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Printing directly onto packages

“We went looking for a thermal transfer printer that could do large format printing.  We found several systems that produced two- and four-inch widths and a couple that produced five-inch widths.  But we wanted a printer that could achieve an eight-inch width,” noted Jon Hardy, Supervisor of Manufacturing Engineering at Whelen.  “We came to Norwood / Allen just as they were introducing their NGT printers in the U.S.”

Whelen choose Norwood / Allen’s NGT 8 C printers, which achieve a print up to 8.4 inches (213 mm) wide and 19.68 inches (500 mm) long – the largest print area of any thermal transfer coder in the world – at speeds up to 9.8 inches (250 mm) per second.

Prior to installing the NGT printers, Whelen’s operators inserted pre-printed instruction sheets into each bag.  Sometimes they had to fold the sheets in half or in quarters to fit into the packages.

“We were motivated to print the instructions directly onto the bags in an effort to reallocate labor to more productive tasks.  With three NGT printers installed so far, we’ve managed to move three people who were handling the printing, storing and folding of the instruction manuals to more productive tasks,” said Hardy.  “The initial decision to install the Norwood / Allen printers was economic in nature.  We did not fully anticipate the many other benefits that would come from this shift to printing on-demand.”

By eliminating the need to insert instruction sheets, Whelen cut a repetitive task and tripled its bagging rate.  By printing on-demand, Whelen avoids the possibility that out-of-date or incorrect instruction sheets are inserted and they can now customize the printed package for specific customers.  Additionally, the new approach is better for the environment.
“We were printing several million instruction sheets per year,” said Bob Dubois, Manufacturing Engineer at Whelen’s Charlestown, NH plant.
“Eliminating these sheets saves valuable resources.  Plus, it gives us more production flexibility.”

Whelen prints assembly and installation instructions as well as the product description, barcode and date directly onto packages inline at the bagging station.  The printers are connected to Whelen’s plant-wide network, where the instructions are saved as image files and automatically combined with the other elements by Teklyx® Sentinel ™ software.

The NGT printers are manufactured in Germany by Norwood / Allen’s distributor, ac codiergeräte gmbh.  Robust components and superior mechanics create reliable printers that maximize throughput by reducing unplanned downtime.  The frame pivots to provide easy access for adjustments and maintenance.

“We measure the success of the Norwood / Allen printers based on print quality, reliability and ease of use.  We’re very satisfied with the NGT printers,” noted Dubois.  Hardy added, “The bottom line is that the printers have allowed us to move three people to more productive tasks.  That was a home run hit.  The rest is icing on the cake.”