Coding Plastic and Metal Extrusions

Extrusion is one of today’s most effective industrial metal/plastic production methods. Manufacturing companies utilize extrusion to produce pipes, tubes, sheets, window/door frames, fittings, and other essential parts/components. 

Extrusion facilities frequently experience harsh conditions as a result of the extrusion process. Common factors include:

  • Extreme heat
  • Dust
  • Humidity
  • Vibrations
  • Oil and grease presence

Without protective measures, these elements can damage hardware, derail production processes, and cause expensive downtime. Unfortified product marking machines are particularly vulnerable to extreme conditions, as dust, vibrations, and heat can cause malfunctions and misprints.

InkJet, Inc's product marking technologies help extrusion operations more effectively complete product marking applications. Our printers and laser systems excel at coding plastic and metal extrusions and can easily withstand traditionally challenging conditions. With InkJet, Inc’s hardware, you can reduce errors, increase operational efficiency, and maximize uptime. Here’s how:

InkJet, Inc’s Solutions for Coding Plastic and Metal Extrusions

Extrusion is an inherently harsh manufacturing process. Extreme temperatures, excessive humidity, dust, and other environmental factors wreak havoc on unfortified machinery and render codes illegible. 

InkJet, Inc’s high-quality marking hardware helps extrusion operations maximize productivity by resisting environmental threats and producing consistently excellent results. We offer numerous printer and laser options for different line setups, production processes, output needs, and substrates.

This table lists our plastic/metal extrusion marking technologies and displays their general specifications. Additional information on each option can be located further below. Click the title in the table’s leftmost column to jump to a specific section.

InkJet, Inc’s Plastic and Metal Extrusion Coding Options

Coding Technology

Operating Method

System Options

Maximum Resolution and Print Height

Maximum Marking Speed

Cost Factors

Compatible Materials

Continuous Inkjet Printer

Propels pressurized ink droplets towards the substrate

DuraCode Touchscreen, Keyboard, & Pigment

70 DPI at 15 mm height

320 m/min.

Low to moderate unit cost, low consumable cost


Metal and plastic

Laser Marking Solution

Creates a concentrated light beam to mark or engrave the substrate

F8100F Fiber, F8100C CO2, LDR 7100, & F8100U UV Laser Marking Systems

Lenses up to 300mm x 300mm 

2,000 characters per second

High unit cost, little to no consumables

Varies by model

Hi-Res Case Coder

Propels oil-based ink droplets to create stark codes

Precision Series 18mm & 72mm

180 DPI at 18mm height or 72mm height

Low to moderate speed

Moderate unit cost, low consumable cost

Plastic

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 speed, wide ink compatibility, and versatile printheads of CIJ printers enable extrusion companies to mark diverse products with durable markings.

InkJet, Inc’s comprehensive CIJ ink catalog contains dozens of formulas that are ideal for coding plastic and metal extrusions. Notable extrusion ink properties include:

  • Superior substrate adhesion
  • Ultra-quick dry times
  • Alcohol resistance
  • Heat resistance
  • Sunlight resistance
  • Extreme temperature resistance
  • Oil/grease penetration
  • Condensation penetration
  • Soft and hard pigmentation

InkJet, Inc. carries three CIJ systems:

  1. DuraCode Keyboard
  2. DuraCode Touchscreen
  3. DuraCode Pigment Printer

 

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. 


The DuraCode Keyboard and Touchscreen offer the same specifications and ink compatibility. The only difference between them is their input medium. The DuraCode Pigment has the same functionalities and specifications as the DuraCode Keyboard and Touchscreen but uses pigmented ink instead of dye ink.

See the chart below for a closer look at the DuraCode models’ most important specifications. 

Specification

DuraCode Touchscreen, Keyboard, & Pigment CIJ Printers

Nozzle

40, 50, 60, 70 μm

Print Height

1.2-15 mm

Maximum Print Speed

Up to 1,050 ft./min (320 m/min)

Print Distance

1-3 in. (25.4-76.2 mm)

Input System

Touchscreen or Standard Keyboard / WYSIWYG

Print Font

5x5, 7x5, 9x6, 11x8, 16x11, 24x17, 32x22

Operating Environment

  • Temperature: 5-45° C (41-113°F)  
  • Humidity: 0%-90%, no condensing

User Defined Field

Bar Code, QR Code, Logos, Clock, Counter, Classes, etc.

IP Rating

IP55 Industrial Protection

Gross Weight with Complete Package

45 kg / 99 lbs

Standard Features

Font library - Multi-language support - Traverse printing - 90-degree vertical printing - Special counter Counter replacement - Clock replacement - Encoder port - USB port - Ink recovery pump - Solvent flush pump - Micro print

Optional Add-Ons

Serial port - Network LAN connection - Positive air pump

 

Laser Marking Solutions: Fiber, CO2, and UV Laser Models

Laser marking systems are perfect for extrusion facilities that require high coding speeds, reliable accuracy, and exceptional code appearance. Laser users can mark and engrave their products with visually appealing text, scannable codes, traceable serial numbers, and other essential markings. 

Laser systems are more expensive than TIJ and CIJ printers upfront but do not use consumables. Moreover, they have minimal maintenance needs and do not require annual servicing. Depending on your product output, these factors can make laser marking more cost-effective than inkjet printing.

