Primary packaging and individual product containers serve protective, storage, and, above all, communicative functions. The information on the packaging, acting as the consumer’s communication tool, must help convey the content in a simple and immediate way.

Manufacturers require reliable and precise marking. Specifically, code printing must be accurate and clear, and codes must be positioned in the designated space to preserve the package’s aesthetics, reducing waste and line management costs.

Zanasi optimizes quality and flexibility, offering marking solutions for personal care product packaging that are easy to integrate into production lines. Additionally, these systems can print accurately on curved and irregular surfaces and on a variety of materials used in personal care products, depending on their application.

The personal care industry marking systems are user-friendly, thanks to a software interface editor designed to automate the creation of standard codes and store each message based on the specific needs of each production process. This reduces errors and optimizes format change management.

The variety of plastic materials, increasingly switching from HDPE to PE or PET, allows for differentiated packaging options, including:

• printing on tubes

• printing on jars

• printing on bottles

Zanasi’s CIJ small-character inkjet printer provide the flexibility to precisely manage:

• marking on irregular shapes like caps
• marking on labels, under the base, or directly on the containers

Production data and batch codes for personal care products are commonly printed directly on plastic packaging during the filling phase. The printhead can be placed at various points along the production line to print codes and variable data clearly and at high speed on any part of the packaging or directly on the label.

Plastic substrates vary greatly and can be particularly viscous, so ink adhesion is customized and verified by the TestLab in the Chemical Department on each customer’s packaging.

The dedicated ink formulation, combined with the reliability of small-character inkjet markers, guarantees long-lasting, high-quality coding, achieving optimal performance even in highly humid environments.

The growing focus on environmental issues has led to a rise in printing on plastic films and flexible packaging to reduce plastic usage, including single-dose packages that help reduce product waste, occupy less space, and are easy to transport.

Easy integration into packaging machines and flow-packs for both CIJ small-character inkjet and Thermal InkJet (TIJ) systems allows for:

• printing variable data

• printing product information, batch numbers, expiration dates

• printing barcodes

directly on a wide range of films and flexible packaging materials.

Dedicated fast-drying or solvent-resistant inks ensure the permanence of the code, even in cases of abrasion or contact with alcohol-based products, providing consumers with correct information.

Cartons remain the most widely used secondary packaging in personal care, essential for brand communication in the industry. Attractive packaging, often used for premium products, is rich in graphic details and constantly evolving.

Zanasi InkJet marking systems, easily integrated into cartoning machines, can print simple or complex high-resolution codes using TIJ or CIJ micro-character technology. This can be done on any type of cardboard, including colored or treated cartons, using high-contrast inks for enhanced visibility.

Customizing cartons with variable data (including seasonal messages) and barcodes with production and traceability information:

• simplifies the management of pre-printed packaging

• reduces inventory and associated costs

The systems are designed with self-adjusting mechanisms and reduced internal parts requiring maintenance, providing nearly maintenance-free operation to ensure consistent print performance and efficiency. This is particularly valuable during intensive seasonal production phases with frequent product and packaging changes.

Cardboard packaging has evolved from a simple logistic and informational tool into an important vehicle for communication and branding, while maintaining aesthetic appeal and image consistency.

To meet numerous customization and printing requests on cardboard boxes, trays, and labels, Zanasi offers a complete line of high- and low-resolution printing systems.

These systems, designed to print text, barcodes, logos, and images in various sizes, utilize piezoelectric Drop on Demand printing technology. This technology ensures durability and reliability for high-resolution printing and enables the creation of perfectly traceable, readable barcodes compliant with GS1 standards on both porous and non-porous surfaces.

The Thermal InkJet range of systems adheres perfectly to any surface of packaging and multiple packages. It also integrates the control unit and replaceable ink cartridge in a small space. Printing of high-quality alphanumeric and datamatrix characters results in high resolution up to 900 DPI.

TRACEABILITY AND COST REDUCTION

The wide working range of the printheads enables full use of the available printing surface for unlimited customization options.

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

• real-time message customization

• reduced storage costs for pre-printed boxes

• elimination of label costs and related management

• complete traceability and identification of products at the logistical level