Improving Date Coding Equipment With the Help of Aftermarket Services | InkJet Product Spotlight

Date coding is an essential element of modern commerce. Today, nearly all perishable goods, ranging from eggs to personal care products, are required to display clearly legible date codes on their packaging. 
 

Not only do those codes inform consumers and retailers when they need to discard expired products, but they also help create traceability throughout the supply chain. As such, date codes are frequently required by both distributors and government agencies. If there are date coding machine issues and the codes are either absent or unreadable, packaging companies may end up having to pay fines, perform recalls, or face similar penalties. 
 

Depending on industry requirements, manufacturers use different types of date codes to provide information to consumers and businesses:
 

  • “Sell By”/Expiration Dates
  • Packaged/Bottled On Dates
  • Batch Numbers/Lot Codes
  • Barcodes
     

Given the importance of these markings, many companies seek out date coding equipment from the biggest names in the printing industry, like Videojet and Markem-Imaje. But when using name-brand date coding equipment, part replacements, servicing, and printing consumables all have significant costs when sought through the original equipment manufacturer (OEM). This can make responsible maintenance expensive and increase variable printing costs. 
 

Fortunately, aftermarket printer services offer a way to reduce expenses without sacrificing machine performance or code quality. Here’s how.

Aftermarket Repair Services Can Help Address Date Coding Machine Issues

 

Internationally successful industrial printing companies like Videojet have great reputations built on providing customers with reliable marking hardware. Printer models like those found in the popular Videojet 1000 series are designed to last for years as long as users follow marking best practices and perform routine maintenance. However, even if one diligently cares for their printer to the best of their ability, hardware-affecting issues inevitably rise over time.

Although hardware problems are expected to arise throughout a printer’s life, that doesn’t mean they aren’t concerning, especially in the context of date coding. For example, beverage bottling operations commonly apply thousands of date codes on a daily basis to maintain established production goals. If a date coding machine is experiencing problems, production can come to a grinding halt and cost the company significant amounts of money. 

While some printer fixes are relatively inexpensive and easy to perform (e.g., filters need to be replaced, there are issues with the ink cartridges, etc.). Other issues are more complicated. Replacement parts for continuous inkjet printers, for instance, are often expensive and need to be installed by a professional. Further, OEM companies may not even carry replacement parts for older continuous inkjet (CIJ) printers. Instead, they may try to force a sale on a newer model. 

In these scenarios, aftermarket printer companies offer a more cost-effective solution. At InkJet, Inc. we can fix damaged printers, even older models that are no longer available from the original manufacturer. Through these services, printer owners can find more affordable alternatives to expensive OEM printer parts and successfully extend the lives of their equipment. 

Reduce Printing Costs With Aftermarket Ink Sources

 

We carry aftermarket formulas for today’s most popular printer systems. Our aftermarket options are more affordable than their OEM counterparts but perform just as well, if not better. 

InkJet, Inc. carries aftermarket options for printers made by the following companies and brands:

  • Videojet
  • Domino including Bitjet and Jet Array
  • Markem-Imaje
  • Marsh 
  • Linx
  • Diagraph
  • Willett
  • Leibinger

By fully switching over to aftermarket ink cartridges, companies can literally cut their printer consumable budget in half. Additionally, InkJet, Inc.’s aftermarket options are guaranteed to be compatible with the stated printers, giving operators peace of mind that switching over won’t negatively affect production schedules. 

Looking To Improve Your OEM Date Coding Equipment? InkJet, Inc. Is Here To Help

Although name-brand printer companies like Videojet, Markem-Imaje, and Domino make excellent machines, they suffer from data coding machine issues, such as unnecessarily expensive operating costs. Replacement parts from OEM sources are often marked up, as are the costs of repair services. Ink cartridges as well frequently cost substantially more than they should, and many OEM companies have shown a tendency to increase these prices on an annual basis.

 

To help printer operators reduce these expenses without sacrificing code quality, InkJet, Inc. offers a number of services that can help maximize printer efficiency at affordable prices. Whether you need an umbilical fixed on your new CIJ, replacement parts for a discontinued printer, or high-quality ink cartridges that won’t break your budget, InkJet, Inc. can help. Contact us today to learn how our aftermarket services can benefit your business. 
 

For more information on how to improve your date coding equipment, contact us online today or call 1(800) 280-3245. 

 

 

Back to Blog Articles

Explore more