In the industrial and commercial sectors, many companies rely on conventional printing and labeling processes—such as inkjet printing, thermal transfer printing, and hand labeling—to add important information to their packaged products. While these methods on their own do offer certain advantages, newer printing and labeling techniques and technologies—such as integrated label printing, variable data printing, and, in particular, direct-to-product printing—can serve as more effective and efficient solutions for product manufacturers and distributors.
What Is Direct-to-Product Printing?
Direct-to-product printing refers to a printing method that adds designs directly to the surface of finished goods. Unlike traditional printing processes that generally only accommodate two-dimensional goods, this process also allows companies to print company names, logos, and other text and images onto three-dimensional products such as balls, bottles, and other novelty merchandise. Our printers, however, only print on flat, thin packaging, such as cards, pouches, and tags.
What Is Integrated Label Printing?
Some business forms (e.g., invoices or shipping documents) may have labels attached to them (i.e., integrated labels). By combining the necessary business information and labels onto a single sheet of adhesive-backed material, companies can decrease material waste and printing error rates while increasing printing efficiency and customer friendliness. Integrated label printing and direct-to-product printing together answer and address the printing and labeling needs of a wide range of standard and custom packaged goods, whether they require information printed on their direct surface and/or on separate product labels.
What Is Variable Data Printing?
Variable data printing (VDP) is a digital printing method that tailors the text and/or images printed to the recipient (i.e., the customer). By employing VDP, companies benefit in the following ways:
- They can personalize their marketing efforts based on the information they have on the customer. For example, in direct promotional campaigns, they can adjust the mailing address, color schemes and images (to raise customer interest), and coupon codes (to facilitate tracking).
- They can change the printed text and images on a standard layout to suit different promotional or personalization needs. The process accommodates use on business forms (e.g., invoices and letters) and products (e.g., calendars and other novelties).
- For medical companies, key components – including expiration dates, lot numbers, and serial numbers – can be easily updated.
The variable data printing method can be used in conjunction with direct-to-product printing. Combined, they allow companies to customize their products and materials to suit their needs at the time, whether those requirements are driven by a new product campaign or customer preferences.
Customizable Printing Solutions From DoraniX
At DoraniX, we design and manufacture industrial printers and label printer-applicators suitable for use in the apparel, food, medical, and other packaging industries. Our specialization is in supplying integrated label printing solutions and direct to product printing for small to medium facilities and individual workcells in large facilities. Below we outline the customization options available for our products.
Customization Options for Thermaprint 64
Our Thermaprint 64 is a direct-to-packaging printing system designed for use in heavy-duty industrial applications. It is available in standard-format and wide-format variations. Key features of the series include:
- Print resolution of 305 DPI
- Ribbon-saving mechanism (reduces ribbon consumption by up to 90%)
- 64-bit process
- 16 Mb Memory
- USB and Ethernet connectivity for greater interface flexibility and networking
- Compatibility with an industrial cutter and roll feed module for configuration into a roll-to-sheet printing system
Some of the customization options for the LPA 8000 include:
- Print speeds ranging from 2–10 IPS (programmable)
- Slew speeds of 15 IPS
- Print zone width of 4.2 or 5.0 inches
- Package width of 2–6.5 inches
- Package length of 4–24 inches
- 17 standard fonts (programmable)
- Downloadable TrueType fonds
- All common codes + 2D barcodes
Typical products processed with the Thermaprint 64 include apparel hang tags, barcodes, blister cards, medical pouches and lids, wristbands, coffee bags, and cannabis packaging.
Customization Options for LPA 8000
Our LPA 8000 printer system is a fully integrated label printer-applicator (LPA) featuring heavy-duty benchtop construction and state-of-the-art electronic controls. The integrated design reduces both the footprint and cost of the machine as well as allows for out-of-box operation with little to no setup or integration requirements. Key features of the LPA 800 include:
- 8-inch (diameter) supply roll
- Integrated feed and conveyor
- Throughput of up to 3,000 units per hour
- Print resolution of 305 DPI
Some of the customization options for the LPA 8000 include:
- Label width up to 6.0 inches
- Label length up to 10 inches
- Product width up to 18.5 inches
- Product length up to 32 inches
- Print speed of 8 IPS (minimum) powered by 4–6 motors
The system is suitable for printing on preformed medical pouches and lids, as well as cards, cartons, bags, sleeves, and tags for finished goods.
Customization Options for UDI Printers
Unique device identification (UDI) printers allow companies to add unique alphanumeric or numeric identifiers to products to minimize the risk of product identification errors. These tags are particularly important to industries with strict regulations regarding the tracking and tracing of products, such as the medical industry. Our ThermaPrint64 can be utilized as a UDI printer.
In the medical industry, UDIs allow interested parties to learn more about the product, including identifying information about it and its production. They consist of two main components:
- Device information: a qualitative description of the product line’s make, model, and manufacturer
- Production information: variable descriptors of the particular product such as the serial number, lot number, and expiration and manufacturing date that can take the form of a barcode or purely numerical code
The DoraniX team has extensive experience in serialized data printing, particularly UDI barcoding. Our UDI printers accommodate a wide range of materials, including those used in the medical device industry (e.g., Tyvek and foil/poly). Each system can be adjusted to account for variations in the material, including in regard to thickness, roughness, and adhesive or coating inclusion. The integration of an optional Cognex DM262X barcode scanner and grader allows for on-line barcode grading that does not diminish printing throughput.
Areas of Customized Printing
At DoraniX, our printing systems allow for direct-to-product printing, integrated label printing, and variable printing. Some examples of product applications for our printers include:
- Apparel hang tags: The Thermaprint 64 can print apparel hang tags from pre-cut singles or rolls. The integration of a powerstacker enables faster loading of printed material up to 10 inches high.
- Barcodes: The Thermaprint 64 can be used to produce barcodes and UDIs.
- Blister cards: Our printers can create blister cards in widths of up 10 inches and thicknesses of up to 0.040 inches.
- Tyvek pouches and lids: Thermaprint 64 units are ideal for medical printing applications. They offer good print quality and fast print speeds for common medical materials, such as Tyvek.
- Tyvek wristbands: The Thermaprint 64 prints on wristbands intended for applications ranging from patient identification in hospitals to attendee identification at festivals and events. Each bracelet is durable (tear resistant and waterproof), comfortable, and disposable.
- Coffee bags: Similar to the medical industry, the food and beverage industries are subject to strict guidelines regarding product packaging and labeling. Our printing systems allow for the production of high-quality product labels—with pertinent information—for coffee bags and other packaged goods.
- Cannabis packages: Our Thermaprint 64 units can be adapted for use in cannabis packaging printing applications. They can print on pre-cut single labels or a roll of labels.
For additional information about our printing systems and how they can benefit your application, contact us today. To get pricing details, request a quote.