5 Components to increasing Cartoning and Case coding efficiency and profitability.

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Losing money on your Packaging Production Line? Case coding slowing you down?

The overall health and efficiency of your product packaging line is mission critical. Final carton packing and coding is an operation that can negatively impact sales, supply chain and profitability. If you suspect your packaging line and case coding output is falling short of optimization, consider an annual ‘check-up’. Sometimes an extra set of trained eyes and an unbiased approach are all you need to get operations back on track.

Five components have the potential to drastically increase packaging line output, efficiency and profitability.

  1. Setup times

  2. Routine maintenance

  3. Supply changeovers

  4. Speed of operations

  5. Troubleshooting

Improve Efficiency using Case Coding Ink Jet:

Improving case coding ink jet operations using Thermal Inkjet (TIJ). For printing end of line barcodes and variable data, TIJ is widely regarded as the best value print technology. Bulk ink case coding solutions are cost effective, and significantly improve efficiency and profitability at end of line.

1. Setup Times –

Whether you’re setting up the case coder on the cartoning line, or just warming up an existing carton coder for the day’s activities, setup time needs to be minimized. TIJ coders typically take a minute or less to be ready for action. Other related accessories including bulk ink delivery solutions, camera systems, and encoders have a similar start up time frame. If you’re losing more than 5 or 10 minutes per day when powering your end of line carton marking systems up, then it’s worth having an expert look at the reasons for the delay.

2. Routine Maintenance –

Don’t get caught in the trap of having to perform preventative maintenance on your carton coder daily, or even weekly. With Ink Jet carton coding, there’s very little maintenance required. On occasion, but only when print quality is impaired, the printheads may require cleaning. Simple, proper wiping removes any dust or particles that may have clogged one of the printhead nozzles. From start to finish this type of printhead cleaning may cause the line to be down for 1 minute or two.

3. Reduce Supply Changeovers –

Eventually a carton coding printhead will run out of ink. When this happens, the cartoning line may or may not be stopped depending on the supply type, and if you have implemented a bulk ink solution. For example, the Q7457A bulk ink supply can be hot swapped if there’s a dual tank system installed. The hardware simply switches from the empty tank to the full one, as indicated by a light tree. When actual line stoppages are required, with Ink Jet case coding, a new cartridge or bulk ink supply can be installed in a matter of seconds, not minutes.

4. Speed of Operations –

Don’t be limited by print speed with your barcode printer, carton coding ink jet print systems can run as fast or slow as required, depending on print resolution requirements. Top speeds normally range as high as 590 feet per minute which is fast enough for virtually any packaging line. Accordingly, speed is a critical success factor in realizing the expected output, and maximizing efficiency.

5. Troubleshooting –

Regardless of the print technology being deployed on your cartoning line, having a professional and responsive organization to troubleshoot your case coding system is critical. Common issues start with poor barcode print quality, but may be a result of coder issues, setup problems, and even supply outages. The sooner you identify the root cause, then the sooner you can get your operation running and producing the desired output.

Finally, when analyzing the operation of a package coding line it is important to record the reasons for stoppages and periods of slower production speed. It is then possible to identify problems which need attention, particularly problems that may be hardware and supplies related. Such studies frequently reveal problems associated with machine settings and in the handling and storage of ink cartridges. High efficiency in the packaging operation reduces overall packaging costs and improves the overall output of the packaging operation.
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