Labelling Without Labels: Laser Prints
The food and drink industry has been increasingly utilising more drastic methods to print and label their products, one of which is removing labels altogether. We have seen in the past how lasers can print images directly onto food.
The latest innovation in labelling is by Domino Printing Sciences, looking into using laser technology to ‘print’ codes onto films used for food products.
The D-Series CO2 laser coders from the printing service provider are an additive-free solution for food manufacturers using NatureFlex compostable cellulose films.
To evaluate the feasibility of laser coding for such film products, the printing company has joined forces with global packaging film producer Futamura.
The D-Series CO2 laser was used to code the film during the initial suitability testing and produced a “clean, crisp, white code” that had no negative impact on film integrity or chemical composition. Moisture barrier properties were also unaffected.
“This is a really exciting development for us,” said Nigel Bond, Domino’s global marketing manager for laser coding. “It demonstrates how our flexible laser technology can be used on a range of different substrates, including those that haven’t traditionally been possible to code using this method.”
Bond continued, “Laser coding is already widely accepted in the food and beverage industry as it offers a huge number of benefits over traditional printing methods, such as hot foil or inkjet. These include greater code quality, faster line speeds, and the ability to code onto products of any size or shape.”
The sustainability factor is also important, as laser coding uses no consumables other than electricity. This makes it a much more environmentally-friendly option than other types of printing, such as flexography or gravure.
News Credits: Printing, labelling and coding: labelling without the labels
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