Pharmaceutical and Medical Packaging News Magazine
PMPN Article Index

Originally Published June 1998

PRODUCT UPDATE

Contemporary Coders

Printers and laser markers can help packagers trace products from manufacture to end use.

Pharmaceutical and medical product packagers are turning to coders to effectively trace products for device and drug tracking, production lot sampling, antidiversion tactics, and a variety of other reasons. Coders, ranging from thermal-transfer printers to ink-jet printers to laser marking systems, can produce permanent bar codes, logos, messages, and production codes, lot numbers, and dates on packages or directly onto products.

To automate or speed up the process, many machines are equipped with infeeders, code inspection systems, and software that monitors and controls operations. Easy-to-use displays also help operators monitor coding conditions.

A high-resolution printer uses piezoelectric transducers to form droplets for large-character dot-matrix printing. The Little David VersaJet HR produces bar codes, text, graphics, and logos directly onto corrugated cases. Model HR-4 has multiple printheads that can print a bar code, a product name, an expiration date, and product code information on pharmaceutical packages. Loveshaw, an ITW Co., South Canaan, PA.

A coder marks the bottom of plastic, glass, metal, or composite containers ranging in size from ½ to 6 in. wide. The transport belts of Model 801 are synchronized with gear-driven printing heads for accurate code registration. Suitable for either in-line or off-line coding, the system allows easy access to the entire printing mechanism for changing the printheads or cartridges. It can achieve speeds up to 240 containers per minute. Dalemark Industries Inc., Lakewood, NJ.

A direct thermal and thermal-transfer bar code printer delivers a printed image registration accuracy of ±0.040 in. Model 4420 supports all major bar code and 2-D symbologies. A side-loading media path eases label loading, and easily adjustable label gap sensors and top-of-form fine-point adjustments ensure accurate printing. Intermec Technologies Corp., Everett, WA.

A compact, programmable thermal-transfer printer can produce dates, prices, variable information, and scannable bar codes directly onto film, foil, paper, and chipboard cartons. The EasyPrint Flow is designed to replace conventional hot-stamp and hot-ink coders on all horizontal-flow wrappers, baggers, and cartoners and to handle continuously moving webs at speeds up to 600 mm/sec. It prints bar codes and text in an area of up to 127 x 190 mm. Bell-Mark Corp., Pine Brook, NJ.

A printer produces precise, permanent marks directly onto glass, plastic, metal, and paper packages. Lasetec uses a CO₂ gas laser to mark packages, eliminating the toxic waste problems associated with the disposing of ink solvents and cleaning ink-jet systems. Other types of lasers are also available. Up to six printheads can be controlled by Lasetec's central DSP, reducing the costs of multiple installations on adjacent lines. Industrial Dynamics Company, Ltd., Torrance, CA.

A coder prints messages such as production dates, company logos, warning messages, and product identification information onto tape for marking and sealing packages all at once. The CodeTaper features a self-inking, self-aligning distribution roller that prints clearly and consistently. Available in six colors, CodeTaper inks dry instantly and are nontoxic. Better Packages, Shelton, CT.

A bar code printer achieves print speeds up to 4 in./sec and a print resolution of 203 dpi. The Gemini 2 prints images up to 4.09 in. wide on media up to 4.5 in. wide. Suitable materials include roll-fed, die-cut, continuous, or fan-folded labels, tags, and tickets on standard 8-in.-diam rolls. It can support bar codes such as UPC/EAN, Code 39, Code 128, and Interleaved 2 of 5, as well as 2-D symbologies such as PDF417. Tharo Systems Inc., Brunswick, OH.

Continuous ink-jet printers produce characters ranging in size from 0.04 to 0.44 in. at line speeds up to 1200 ft/min. The 4800 series can print up to two lines of text information and has a five-message storage capacity. The 6200 series prints up to four lines and can store up to 999 messages and can reproduce bar codes. Both are designed to withstand harsh production environments. Diagraph Corp., Earth City, MO.

A compact and portable ink-jet coder can produce up to four lines of high-quality print on a wide variety of products and packaging materials. The 460si uses software to control ink temperature and viscosity, regardless of temperature changes in the work environment. Willett America Inc., Fort Worth, TX.

A hot-stamp printer creates up to 400 messages per minute within a 1 x 1-in. area. The RS-1100 prints lot numbers, production codes, prices, and sell-by dates. It can be installed on a variety of packaging and labeling machines. Features include an easy-to-read digital monitoring LCD, temperature control, accessible front panels, and an indicator to ensure that all packages have a code. Norwood Marking Systems, Downers Grove, IL.

A thermal-transfer coder prints dates, production codes, bar codes, and graphics on bags, labels, flow wraps, and cartons. The SmartDate coder features a digital-to-print technology that increases uptime and lowers cost by eliminating the changeover time and hand-set time associated with hot stampers and other mechanical contact coders. It can also print on either intermittent- or continuous-feed production lines. Markem, Keene, NH.

A laser marking system can produce up to 650 characters per second and up to four lines of text in various dot-matrix font formats. Enhanced software and large-graphics capability enable users to create codes up to 34 dots high for logos, special marks, or enhanced code legibility. Users can also mark dates and times; select languages such as English, French, German, and Japanese; and encrypt codes for secure product process information. The Xymark has a footprint of 24 x 16¾ in. Lumonics, Oxnard, CA.

An ink-jet coder is designed to operate in pharmaceutical cleanrooms as well as wet, humid environments. The Domino A300 features an intelligent closed-loop ink management system that prevents ink contamination and SureStart, a one-button auto stop/start mechanism. A totally sealed and color-coded fluid cartridge can be installed in seconds and ink system changeover done in minutes. No plant air is needed in the closed-loop system, eliminating the need for recovery systems. Domino Amjet Inc., Gurnee, IL.

A coding system applies identifying marks to vials and immediately verifies their placement. In the event of a nonconforming mark, Vial-Trak ejects the vial from the production line. Any marking media, mark location, and mark content can be accommodated. The system can be added to any Westcapper. Genesis Machinery Products Inc., Exton, PA.

A thermal coder can print up to 260 mm/sec on paper, foil, board, film, and labels. Model TT53IM can produce price information, dates, codes, bar codes, graphics, and logos with a resolution of 300 dpi and in a print area measuring 53 x 75 mm. A compact, handheld terminal with a full keyboard is included. Graseby Allen Ltd., Welwyn Garden City, England.

Automated bar code scanners are compact, durable, and suitable for automated packaging systems. Fixed-mount scanners are designed for lot tracking and process control. Compact scanners can be mounted along conveyor lines or used as components within larger machinery. Products include linear bar code scanners, Quadrus 2-D data matrix readers, scan heads, decoders, and accessories. Microscan Systems, Renton, WA.