FDBusiness.com

Coding and marking solutions provider Linx Printing Technologies believes that its range of Large Character Marking (LCM) printers will provide SMEs across a variety of industries with a cost-effective alternative to the labelling of secondary packaging.

The range comprises the Linx IJ200 Thermal Inkjet (TIJ) cartridge printer, as well as the Linx IJ350 and IJ370 case coders.  All three offer a low overall cost of ownership thanks to reduced maintenance and downtime, excellent reliability and ease of operation.   Linx believes that the return on investment is the best on the market.

The Linx IJ200 uses TIJ printer cartridges, which are easy to install and change, and provide clean, crisp text/graphics and reliable linear and 2D barcodes.  With a resolution of up to 600 DPI and fast throughput speeds of up to 120m/minute, the Linx IJ200 can print directly onto boxes or cartons used for secondary packaging.

According to Linx, this makes for a cost-effective, trouble-free alternative to label printing that is particularly suited to smaller operations. “Such companies rarely have on-site maintenance, so they need a reliable solution to print secondary codes simply, cleanly and with no hidden costs,” explains Dan Levitzky, LCM Product Manager at Linx.

Printer cartridges contain both the ink system and the printhead itself.  This means that they are disposable (minimising printer maintenance and ensuring consistently high print quality); there is also no need to purchase expensive ribbons or labels.

The system offers further flexibility thanks to the wide range of inks and spot colours available. TIJ inks are environmentally-friendly and the cartridge-based system means that changeovers can be completed swiftly without the danger of ink spills.

The Linx IJ200 supports up to two 50mm printhead assemblies for greater printing flexibility – for example the capability to print a single image as high as 100mm, or to print in two locations on the same or different faces of the packaging.

The printer benefits from zero warm-up time – it is operational within only 50 seconds of being switched on.  Thousands of messages can be stored on the Linx IJ200, while networking capabilities allow operators to call up messages from elsewhere.

For companies with higher throughputs, Linx believes that the Linx IJ350 (or its sister model, the IJ370) offers the ideal solution, with significant savings in terms of lower consumable costs and reduced downtime, compared to other printing or labelling alternatives.

Key innovations include a self-cleaning printhead with a patented recirculating system that avoids waste ink and saves time ordinarily wasted on ink purging procedures.  The coder’s nozzle protection system further safeguards the printhead to reduce maintenance and the overall cost of ownership.

For companies already using LCM printers, the coder’s innovative fully enclosed self-cleaning printhead represents a major advance in performance and reliability that maintains excellent print quality, minimises downtime and removes the need for manual intervention.

The self-cleaning method, known as ‘micro-purge,’ uses a small film of ink on the printhead to collect dirt and debris prior to printing each carton.  This is removed with air to clean the ink from the nozzle plate; the ink is collected and recirculated, passing through a high performance filter to maintain clean ink in the system.

“Standard printhead cleaning techniques can waste enough ink in a single clean to code 2000 boxes,” confirms Dan Levitzky. “In contrast, the Linx IJ350’s ink recirculation system ensures the printer uses every last drop of ink for its intended purpose – printing.  Eliminating ink wastage is a hugely important means of saving money.”

The Linx IJ350 is an ideal replacement for labelling, as there is no need for expensive ribbons or labels, which are also time-consuming to change and maintain.  In addition, the printer’s innovations in error-free coding (including integrated Package Coding Management software and intuitive, icon-based printer controls) minimise the risk of putting the wrong information onto the  box.

In addition to the Linx IJ350, a second model – the Linx IJ370 – is available, depending on message height requirements.

“There is a growing worldwide need for legible and clear coding on secondary packaging such as outer cases, but it is obvious that quality must go hand-in-hand with cost-efficiency,” observes Dan Levitzky.  “The new Linx LCM range has been specifically designed to meet customer needs for low cost of ownership and reduced downtime alongside high-quality, reliable printing.”