From Markem-Imaje, the brand new Tremendous Piezo Inkjet (SPI) printer—first launched at interpack in spring 2023 and making its U.S. debut at PACK EXPO Las Vegas—combines piezo electrical printing know-how and small-character inkjet know-how to allow customers to print high-resolution, serialized 2D barcodes with variable knowledge on a variety of substrates and shapes, together with curved surfaces. With these capabilities, the printer is GS1 Digital Hyperlink appropriate, that means it’s outfitted to satisfy the proposed GS1 Digital Hyperlink customary, whereby manufacturers are inspired to section out present UPC barcode know-how in favor of a dynamic 2D barcode.
As Josh Heugel, senior account supervisor for Markem-Imaje, explains, through the use of the 2D barcode, manufacturers will have the ability to embed data for his or her customers—reminiscent of promotions and incentives—into the digital hyperlink, which may be scanned through a smartphone. It may additionally advise customers at level of sale on recollects, allergens, expiration dates, and extra. The GS1 Digital Hyperlink may even permit the product to be tracked all through the logistics provide chain route for serialization, verification, and traceability wants.
In an article on Markem-Imaje’s web site, creator and international strategic account supervisor for the corporate, Erik Lagarde, writes, “Central to this revolution [the GS1 Digital Link] is the premise of ‘sizzling knowledge,’ a step change from conventional static knowledge to dynamic data extracted utilizing a 2D barcode that acts as a web-based URL. This connects producers and model homeowners to the digital world, giving them the agility to react far more shortly and effectively to developments throughout your complete worth chain—from distributor to retailers and customers.”
What units the SPI aside and qualifies it for GS1 Digital Hyperlink compatibility is its high-quality—it has a local decision of 100 dpi as much as 200 to 250 dpi—its means to print dynamic, graphical knowledge, and its talent at printing on curved surfaces, all at speeds to 400 ft/min. For extrusion purposes, reminiscent of pipes, tubes, wires, and so on., Markem-Imaje cites a pace of almost 10,000 ft/min.
What makes these capabilities potential is the machine’s mixture of piezo electrical, or drop-on-demand, and small-character inkjet printing applied sciences. Explains Heugel, “Drop-on-demand provides you with high-speed printing, and it offers you a bigger print space, however it isn’t significantly good at quick drying occasions. And it’s restricted in its in its vary of inks, simply as a result of know-how inside the printhead. Whenever you take a look at small-character inkjet know-how, you’re restricted on print top, you’re restricted on decision, and you may be considerably restricted in pace. So by marrying these two applied sciences, we’re capable of take the most effective of each worlds—the excessive decision of the drop-on-demand printhead, the quick dry time with the small-character printing ink, and the print pace of the small-character inkjet printer, and construct of off these to make the Tremendous Piezo Inkjet, the SPI, in brief.”
The SPI additionally meets one other rising want for manufacturers: late-stage customization. “Manufacturers need to reconcile the quantity of major packaging materials SKUs due to sustainability initiatives. They spend an terrible lot on packaging,” Heugel says. “To be extra resourceful, they’re in search of know-how that may allow them to go along with a extra generic outer package deal after which customise the packaging by printing on-the-fly on the level of manufacturing, moderately than at a converter.”
Addressing one other rising want of name homeowners—extra sustainable packaging leading to the usage of new supplies—the SPI additionally leverages Markem-Imaje’s small-character inkjet printing experience to permit for all kinds of inks and substrates for use. “All of it is determined by buyer wants,” says Heugel. “We prefer to have the foresight to work with manufacturers realizing their packaging will evolve within the subsequent a number of years as they take a look at extra sustainable major packaging supplies, together with extra recycled supplies, much less polyethylene, and extra paper-based packaging, for instance.”
Goal markets for the SPI embody extrusion purposes, CPG merchandise, and prescribed drugs, amongst others. PW