Carton marking is an essential element of egg production and packaging. Federal laws like the Egg Products Inspection Act (EPIA) instruct egg operations to mark product packaging with required codes, images, and information to ensure consumer safety.
Coding requirements vary according to numerous factors, including facility size/output, egg grade, local/state laws, and distribution network policies. Frequently required markings include:
- Traceable lot codes/batch numbers
- Packing date
- Sell-by/best-before date
- QR codes/barcodes
- Facility location
- Certification (e.g., cage-free, organic, etc.)
- Handling instructions
- Egg grade
Failure to properly apply these markings can result in recalls, delivery delays, product damages, inventory errors, and regulatory non-compliance. To ensure that your products are safe, code-compliant, and distributed correctly, you must use a high-quality egg carton printer.
InkJet, Inc. offers multiple egg carton marking options to better meet the needs of different facilities and processes. Our continuous and thermal inkjet printers enable users to increase marking speed, reduce coding mistakes, and improve product appearance.
Read on to learn how our egg carton printers can benefit your operation:
Enhance Your Egg Carton Printing Process with InkJet, Inc’s Printing Systems
Traceable markings, facility information, production dates, and regulatory data are common packaging requirements across the egg industry. For over 30 years, InkJet, Inc’s hardware and ink formulas have helped egg producers and co-packers outfit their products with durable, highly-readable codes.
This table lists our egg carton printers along with their general specifications. Additional information on each machine can be located further below. Click the title in the table’s leftmost column to jump to a specific solution.
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Inc’s Egg Carton Printers |
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Continuous Inkjet Printers: DuraCode Touchscreen, Keyboard, and Pigment
Continuous inkjet (CIJ) printers are non-contact production line printing systems designed to mark substrates moving at 300 m/min and above. Built with powerful ink circulation systems, CIJ printers can operate up to 24 hours daily without downtime. The wide ink compatibility and versatile printheads of CIJ printers equip users to mark egg cartons made from different substrates, including
- Plastic
- Cardboard
- Paperboard
- Polystyrene/foam
Additionally, our CIJ printers support seamless indexing by changing configurations on the fly to mark packages of different sizes or types without slowing down production. By programming a CIJ printer in advance with all the different egg packaging configurations, egg cartoning facilities can switch packaging quickly and frequently without stopping to manually reprogram every time.
Moreover, InkJet, Inc. maintains a comprehensive ink portfolio filled with specialty and aftermarket formulas. To meet specific application needs, we offer formulas with the following properties:
- Superior substrate adhesion
- Ultra-quick dry times
- Anti-transfer properties
- Rub resistance
- Food-grade qualities
- Food-safe qualities
With our ink catalog and high-performing CIJ models, you can efficiently apply high-quality codes to egg cartons of all substrates. We also carry inks for direct egg printing that comply with EU and FDA regulations/guidelines.
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All DuraCode systems can mark porous and non-porous substrates at speeds up to 320 m/min. Equipped with an IP55 outer structure and able to operate in temperatures ranging from 41-113° F, the DuraCode CIJ can withstand potentially hazardous environmental elements to deliver consistently excellent results.
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See the chart below for a closer look at the DuraCode models’ most important specifications.
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Thermal Inkjet Printers: Anser X1, A1, and U2 Models
Thermal inkjet (TIJ) printers are smaller, lighter, and more cost-effective than CIJ systems. While CIJ systems typically weigh around 100 lbs and can cost well over $10,000, most TIJ models weigh 5-10 lbs and cost as low as $1,499.00.
Although thermal inkjet systems are compact and lightweight, they offer impressive coding specifications. For example, the Anser U2 Smart can create 400 x 300 DPI codes up to 0.5” tall (1” tall with the Anser U2 SmartOne). Higher-end TIJs like the Anser X1 can create 600 x 600 DPI codes up to 2” tall with stitched printheads. These qualities enable TIJ operators to complete product marking tasks as well as case coding applications.
TIJ printers are often designed for slower speed lines and intermittent coding tasks, but some TIJ models offer high-speed capabilities as well. InkJet, Inc. carries numerous TIJ printers of varying specialties and price points. Our current options include:
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The Anser U2 Smart is InkJet, Inc’s most affordable printer option. Available for $1,499.00, the Anser U2 Smart is compatible with porous and semi-porous packaging, such as paperboard egg cartons. The system’s max speed is 76.2 m/min, and the max resolution is 400 x 300 DPI. The stock U2 Smart has a max 0.5” print height, while the Anser U2 SmartOne has a max 1” print height. |
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Compact and cost-effective, the Anser U2 Pro-S is a great choice for operations that don’t require CIJ-level marking speeds. Like the Anser U2 Smart and SmartOne, the Anser U2 Pro-S has 76.2 m/min max speed and 400 x 300 DPI max resolution. However, the Anser U2 Pro-S is compatible with porous, semi-porous, and non-porous substrates. Anser U2 Pro-S users can mark plastic, cardboard, paperboard, and polystyrene/foam egg cartons. |
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The first all-in-one TIJ that offers 2” printing and mid-message DPI adjustments, the Anser A1 is both powerful and affordable. Built with 2 cartridge slots, the A1 can create 2” tall markings with varying DPI elements (e.g., 300 DPI QR code with 150 DPI text). These qualities make the A1 an excellent case coding printer. For product marking applications, the A1 maxes out at 300 m/min with certain cartridges. Users control the A1 through a large touchscreen interface. |
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Even though the Anser X1 is a thermal inkjet printer, you wouldn’t know that from its spec sheet. With printing speeds up to 300 m/min, the Anser X1 is one of the most powerful TIJs on the market today. Beyond industrial speed marking, the Anser X1 offers a 600 DPI max resolution, a 3.87” max print height (with stitched printheads), IP66 protection, and the ability to control two production lines simultaneously. |
See the chart below for a closer look into how our TIJ options compare to one another:
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Inkjet, Inc’s Egg Carton Printers Can Enhance Your Product Packaging Workflow
Properly marked product packaging is crucial to any egg operation. InkJet, Inc’s CIJ and TIJ printer systems can help you apply necessary markings with speed and accuracy. Contact us today to discuss which solution is right for you.
To learn more about metal and steel pipe marking, contact us online today or call 1(800) 280-3245.
