See new Domino printing systems at PPMA 2008

New product additions to Domino's C-Series portfolio in 2098 underscore the company's position as a leading provider of secondary coding products that meet long-term market needs and deliver increased efficiency. In addition to the launch of the Domino C6000AS plus, the company will also showcase the new C6000V plus high-speed printer that prints down from above the production line rather than from the side, thereby opening up a number of new industrial applications, including the ability to print directly on to almost any porous substrate.

It is also suitable for high-speed case packing requirements such as those increasingly encountered in the beverage bottling industry, providing new opportunities for installation within case erecting equipment prior to cases being filled. This makes it a good counterpart to the C6000AS plus, allowing manufacturers the flexibility to choose between printing on flat case blanks or further down the production line on finished cases.

Outer case coders

Domino's C-Series plus outer case coders are especially designed to contribute to increased overall equipment effectiveness (OEE), flexibility and profitability, while meeting the compliance requirements of the whole supply chain. Claimed to offer double the print performance and double the speed of any competing product, the C6000+ on show addresses market demands for increased efficiency on high-speed lines, achieving a print resolution of 180dpi at up to 60m/min. It also boasts a clearer and more intuitive user interface, high-speed communications and Ethernet connectivity for easier integration into packaging lines, as well as a power consumption that is claimed to be the lowest for any outer case coder on the market.

PPMA 2008 provides a platform for the introduction to the UK of new products from Domino's M-Series plus print-and-apply labelling range - said to be the most user-friendly labellers currently available. The new models can be installed on a standalone or fully networked basis with no need for a PC on the production floor. Quick and easy consumable changes ensure increased uptime for users. In addition, the range features newly updated controllers and Ethernet connectivity as standard. The M-Series plus also benefits from a complimentary software package for printer control, label design and communication. In addition, the capabilities of Domino's M-Series will be shown by way of a sample pallet, labelled by the Domino M600.

The M-Series comprises a fully modular system of printers, applicators and accessories, which provide flexibility to meet virtually every customer requirement for printing variable data, text, graphics and RFID data onto outer cases (photo shows M200 model). Delivering accurate information and label placement without compromising production line speeds, the M-Series range ensures maximum productivity, flexibility and profitability, plus it includes thermal transfer and direct thermal label printers in both left- and right-hand versions. These combine with a range of blow, tamp, tamp and blow and wipe label applicators for optimal performance and operation.

Laser coding systems

Domino says the next generation of its laser coding systems, the D-Series plus, is also being shown in the UK for the first time at PPMA. Boasting a choice of 10, 30 and 55W lasers, the D-Series plus builds on Domino's reputation for quality and reliability in high-end coding applications in the food, beverage, pharma and cosmetics sectors. Key features of the range are a new modular construction, new browser-based control software plus an Ethernet interface to standardise connectivity with host machines.

The D-Series plus range also offers the advantage of a direct interface to the Domino DPX fume extraction system, thereby ensuring consistent code quality and reduced rejects, as well as providing a clean environment for personnel in the vicinity.

Domino's V-Series range is represented by the highly efficient V300+ thermal transfer printer (TTO) for all flexible packaging applications and the V100 together with a controller. Suitable for use in high-volume manufacturing environments, the versatile V300+ achieves a print resolution of 300dpi and is capable of applying sharp, high-quality variable data including text, bar codes and Data Matrix codes, as well as logos onto a wide range of web materials. The V300+ is said to deliver a new concept in TTO and can be operated from any PC-based user interface running a standard internet browser, with no requirement for a dedicated controller.

Offering a large marking area, the V100 is a reliable high-speed printer that is suited to intermittent applications. Powerful printer control and on-board label creation are provided by the V-Series controller, which can be networked for remote operation and is also compatible with a variety of external label creation and networking solutions. With over 100,000 installations worldwide, Domino's A-Series plus is claimed to be the best selling range of continuous ink jet (CIJ) printers, and will be represented at PPMA by the A200+ and A300+ models. The A-Series plus is a user-friendly coding system that satisfies market requirements for a robust and dependable system that improves OEE and availability. In conjunction with Domino's extensive range of inks, the A-Series plus offers quality ink jet printing from basic coding requirements to tough industrial applications in harsh environments.

Will Edwards, UK Sales Manager for Domino, says that the products being launched at PPMA underline the company's commitment to offering product to pallet coding solutions across a wide range of industries: "With the growing emphasis on data acquisition and traceability, coding and marking has become a core function of the packaging operation. As such, our equipment needs to offer tangible productivity benefits and improved OEE to our customers. We are confident that every one of the Domino products at PPMA more than delivers in this respect."