Your Marking & Coding Evaluation Checklist
Replacing marking and coding equipment is an opportunity to improve more than print quality. Not only does an evaluation uncover opportunities to reduce downtime, but also uncovers how to lower operating costs, improve traceability, support automation, and prepare your production line for future requirements.
Before selecting a replacement system, use these 10 questions to evaluate your current operation.
10 Questions to Ask Before Replacing Your Marking & Coding Equipment
1. What is our current coding equipment actually costing us to operate?
Above all, look beyond the purchase price and consider the total cost of ownership.
Evaluate:
– Ink and makeup/solvent consumption
– Preventive maintenance costs
– Replacement parts
– Service and repairs
– Operator labor
– Coding-related downtime
– Waste and rework
– Training and support
Question to answer: What does this equipment cost us annually, and as a result, what could that cost look like over the next five years?
2. How often does coding equipment interrupt production?
Track both major failures and smaller interruptions. A printer does not need to completely fail in order to affect production.
Evaluate:
– Printhead cleaning
– Startup and shutdown time
– Message changes
– Consumable changes
– Print-quality adjustments
– Error recovery
– Maintenance intervention
Question to answer: How much production time is being spent managing the coding system rather than producing product?
3. Are we getting the print quality our application requires?
Even if a code looks acceptable to an operator, it may not perform adequately for downstream scanning or inspection.
Evaluate:
– Character size and resolution
– Barcode readability
– QR or 2D code requirements
– Contrast
– Print placement
– Substrate compatibility
– Code durability
Question to answer: Will our current technology continue to produce readable, consistent codes as our packaging and customer requirements evolve?
4. Have our packaging materials or substrates changed?
Changes in packaging can affect ink adhesion, contrast, drying, and overall print quality.
Evaluate:
– Recycled content
– New films or flexible packaging
– Coated or uncoated materials
– New carton or corrugated specifications
– Packaging color
– Surface treatment
Question to answer: Not only can our current technology consistently code the materials we use today, but also the materials we expect to use next?
5. Have our coding requirements changed?
Your equipment may still work, but the information it needs to print may have changed.
Evaluate:
– Larger or additional codes
– Lot and batch information
– Expiration or date codes
– Barcodes
– QR or 2D codes
– Logos and graphics
– Safety statements
– Customer-specific requirements
– Traceability requirements
Question to answer: Altogether, can our current system support the information our customers, regulators, and production processes require?
6. How much operator intervention does the system require?
Overall, operator time is an important part of equipment performance.
Evaluate:
– Message selection
– Date and calendar functions
– Recipe management
– Printer setup
– Cleaning
– Error recovery
– Consumable changes
– Access controls
Question to answer: Can the system simplify routine tasks in order to reduce opportunities for operator error?
7. Can the system connect with our existing automation and production systems?
As production lines become more connected, your coding equipment increasingly operates as part of a broader production environment.
Evaluate:
– PLC connectivity
– Network connectivity
– Inputs and outputs
– Production management software
– Database of data mapping
– Vision inspection
– Conveyors and sorting
– Labeling and palletizing systems
Question to answer: Can our coding system communicate with the equipment and information systems around it?
8. What happens if our production requirements increase?
A replacement system should support more than today’s production requirements.
Evaluate:
– Increased line speeds
– Additional SKUs
– New production lines
– Additional printers
– Multiple facilities
– Centralized management
– New coding requirements
– Future automation
Question to answer: Can this technology scale with our operation, or will we need to replace it again as a result of production growth?
9. Are we evaluating the right technology for the application?
Generally, replacing one technology with the same technology isn’t always the best answer.
Evaluate:
– Continuous inkjet (CIJ)
– Thermal inkjet (TIJ)
– Large-character coding
– High-resolution coding
– Laser marking
– Vision inspection
Question to answer: Are we replacing equipment because it’s familiar, or because it’s the best technology for the application we have today?
10. What does our five-year business case look like?
It’s important to note that the best replacement decision should consider the full economic and operational impact.
Evaluate:
– Initial investment
– Consumable costs
– Maintenance and service
– Downtime
– Labor
– Print quality
– Integration
– Scalability
– Expected equipment life
Question to answer: Which solution provides the strongest combination of reliability, performance, flexibility, and total cost of ownership over its expected life?
Before You Choose a Replacement
All in all, your marking and coding system should support your production goals; not simply replace the equipment you already have.
Use the answers to these questions to not only identify where your current system performs well, but also where it creates limitations, and what your next system needs to accomplish.
Every operation is different. A technology evaluation can help you make a replacement decision based on your actual production requirements, operating costs, and future goals.
Let Pak-Tec help you evaluate your marking and coding systems and identify practical opportunities for improvement, before a disruption occurs.
