In many industrial sectors, product marking must not only be clear and accurate, but also resistant to extreme conditions such as extreme temperatures, humidity, dust or exposure to chemicals. Having specialized coding technologies and inks is critical to ensure that printed information remains legible throughout the supply chain.
In today’s article, United Barcode Systems, a manufacturer of labeling, coding and marking equipment with more than 30 years of experience in the industry, tells you everything you need to know about marking products in extreme environments.
Industrial marking faces numerous challenges when dealing with harsh environments. Factors such ashigh or low temperatures, humidity, dust, grease and chemicals can affect code readability and adhesion, making product traceability difficult. To overcome these barriers, companies must opt for printing and labeling solutions specifically designed to operate in these types of conditions without compromising marking quality.
One of the main aspects that determine the quality of marking is the type of surface on which it is printed. Not all materials react the same to ink or label application.Rough, smooth, porous or specially coated surfaces require adapted technologies to ensure proper adhesion and permanence of the code.
Another key factor is the production and distribution environment. In industries where products are stored in cold rooms or undergo high-temperature processes, the ink used must be able to withstand these conditions without deteriorating. Similarly, in industries where oils, grease or moisture are present, it is crucial that the coding system resists abrasion and contact with liquids.
In the food industry, each product must be correctly identified with expiration dates, production batches, ingredients and traceability codes. This sector presents specific challenges such as the presence of fats and oils, as well as working with a wide gran variedad de envases, desde variety of packaging, from flour and sugar sacks to cardboard trays and glossy boxes.
In environments where flour and dust are constantly in suspension, such as in bakeries, it is crucial to havehigh-resolution inkjet printers, such as the APLINK HRX Series, designed to provide sharp printing even in highly contaminated environments. In addition, our automatic labeling solutions, such as the APL 35s, allow products to be labeled with variable data in real time, ensuring efficient traceability management in terms of both results and timing.
The beverage industry operates in conditions where humidity and temperature changes are constant.Shrink-wrapped packs, cartons for bottles and large distribution pallets must be marked with key information without the ink deteriorating or the label peeling off due to condensation.
APLINK HRX Series equipment is designed to provide accurate and durable coding in extreme industrial environments, ensuring clear printing on secondary packaging such as boxes, sacks and trays. Thanks to their advanced high-resolution, printing technology, these systems ensure product traceability in industries where exposure to humidity, low temperatures, dust or harsh chemicals can compromise marking quality.
To ensure print resistance in adverse conditions, the 7225 UVLED Curing technology is integrated with these, allowing immediate drying of the UVLED ink and improving its adhesion on any type of surface. This prevents codes and markings from fading or smearing over time, ensuring reliable and legible identification in demanding environments such as freezing chambers, production lines with high humidity or industries with high levels of dust and particulate matter.
Frozen and refrigerated products represent another major challenge for industrial marking. In these cases, the coding must withstand sub-zero temperatures without the ink cracking or losing adhesion.In addition, the most commonly used packaging in this sector includes plastic sacks, polystyrene trays and shrink films,requiring printing technologies that adapt to different materials.
Our automatic printing and label application systems are designed to ensure that labels remain attached even on surfaces exposed to condensation and low temperatures, ensuring reliable identification throughout the distribution and cold storage chain.
For those applications where direct printing is the best option, the APLINK HRX Series, with its high-resolution inkjet technology, combined with fast-drying UVLED curing, delivers clear, durable coding without the need for solvents, ensuring legible, moisture-resistant codes on secondary packaging.
There are multiple industries where production environments can affect marking quality,making the choice of coding system a determining factor in ensuring traceability and durability of the print.
In the building materials industry , for example, dust, moisture and airborne particles create a challenging environment for any printing technology. These factors can clog printheads or cause poor ink adhesion, compromising the readability of bar codes and other critical data. To avoid these problems, it is imperative to have abrasion-resistant inks and coding systems designed to minimize the impact of dust, ensuring clear and durable printing on rough surfaces such as cardboard, cement or aggregate sacks.
On the other hand, in the personal and home care industry, products often contain harsh chemicals that can damage or deteriorate printed codes. Detergents, disinfectants and cleaning products can generate chemical reactions that affect the visibility of the marking, making it difficult to identify the product correctly in the supply chain.
UV LED inkjet marking is one of the most advanced solutions for demanding industrial environments. This system allows direct, high-resolutionprinting on porous and non-porous materials, with the advantage that the inkdries instantly thanks to UVLED technology, ensuring superior adhesion even in conditions of high humidity or extreme temperatures.
The 7225 UVLED Curing System has been specifically designed to ensure instant curing of UVLED ink on any surface enabling sharp and durable printing in the most demanding industrial environments. As pioneers in the development and manufacture of this technology, United Barcode Systems offers the only integrated UVLED curing solution, combining lamp, printer and ink in a single system. Thanks to this integration, we ensure high quality and robust coding, optimizing efficiency on the production line.
Our 7225 UVLED Curing technology guarantees maximum safety and efficiency on the production line thanks to its On Board Security System (OBSS), which prevents glare and protects operators without affecting performance. In addition, its intuitive configuration through the printers’ display and its Stand Alone mode allow a verastile use adapted to different production needs.
With high-performance LEDs,, this system achieves curing speeds of up to 120 m/min, automatically adjusting the curing height to optimize energy consumption and extend its service life. Its SMART Curing system regulates the power according to the printing speed, ensuring a precise, resistant and undamaged marking on the product. Compatible with our APLINK HRX, APLINK MRX72e and APLINK LCX36e, this solution offers flexibility, high resolution and maximum durability in any industrial sector.
Label printing and application systems such as the APL 35s are another guaranteed alternative in extreme environments. These systemsautomate the printing and application of labels on products and packaging, ensuring that each unit is correctly identified with variable information in real time.
In detail, the APL 35s is an ideal solution for labeling boxes, sacks and containers, offering precise and safe application even in environments with low temperature, humidity or high dust presence. In addition, for pallet labeling in demanding logistics environments, the APL 60 Series and APL 80 Series ensure efficient identification, facilitating product tracking in the distribution chain.
Selecting the right ink is critical to ensure that the marking remains intact throughout the product life cycle. At UBS, we develop our own inks, designed exclusively for our equipment, ensuring perfect compatibility and optimum performance in any production environment.
The inks used in our equipment are formulated to offer high adhesion and resistance, withstanding extreme conditions such as cold, heat, humidity and contact with aggressive chemicals. In addition, with the incorporation of UVLED 7225 Curing technology, UVLED ink printing is immediately fixed, avoiding accidental erasures or blurring that may affect product traceability.
UBS solutions and equipment stand out for their versatility and adaptability, enabling printing on a wide variety of materials in different industrial environments. From porous surfaces such as cardboard and wood, to more demanding materials such as plastics, metals and satin finishes, the coding systems ensure accurate and durable printing, even under extreme conditions. The print retains its legibility and resistance, unaffected by factors such as humidity, cold, dust or temperature changes. This guarantees reliable, high-quality marking, complying with international standards and ensuring product traceability throughout the supply chain.
In industries where marking resistance is crucial, UBS solutions offer a perfect combination of advanced technology, durability and operational efficiency. Both the APLINK HRX Series and APL 35s labeling systems and our UVLED Curing technology have been designed to suit the specific needs of each industry, providing accurate and reliable marking.
If you are looking to optimize marking and coding in demanding environments, at United Barcode Systems we offer personalized advice to find the perfect solution for you.Contact us and find out how our equipment can improve efficiency and traceability on your production line.
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