments indicative of the industry can pose additional challenges for packaging equipment not experienced in more temperate facilities.
These Common CIJ Maintenance Issues Could Be Affecting Your Uptime
Companies using non-contact high speed Continuous Inkjet (CIJ) technology to mark information (including expiration dates) on their product may not be aware that a key component of their marking system – the fluids – also have expiration dates.
Side by Side Comparison: Fiber Lasers and CO2 Lasers
Fiber laser application in the consumer packaged goods market has hit a growth spurt. We compare the key differences between CO2 and fiber lasers.
GMO labeling crisis? Here's what you should know and what you should do
Did you know there were 80 GMO labeling bills introduced in 20 states in 2015? On July 1, 2016 the first GMO labeling law will go into effect in Vermont. The Vermont law requires raw agricultural commodity and processed food producers who sell food products in or into the state of Vermont to mark the lowest saleable unit of food packaging with a disclaimer that clearly and conspicuously reads “produced with genetic engineering.”
New Non-Porous Ink Offers Darker Print and Longer Decap Times
Diagraph is now offering a newly formulated non-porous ink in an improved 45Si cartridge that will offer Thermal Jet Series technology users greater print quality on some of the most challenging non-porous substrates.
Comparing Pneumatic and Electric Label Printer Applicators
Diagraph’s E-Series labelers are considered the simplest, most reliable all-electric labeling solutions in the industry today thanks to years of continuous improvement and innovation. Our entire line up of Diagraph E-Series print and apply and automated label applicator systems build upon the durability of the proven Diagraph Platinum Series design, yet incorporate key electronic enhancements that allow it to perform more consistently and reliably over time.
Variable Coding Ready to Eat Meals with Inkjet
Although laws vary by state and only baby formula has a federal regulation on “Use By”, “Sell By” or “Best Before” date coding, consumers look for this information before making a purchase. Continuous Inkjet Printing (CIJ) is often the preferred method to achieve date coding. Continuous Inkjet offers high-speed, non-contact marking using solvent based inks to print variable information on a wide variety of substrates.
Reason Manufacturers Moving From Automated Air Labelers
Plant managers and maintenance managers alike are deserting pneumatically driven label applicators in favor of all-electric label applicators for one BIG reason.
Analog Hot Stamp Printing vs. Digital Thermal Transfer Printing
Many marking and coding equipment sellers espouse the virtues of thermal transfer overprinters (TTO) over the capabilities of hot stamp coders. As a manufacturer of both thermal transfer and hot stamp technologies, we are here to tell you that there is room for both. The truth is that each technology excels for very different reasons.
Improve Efficiency with the Linx 8900
The all new Linx 8900 was a hit during its debut at Pack Expo Las Vegas! Visitors loved the simple one-touch fluid refill design, the enhanced user interface paired with the large touch screen, the engineer-free self service module, and, of course, the industry leading reliability that comes with the Linx printhead.
Making the Perfect Mark with a Laser
To avoid smeared, smudged and illegible date and lot codes, turn to the high print quality made possible from today’s scribing lasers.
FSMA Site Inspections Start in 2016
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.
Seasonal Coding Tips for Confectioners
Many manufacturers in food processing and consumer goods experience seasonal fluctuations in demand. As a result, their production must ramp up and down throughout the course of the year. Should their product require variable coding such as batch codes and date codes, these companies often make use of Continuous Inkjet (CIJ) coding technology.
Analogue Vs. Digital Product Coding
A review of analogue and digital product coding in the meat packing industry. Do hot stamp users really need to make the switch to a digital coding solution? The answer may surprise you.
Meat Traceability: Marking & Coding Considerations
While the utmost care is taken to ensure that meat for human consumption is processed in hygienic environments, the law requires that meat packs are coded for traceability purposes; partly with the aim of enabling the consumer to have greater confidence in the food on their plate.
Reliable Coding in Refrigerated Meat Plants
As in many industries, traceability and expiration dates are required for their products, but successfully executing this coding is a challenge because many meat packing plants run 24/7 in an extremely cold, damp and humid environment. This combination of environmental factors is hard on all marking and coding equipment.