Continuous Inkjet Coder

Continuous inkjet coders from EF-mark are built for production lines where products move quickly and contact printing is not an option. The printhead projects a stream of ink droplets that are deflected to form characters or barcodes on the surface. No physical contact means no wear on the product and no risk of damaging fragile packaging.

The system is suitable for porous and non-porous materials: cardboard, plastic, metal, film and coated surfaces. Fast-drying inks are available for standard and high-speed applications, and formulations can be chosen for compliance with food contact regulations where required. Print height and position are adjustable so the same unit can be used for different pack sizes without changing hardware.

Setup and operation are simplified by the onboard interface. Operators can select date formats, add batch or shift codes and switch between single-line and multi-line messages. Barcode and 2D symbologies are supported for traceability. Message templates can be stored and recalled to reduce changeover time between products.

Running costs are kept low by efficient ink use and long service intervals. The printhead is designed for easy cleaning and the ink system can be purged for extended shutdowns. Diagnostic functions help identify blockages or alignment issues before they affect print quality.

Common uses include best-before and use-by dates on food packaging, batch codes on pharmaceutical cartons, and barcodes on cans and bottles. The coder can be mounted above, beside or below the line depending on your layout and product flow.