What Is a Printer?
A Printer is a device used in various manufacturing lines to print information such as production numbers and manufacturing dates on products, containers, and outer boxes. It is a printer with a separate body and printing head.
Products manufactured in factories, including their outer boxes and containers, have printed information specific to the product. This includes manufacturing dates, production lot numbers, and, in the case of food products, expiration dates. Printers are used to print this short information. The compact printing head is shaped separately from the body, allowing it to be brought close to products, containers, or outer boxes of various shapes and sizes for printing.
Printing methods include inkjet, thermal transfer, and laser. Additionally, mechanical devices that mechanically print characters or symbols, such as typewriters or machines that transcribe Morse code onto paper, are also referred to as printers.
Uses of Printers
In the final stages of production in factories, essential information related to the product, such as manufacturing dates, production lot numbers, and manufacturing locations, is printed on the product itself or in individual containers or outer boxes. The content varies, but for food products, it always includes expiration or best-before dates.
This information is used for quality control by revealing the product’s identity. For example, if defective products are found in products that have entered the market, measures such as recalling products with the same lot number are taken.
For example, in beverages such as milk packaged in paper packs, specific dates are printed by the printer near the top, along with “best before” printed horizontally. In bagged foods or confectionery, expiration dates are printed somewhere on the printed label.
Information to trace products is also printed on non-food products. In such cases, the information may be easily understood by anyone, or, in other cases, encrypted strings or barcodes may be printed.
Today, printers are used widely in various manufacturing fields for individual product-specific information. Therefore, printers are used extensively in areas related to daily life, such as food, bottled water, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, and toiletries, as well as in industrial equipment fields like electronic components and automotive parts.
Principles of Printers
Printers receive electrical signals sent from computers and draw characters or shapes on the surface of objects. This is no different from general office printers.
Since the target is products, containers, or outer boxes flowing through the production line, the printing head is separated from the body. The printing head and the body are connected by cables or tubes for sending ink. The printing head can be fixed near the printing area of the target product, or attached to a movable robot arm, allowing the printing head to be brought close to the printing area of the target product. In most manufacturing lines, this printing process is incorporated into the process as part of production and is carried out automatically.
The printing method is chosen based on the material and shape of the target object. While inkjet is the most commonly used printing method, thermal transfer, and laser methods are also employed. Since it differs from printing on flat paper, there is a slight distance between the printing head and the printing target.
It is worth noting that there are marking machines that serve the same purpose as industrial equipment. Laser markers, among others, are widely used, and these may also be included under the term “printer.”
Types of Printers
1. Inkjet Method
This is the most commonly used printing method. By selecting ink suitable for the material of the product or packaging material, it can be used on a wide range of target objects such as paper, cardboard, and vinyl. The printing head has a detached structure, equipped with a large-capacity ink tank, reducing the frequency of ink replenishment. This makes it suitable for use in manufacturing environments where a large number of products flow rapidly.
2. Thermal Transfer Method
Thermal printers use a thermal transfer ribbon applied to the target object, applying heat to perform printing. As it does not use ink or solvent, it is suitable for printing manufacturing dates and expiration dates on film used for food packaging.
3. Laser Method
Without using ink or ink labels, the laser method directs laser light at the target object, causing discoloration to achieve printing. This differs from the toner-based printing method used in office laser printers. The printing target includes paper, film, and various objects such as the body and cap of a PET bottle. Advantages include the absence of the need for ink replacement and the durability of printed characters.