Coding onto Bottles
From high line speeds to condensation, beverage producers operate within one of the most demanding production environments. With expensive filling and packaging equipment, producers have no tolerance for unplanned bottle coder downtime. Videojet has a range of high uptime solutions to meet these challenges whether you need to print a simple best before date or more complex promotional and gaming codes.
Discover more regarding our beverage solutions inside the dedicated Beverage Hub.
- Applications
- Line Integrations
- Documents
- Overview
- Glass Bottles
- Aluminum cans, flexible pouches
- Plastic bottles, caps, lids
- Paperboard, cartons, labels
- Shrink wrap, boxes, trays
A beam of infrared light focused and steered with a series of carefully controlled small mirrors to create marks where the heat of the beam interacts with the packaging surface.
Ink-based, non-contact printing using heat and surface tension to move ink onto a package surface. Generally used to print 2D DataMatrix and other bar codes.
Thermal Transfer Overprinting (TTO)
A digitally controlled printhead precisely melts ink from a ribbon directly onto flexible films to provide high resolution, real-time prints.
Fluid based, non-contact printing of up to five lines of text, linear and 2D bar codes, or graphics, printed on a variety of packaging types including stationary packaging via traversing systems.
Ink-based, non-contact printing of multiple data types (alphanumeric, logos and bar codes) in large sizes primarily used for secondary packaging such as cases.
Label Printer Applicator (LPA)
Prints and places labels of various sizes on multiple package types.
From clear to amber to green and other quality enhancing colours, beverage bottles continue to evolve. New bottle requirements and packaging lines can dictate your coding technology selection, but code quality and content requirements also play a role.
Continuous Ink Jet (CIJ)
- Wide selection of inks including fast dry, removable, high contrast, food-safe and condensation penetrating
- CleanFlow™ printhead reduces frequency of printhead cleanings, helping to maximise uptime
Laser Marking Systems
- Delivers clear, permanent codes on nearly any colour or type of glass bottle
- Designed for high quality marking with virtually no font, code or graphics restrictions
Aluminum cans and flexible pouches are a popular choice for packaging a wide variety of beverage products. However, coding on these packages can often be a challenge due to the metal finishes and curved designs. Your coding solution needs to be able to handle difficult coding applications and help keep your line running efficiently.
Continuous Ink Jet (CIJ)
- Meets the needs of high speed can applications, including coding on the concave bottom of aluminum cans
- Broadest portfolio in the industry at over 175 ink offerings including odorless and non-MEK inks
Laser Marking Systems
- delivers high-speed, permanent codes for traceability data, gaming applications or simple expiration dates
- mark speeds of up to 132,000 cans per hour, and codes that deliver high legibility and contrast (application and code content dependent)
Thermal Transfer Overprinting (TTO)
- Produces high resolution codes (300 dots per inch/12 dots per mm) on flexible film with no solvents
- Patented clutchless ribbon drive minimises maintenance-related downtime and maximises ribbon efficiency
The shape, size and composition of both clear and coloured plastic bottles and enclosures are constantly changing. Codes on these containers can be intended for consumer use, such as ‘best by’ dates, or include production data to management used for supply chain management.
Continuous Ink Jet (CIJ)
- High-speed, non-contact printing, even on irregular shapes
- SmartCartrdigeTM fluid delivery system means virtually no mess, no waste, and no mistakes fluids replenishment
Laser Marking Systems
- No inks or fluids required, reducing your environmental footprint
- Wide range of laser lenses, powers and technology types make sure that you can print on most kinds of plastics
The selection of a coding technology and fluids is based on the unique needs of your business. Substrate and environmental considerations, requirements for preventing contamination, and the high speeds common in the beverage industry can make that selection process more challenging.
