Industrial Inkjet Printing on Plastic Bags, Parts, Sheeting, and More

Plastic for Use and Sale 

Today’s market is filled with a variety of plastics ranging from hard, resilient materials like polypropylene to films made from polyethylene. 

Manufacturers use these different plastics to make diverse products, including aerospace components, automotive parts, beverage bottles, consumer goods, and construction materials. In each of these industries, part marking and package coding are necessities. 

For aerospace, automotive, and construction components, direct part marking enables full supply chain traceability. Given the complex products and structures that these components are used to make, full traceability is required to ensure that each part is guaranteed as safe. 

In the case of consumer products and food packaging, retail channels often require sets of codes to facilitate the sales process, provide consumer information, and enable traceability.

Consequently, plastic packaging and products are often marked with:

• Expiration/best-by date codes
• Product batch codes
• 1-dimensional barcodes
• 2-dimensional data matrices

Failure to include these markings can violate industry standards and, in certain cases, federal laws. To avoid these consequences, one needs a robust printing solution.  

Find a Printer That Fits Your Operational Needs

InkJet, Inc. has decades of experience in developing printing solutions that meet the unique needs of different client segments. No two operations will have the same printing requirements, so there is no default printing solution. This is especially true when it comes to marking plastics. 

Not only does one need to consider the type of plastic being printed on, but it’s also essential that the printing solution fits seamlessly into any existing workflow. By offering a number of industrial continuous inkjet printers and mobile and compact, yet powerful thermal inkjet printers, we help companies find the best printer model to fit their needs. 

Our team communicates with each client to gather the information necessary to develop the ideal printing solution. Considered elements include:

• The speed of the line

• The shape of the part

• The direction of the film flow

• Whether the parent machine utilizes intermittent or continuous motion (in the case of film)

• What codes must be applied

After considering these factors and more, we help clients find a printer that is ideal for their situation.

Utilize an Ink that’s Made for Your Product Line

Regardless of whether you’re inkjet printing on plastic bags, parts, sheets, or a rigid container, the application won’t be successful if the right ink formula isn’t used. The world of plastics is large and diverse, and each plastic form reacts differently to ink. 

For example, while most plastics are considered non-porous, some non-rigid plastics will absorb ink to a certain degree, leading to unclear markings and non-scannable barcodes. In other situations, companies need to use quick-drying ink formulas to accommodate challenging surface conditions.

To ensure that you have the right ink for your product line, InkJet, Inc. carries a wide selection of ink formulas made to work with:

• HDPE packaging

• Polypropylene parts

• High-impact polystyrene components 

• PVC pipes

• Flexible packaging

Our lab technicians can also make custom inks with unique properties such as alcohol/chemical resistance. If we don’t already have the perfect ink for you on our shelves, we can formulate a special ink to meet your needs.

Simplify Inkjet Printing on Plastic Bags, Parts, Sheets, and More

Here at InkJet, Inc, we can meet all of your printing needs. With a vast portfolio of hardware and ink options, we can ensure that your operation is stocked with the right equipment to mark plastics in a quick, legible manner. Simply contact our sales team and we can start a conversation on what will work best for you.

For more information related to inkjet printing on plastic bags, parts, or sheets, contact InkJet, Inc. online or by phone at 1(800) 280-3245.