CARTON PRINTING
Printing on non-porous surfaces, such as waxed or varnished cartons, can be accomplished easily with Univer- sal Non-Porous Conveyor Line Printers. The selection of an appropriate place for installation on your conveyor line or other packaging equipment is a very important consideration in the performance of your coder. The most important factor to consider is carton alignment.
CARTON ALIGNMENT
To ensure print reliability and prevent damage to your coders, the cartons must be accurately guided through the printing station by guide rails as shown in Figure 39. If your conveyor is not equipped with guide rails - they must be installed before proceeding with coder installation. Proper alignment of the cartons as they pass the printing station is imperative. Improper alignment will produce poor print quality, poor print registration, and in extreme cases, could damage the machine.
IMPROPER ALIGNMENT | PROPER ALIGNMENT |
FIGURE 39
Universal Non-Porous Conveyor Line Printers are spring loaded so that the print drums will press against the carton surface on contact. This pressure is necessary to accomplish the friction drive rotation of the print drum and ensure enough printing pressure to give you a sharp impression. The spring tension mechanism on the coder will also compensate for slight variations in the width of the cartons without jamming the conveyor line. Excessive pressure, caused by improperly guided cartons, will result in smudged impressions and could cause damage to the spring tension mechanism.