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Small-character ink-jet printer tackles co-pack challenge

‘Intuitive’ printer interface alerts to potential problems and sets troubleshooting tools in motion.

Pw 4199 Single Pack Lf 2548

Illinois Growth Enterprises, Inc. (IGE), a co-packer located in Rockford, IL, is a nonprofit organization that provides vocational training to people with disabilities and tailors programs to meet individual worker needs.

In October 2008, IGE received a packaging assignment from Berner Foods, Dakota, IL, a supplier of natural, processed, specialty cheese products, and cheese dips. Berner contracted with IGE to pack prepackaged individual plastic bowls of cheese dip into chipboard sleeve cartons and to replicate freshness dates from the bowls onto the chipboard. The 13-oz microwaveable bowls (specific plastic structure undisclosed) are supplied by Rexam, and the chipboard cartoning material, offset-printed in five colors, is supplied by Grafcor, Inc..

Fast-track assignment

The initial project had to be completed by December 2008. But for IGE to accept the project, the company needed to invest in variable-data coding equipment. Based on its positive experience with equipment from Videojet Technologies, Inc., Berner recommended that IGE consult with Videojet to try to find a solution to the printing challenge. IGE needed a reliable, small-character ink-jet printer that was flexible, produced consistently clear codes, and could keep up with production line speeds of 30 packages/min.

To meet customer deadlines, IGE had only five days to set up a production line, including installation of the new printer and completion of employee training. Videojet consultants analyzed the problem and suggested their Model 1510 small-character, continuous ink-jet printer would be well-suited to handle Berner’s printing/coding parameters.

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