Continuous Ink Jet (CIJ)
- Easy integration onto your line – even inside the labeller – for printing nearly anywhere on the label or carton
- Print sizes available with compact 50 micron nozzles for your small, hard-to-code areas
Laser Marking Systems
- CO2 lasers can remove the top layer of a pre-printed ink to expose the layer underneath, resulting in high quality and bright contrast
- Scribing technology and large marking fields provide excellent code quality
Thermal Ink Jet (TIJ)
- High resolution, ink-based printing with no wear parts, minimising maintenance and related downtime
- Compact design for easy integration into your line and flexible communication choices for ease-of-use
Legible case coding is the cornerstone of effective inventory management throughout the supply chain. Videojet can help in a variety of ways, providing high resolution printing for direct-to-box and automatic label applications.
Large Character Marking (LCM)
- eliminates the cost, storage and management of labels and need for customer-specific pre-printed cases
- solution with patented micropurge process purges ink in programmable intervals to help keep the printhead free of debris for best print quality
Label Printer Applicator (LPA)
- Automatic application of high quality printed labels offers greater speed, accuracy and error prevention than hand labelling
- Designed for ease of use and low maintenance
Thermal Ink Jet (TIJ)
- Creates complex, detailed codes ideal for retail-ready packaging
- Ideal for non-porous substrates, Videojet MEK-based inks help ensure good code recovery even after line interruptions
- Before or after filler
- Before labeller
- After labeller
- Cases or shrinkwrapped trays
Videojet has a range of printers to address printing on the bottle, can or other beverage container either before or after filling. We offer specially-formulated inks and unique accessories to displace any surface moisture help to ensure clear codes. In addition, laser marking systems deliver permanent, non ink-based printing.
A beam of infrared light focused and steered with a series of carefully controlled small mirrors to create marks where the heat of the beam interacts with the packaging surface.
Fluid based, non-contact printing of up to five lines of text, linear and 2D bar codes, or graphics, printed on a variety of packaging types including stationary packaging via traversing systems.
With this application, the printer is typically situated on the first rotating table of the labeller. The printer is integrated into the labeller to apply codes in the same location on every label before being applied to the container.
A beam of infrared light focused and steered with a series of carefully controlled small mirrors to create marks where the heat of the beam interacts with the packaging surface.
Fluid based, non-contact printing of up to five lines of text, linear and 2D bar codes, or graphics, printed on a variety of packaging types including stationary packaging via traversing systems.
In this configuration, the printer is located after the labels have been applied to the containers. The use of special printheads on inkjet printers or beam turning units on laser systems help ensure that the printers can fit into space constrained locations and apply codes in the same location on every label.
A beam of infrared light focused and steered with a series of carefully controlled small mirrors to create marks where the heat of the beam interacts with the packaging surface.
Fluid based, non-contact printing of up to five lines of text, linear and 2D bar codes, or graphics, printed on a variety of packaging types including stationary packaging via traversing systems.
Case printers are best integrated on the conveyor after the sealed case or tray has been discharged. The type and amount of information printed on your cases determines which coding solution is ideal.
A beam of infrared light focused and steered with a series of carefully controlled small mirrors to create marks where the heat of the beam interacts with the packaging surface.
Thermal Transfer Overprinting (TTO)
A digitally controlled printhead precisely melts ink from a ribbon directly onto flexible films to provide high resolution, real-time prints.
Fluid based, non-contact printing of up to five lines of text, linear and 2D bar codes, or graphics, printed on a variety of packaging types including stationary packaging via traversing systems.
Ink-based, non-contact printing of multiple data types (alphanumeric, logos and bar codes) in large sizes primarily used for secondary packaging such as cases.
Label Printer Applicator (LPA)
Prints and places labels of various sizes on multiple package types.
- Brochures
- White Paper
- Case Studies
- Application Notes
Beverage Brochure
PET Lightweighting Effects on Marking White Paper
Removable Codes for Glass, Plastic and Metal
From compliance marking to value-added coding
Diageo Case Study
HP Bulmer Case Study
Videojet helps beverage companies boost throughput and efficiency
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New Equipment Sales:
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