Problem:
This plastics manufacturer had internal initiatives to include product coding in advance of pending government legislation and as a highly-prized value-add for both existing and potential customers.
Currently the product, plastic film, runs through an oven and is then wound into roll sizes suitable for sale to end-users. It is then packed in a case that is labeled with the product’s specifications.
The problem was, as the rolls were removed from the box and used at the field level, they were not identifiable and could be easily mixed up with other types of film. This caused several serious issues. When field inspectors came around they actually had to perform physical tests on the product to verify for certain what product it was and what elements/chemicals it contained. In worst case scenarios, “clips” of the used product had to be sent to labs for analysis before final verification documentation could be issued to the end-user.
Solution:
The individual products had to be marked in-line during production so they could be identified in the field after they had been taken out of the marked cases. The PIN Distributor proposed a multi-head drop-on-demand inkjet system to “code” product rolls on the fly. The system prints the important human readable product specifications on each roll as well as the company’s logo. It does this at the same line speed as previously produced.
Key Benefits:
This PIN customer now has a solution that allows field inspectors to easily verify product by just looking at the roll of film. The workers handling the material are more confident and no longer worry about mixing up the rolls and causing a problem. The organization’s marketing leadership is happy with the additional branding rendered by the printed logo as part of the solution. And most importantly, this manufacturer can take a far more active role with the government as a result of implementing this best practice, ultimately positioning them for growth in their industry.