Inkjet Inc. offers four laser models:

  1. F8100F Fiber Laser Marking Machine
  2. F8100C CO2 Laser Marking Machine
  3. LDR 7100 Laser Marking System (CO2 System)
  4. F8100U UV Laser Marking Machine

Our laser systems offer similar specifications and benefits. The F8100F, F8100C, LDR7100, and F8100U provide:

  • Marking speeds up to 2000 characters/sec.
  • 24/7 uninterrupted coding
  • Reliable ingress protections
  • Long laser tube life
  • Enhanced high-resolution mark quality
  • Plug-and-play laser module for easy line replacement
  • User-friendly control panel via computer or smartphone app

Material compatibility is the main difference between our laser options. Fiber, CO2, and UV lasers produce beams of different wavelengths. Beam wavelength significantly influences material compatibility, so it’s important to understand which laser technology best suits your substrates as you consider your system options. 

This chart illustrates the material compatibility of fiber, CO2, and UV laser systems:

Laser Marking Material Compatibility 

Material Category

Specific Material

Fiber Laser

CO2 Laser

UV Laser

Plastics

Polypropylene (PP)

Low-density polyethylene (LDPE)

High-density polyethylene (HDPE)

ABS

Polyacetal (POM: polyoxymethylene)

Polyamide (PA)

Polycarbonate (PC)

Polyethylene terephthalate (PET)

Metals

Steel

Galvanized Steel

Aluminum

Titanium

Copper

Brass

  • = Full compatibility 
  • = Limited compatibility
  • = No compatibility

See the chart below for a closer look into our laser systems’ most important specifications.

Specification

F8100F, F8100C, LDR7100, & F8100U Laser Systems

Marking Speed

Up to 2,000 characters/second

Line Speed

Up to 200 m/min

Wave Lengths

  • Fiber: 1,055 - 1,070nm
  • CO2: 10.6um, 10.2um, and 9.3um
  • LDR: 10.6um, 10.3um, and 9.3um
  • UV: 355nm

Marking Formats

  • Standard industrial fonts (Windows TrueType®) and single line font  
  • Machine-readable codes (OCR, 2D matrix, etc.) 
  • Bar codes: code 128a, code 128B, code 128c, code39, code93, QR Code, Data Matrix, Aztec-Code, Han Xin-Cod
  • Graphics, logos, symbols, etc. 
  • Linear, circular, angular, reverse, rotate sequential, and batch numbering  
  • Automatic date, layer and time code, real-time clock 

Laser Tube

  • Fiber: Ytterbium (YT) pulsed fiber laser
  • CO2: Sealed CO2 laser
  • LDR: Sealed CO2 laser
  • UV: Solid-state UV laser

Beam Deflection

Steers beam with digital high-speed galvanometer scanners

User Interface

Personalized touch control screen with an easy-to-learn interface

Communication

  • UDP, TCP/IP, and RS232
  • Inputs for encoder and product detector triggers
  • 4 inputs/4 outputs for start/stop signals, machine/operator interlocks, and alarm outputs (in addition to safety circuits)
  • Customer-specific solutions are available

Integration

Flexible beam delivery options (beam extension unit/beam turning unit) 

Cooling System

Air-cooled

Operating Environment

  • Temperature: 5-40° C (41-104°F)  
  • Humidity: 0%-90%, no condensing
  • Inputs for encoder and product detector triggers

IP Rating

Cabinet: IP54 standard

Weight

Approx. 40 kg 

High-Resolution Case Coders: Precision Series 18mm & 72mm

High-resolution case coders (hi-res) excel at creating large images and DPI-rich codes. InkJet, Inc’s hi-res systems—Precision Series 18mm and Precision Series 72mmuse powerful piezoelectric printheads and thick oil-based inks to create stark, long-lasting markings. 

Most hi-res systems are used for secondary and tertiary packaging. However, Precision Series printers can use plastic-compatible formulas, enabling them to place high-resolution markings on passing plastic products.

See the chart below for a closer look into the Precision Series’ most important specifications:

Specification

Precision Series 18mm & 72mm Hi-Res Case Coder

Dimensions and Weight (Including Bracket)

  • (L/W/H) 322 x 183 x 480 mm / 12.7” x 7.2” x 18.9
  • 3.35 kg / 7.38l bs

Line Speed

Up to 200/min

Print Area

53.7mm x 500mm per print head

Print Speed

0 - 60 m/min

Print Head

180 DPI

Operating Environment

  • Temperature: 5-38° C / (41-100.4°F)  
  • Humidity: 10% – 90% (non-condensing)

Internal Memory

42 MB for fonts, images, and labels. The number of labels depends on the size.

Barcode Options

EAN8, EAN13, CODE 39, CODE128, ITF, and QR with adjustable height and module width. Multiple barcodes are possible in one label.

Automatic Shift Codes

Up to 25 shift codes, definable over a maximum of 7 days. Multiple shift codes are possible in one label.

Coding Plastic and Metal Extrusions Is Simple With InkJet, Inc’s Help

InkJet, Inc’s industrial marking solutions can improve your extrusion coding process. Our continuous inkjet printers, laser systems, and hi-res case coders resist challenging environmental factors, create high-quality results, and deliver maximum uptime. Call InkJet, Inc. today to discuss which solution best suits your marking needs.

To find equipment for coding plastic and metal extrusions, contact us online today or call 1(800) 280-3245.