MARKING FOR CHEMICAL PRODUCTS

Products such as detergents, paints and coatings, inks, lubricants, and greases require specific packaging that provides durability and is certified for the transport of hazardous materials. Marking solutions for chemical label products must be adaptable to different types of packaging and use special ink formulations to ensure good adhesion on various surfaces where codes must resist abrasion and temperature fluctuations. This is crucial during both storage and transport.

Zanasi’s inkjet systems are designed to provide clear, visible coding even in environments with variable conditions that can affect print quality. Stability and reliability are essential, not only for marking products with traceability information but also for compliance with the CLP regulation.

Hazardous products that pose health risks or safety hazards must display a unique code known as the UFI (Unique Formula Identifier), as mandated by the European CLP (Classification, Labelling, and Packaging) regulation. This regulation pertains to the classification, GHS labelling for chemicals, and packaging of substances and mixtures. Zanasi thus enables CE marking of chemical products.

The industry can rely on design standards that include:

• Cabinets with high protection standards

• Automatic printhead cleaning processes

• Revolutionary ink mixing systems that maintain consistent ink properties, making the printer precise, stable, and high-performing.

Rigid plastic containers, especially large ones like jerrycans, as well as bottles and jars made of PE and HDPE, are commonly used in the sector due to their suitability for contact with chemicals. However, these materials require particular attention when it comes to printing.

The composition of these plastics creates variable and often viscous substrates. The Chemical Department’s TestLab evaluates ink adhesion directly on the customer’s plastic packaging to achieve the right formulation and optimal performance, even in humid environments.

Customized inks, combined with the reliability of micro-character inkjet marking systems, ensure clear and clean marking on plastic, complete information, and resistance to chemicals, especially in cases of accidental product leakage.

Drums, tin cans, and spray bottles come in a variety of shapes and sizes—cylindrical, rectangular, large, or small—and require highly adaptable metal marking systems (for example steel drum markings).

The flexibility of small character inkjet systems allows laser marking metal on flat, curved, regular, and irregular surfaces of various packaging types. These systems also enable printing on any part of the container, including the concave bottom, a common feature.

High-contrast, solvent-resistant inks ensure code permanence even when subjected to friction or exposure to chemicals. Additionally, special inks for macro-character printing create markings visible from a distance

Products like fertilizers and sealants are packaged in sacks or bags under challenging environmental conditions, with plants requiring high technical standards. Macro-character systems are recognized in the market as the “conventional” solution for end-of-line marking, particularly for sacks.

The compact design and the 40 mm printhead-to-product distance allow for end-of-line installation in the best position to ensure perfect printing, even on both sides of sacks that may not be perfectly aligned on the conveyor belt.

The stainless-steel structure, standard across all systems, resists moisture, dust, and high temperatures. This construction of plastic bag printing machine is also ideal for printing small text on bags, as stainless steel makes both macro- and micro-character inkjet marking systems highly durable. Stainless steel thus meets high manufacturing standards for precision printing.

Robust construction and an advanced automatic cleaning system make the printheads nearly maintenance-free, reducing operational costs. A wide range of fast-drying inks is available for printing logos and alphanumeric text to ensure perfect adhesion on all materials, even when using water-based inks.

Cardboard packaging has evolved from merely meeting logistical and informational needs to playing an important role as a communication and branding vehicle, with attention to aesthetics and brand consistency.

To meet the demand for customization and printing on cardboard boxes, trays, and labels (label printing machine), Zanasi offers a complete line of low- and high-resolution printing systems (water based ink screen printing).

These systems, designed to print text, barcodes, logos, and images of varying heights, use piezoelectric Drop on Demand printing technology. This technology ensures durability and reliability for high-resolution printing, allowing perfectly traceable, readable barcodes that comply with GS1 standards on both porous and non-porous surfaces.

The range of Thermal InkJet printers adheres perfectly to any surface of packaging and multi-packs, with integrated control units and replaceable ink cartridges in a compact space. High-quality alphanumeric characters and data matrices can be printed at up to 900 DPI resolution.

The wide working range of the printheads allows full use of the available surface area for limitless customization options.

Direct printing of information and scannable barcodes on packaging provides a real advantage, including:

• real-time message customization
• reduction of storage costs for pre-printed boxes
• elimination of label costs and associated management
• complete traceability and identification of products at the logistical level