The perfect printing solution
Inkjet printer for marking and coding silicone profiles
Products frequently need to be marked or coded so they can be traced. For this purpose, Saint Gobain Performance Plastics MG Silikon uses an inkjet printer that provides silicone profiles with the necessary marking as soon as they come out of the extrusion machine. Because only the print head is integrated into the production line, it can be deployed with flexibility – including on two lines, for example.
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With competition intensifying, flexibility and individuality are crucial factors in success. This also applies to industrial manufacturing companies. Each unit in the production process needs to be calibrated to achieve high efficiency. Marking and coding products is one part of the production process, with products receiving codes/numbers for reading during production. The key requirements of printers here are reliability, accuracy, and low follow-on costs. Inkjet printers are frequently deployed in product marking and this is also the case at the MG Silikon division of Saint Gobain Performance Plastics in Lindau, Germany. This company develops technical products made of silicone elastomers. In the process, products are also printed with specific codes. Here they use Jet2se series inkjet printers from Tuttlingen-based company Leibinger Inkjet and Numbering Machines.
Flexible printing
The print head is incorporated into the production process in such a way that the plastics worker can label the silicone profiles as required. There is growing demand for this type of printing given the need to inspect and track products. The silicone profile leaves the extrusion machine via a coil, above which the print head is attached. The profile is labeled with the relevant data at regular intervals on either one or two lines, depending on the size of the product and the amount of information. The font size and width can also be adjusted with precision. The materials are then dusted with talc and rolled. Due to the speed of processing, the products are printed on using quick-drying ink.
To maximize efficient use of the printer, it is positioned centrally within the Lindau plant between two production lines. Only the print head is integrated into the production line. It is connected to the base machine via a 6 m long (approx. 19' 8") hose, whereby the hose can be extended up to 10 m (approx. 32' 9"). A central location allows the company to deploy the print head with flexibility. It can also be used on two lines, if required, via a boom.
Tuttlingen, December 13, 2007
