What are Industrial Coding and Marking Systems?
Industrial coding and marking systems are technologies used to apply traceable information—such as batch numbers, expiry dates, and barcodes—directly onto product packaging or surfaces. The type of system you choose depends on factors such as production speed, substrate material, industry compliance, and the level of print clarity required for traceability and legal regulations.
These systems are essential across industries to ensure legal compliance, protect brand integrity, and improve inventory tracking. Without proper coding, products can’t be traced or validated across the supply chain, risking regulatory violations or consumer trust.
We know it. Coding and marking systems are unfamiliar and may sound a bit odd. Perhaps, not all people know the manufacturing and production line process though those systems have been here for years.
Most people only encounter these systems when entering regulated industries like cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, FMCG, or food and beverage manufacturing—where accurate product coding is non-negotiable. You will start to do some digging on this matter.
Whether you’re printing batch numbers, expiry dates, QR codes, or barcodes, choosing the right coding system ensures your production stays efficient and your products meet market requirements.
What are Coding and Marking Systems Made For?
All right, so what are coding and marking? And what are they made for?
Coding and marking are vital processes that all manufacturers have to go through before the products are being sold to the market.These markings serve as proof of compliance with industry standards, ensuring products are legally cleared for distribution and meet safety, quality, and traceability benchmarks. It shows the important information about how the product is made. Also, it’s regulated that manufacturers have to provide this information.
Industrial coding systems play a critical role in ensuring compliance with global traceability standards, making them indispensable for manufacturers in regulated industries.
Other than that, coding and marking systems are used to print out certain letters or numbers, which is often called batch code. In general, coding and marking are done to show the records of a set of identical products that might share a similar production time frame and location.
To put an end to, manufacturers have to do this in order to meet the country regulation in tracing back the product to its site.
So, if you are a business owner for food and beverages, cosmetics lines, pharmaceuticals or any other products that are supposed to be consumed, in that case, you must acknowledge yourself on this subject.
See More Why do manufacturers need Coding and Marking Printer
What are the Types of Coding and Marking Systems?
Now you know the general explanation of coding and marking systems, it’s time to jump on their types. To give you a brief explanation, we conclude six types of coding and marking systems. Let’s take a look!
1. Continuous Inkjet Printer
The Continuous Inkjet printing types are made to expel ink droplets. The droplets will pass through from a printhead nozzle meant to deflect each ink and create text or codes. A continuous inkjet printer could expel 120.000 tiny ink droplets that also can be done without contact with the material during the printing process.
2. Laser making
Laser coding can be a bit tricky as it results in permanent changes of the surface of the material. Hence, when you do the laser coding on the painted card, the topcoat of the paints will be removed and can make it as bare as before the painting. This type of coding and marking works by deflecting a concentrated beam of light through some system of lenses to make up characters.
3. Piezo Inkjet Printers
Same as a continuous inkjet printer, the piezo inkjet printers work by expelling ink droplets on a moving surface of the products printed on. But, the inks used are oil-based designed to print out code in high resolution and better versatility.
4. Thermal Inkjet Printers
Thermal inkjet technology is probably the basic one when it comes to coding and marking systems. It’s designed to use the most standard ink cartridge systems and doesn’t need any inks. These types of systems are supposed to create a clean and easy printing process.
5. Thermal transfer Overprinters
Last but not least, the thermal transfer overprinting system is a technology that works to make up texts by pushing a certain ribbon onto contact from a printhead. The process could result in high resolution and can be printed on a fast-moving product surface.
In summary, each system has unique advantages based on your production goals. Choosing the right coding and marking technology can significantly improve your production efficiency and regulatory compliance. We recommend you to dig more into your product surfaces to choose the right types of coding and marking.
Need help deciding which printer suits your operations? Our team at DSI is ready to guide you with tailored recommendations based on your business type, product surface, and production scale.
How to Choose the Right Coding System for Your Business
Selecting the right coding and marking system depends on:
-Material Surface: Ensure compatibility with the substrate, such as glass, plastic, or metal.
-Production Speed: High-speed lines benefit from continuous inkjet or thermal transfer systems.
-Durability Needs: For permanent markings, laser coding is ideal.
-Budget: Consider the upfront cost, maintenance, and consumables
Ready to enhance your production line with the best coding and marking solutions? Contact us today for expert advice and explore our range of printers tailored to meet your business needs.
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