|
Galloway Relies on Norwood / Allen' s NGT Thermal Transfer Coding Systems to Print Direct to Bags
June 17, 2008 –Galloway Company, a leading manufacturer of frozen dairy dessert mixes, decided to eliminate the pressure sensitive labels they applied to mix bags because the warm-to-cold transition would sometimes cause the adhesive to fail, causing labels to detach. They turned to Norwood Marking Systems / Allen Coding Systems and selected the NGT series of large format thermal transfer coding systems to print directly onto bags.
“When we went shopping to find a better way to identify products by printing directly onto bags, we were hoping to achieve a cost savings,” noted Rocco Vanden Wyngaard, Process Controls Engineer at Galloway. “We ended up saving money and improving food safety and package appearance,” said Shawn Myers, Operations Leader of the Mix Value Stream at Galloway.
“We looked at four different suppliers. We considered the clarity of the print, the reliability of the technology, the ease of use and the cost of the equipment,” said Vanden Wyngaard. “We chose NGT printers from Norwood / Allen. The large print area allows us to use a larger type, which makes it easier for our delivery drivers to differentiate product in the trucks.”
Capable of producing the largest print area of any thermal transfer coder in the world, the NGT 6 E units at Galloway produce a print area up to 6.3 by 6 inches (160 by 155 mm) and the NGT 8 E units produce a print area up to 8.4 by 6 inches (213 by 155 mm). Featuring a print engine that can be turned in the frame, the NGT printers, which are manufactured by Norwood / Allen’s German distributor, ac codiergeräte GmbH, enable Galloway to enhance product quality while reducing manufacturing costs and improving production flexibility.
Averaging 15 to 20 label changes a day, the NGT printers reduced Galloway’s changeover time from ten minutes with the old pressure sensitive labelers to less than one minute. “To change the print job on the NGT units, it’s a simple drag-and-drop maneuver in a Windows-based environment on the PCs that control the printers,” noted Vanden Wyngaard. “Actually, we can control the printers from any PC on the network, if needed. And the optional touchscreen interface, used primarily for troubleshooting, is very easy to navigate.”
Myers concluded, “With the NGT printers, we can include much more information in a cleaner fashion because of the larger print area. We’ve improved product tracking by eliminating the possibility of labels falling off the bags. And, since there are no detached labels that can stick to the returnable crates and compromise the case washing system, we’ve improved food safety. The NGT printers assure permanent product and code date identification on each mix bag.”
About Norwood Marking Systems / Allen Coding Systems / Kingsley Machine Company
Norwood Marking Systems, a division of Illinois Tool Works, has been at the forefront of innovation since developing the world’s first hot stamp imprinters for the food industry over 45 years ago. Kingsley Machine Company has also led the way, having patented its first hot stamp imprinter in 1932. Joining the ITW family in 2006, Allen Coding Systems is a leading U.K. manufacturer of overprinting equipment. Today, Norwood, Allen and Kingsley continue as market leaders, designing and manufacturing a range of innovative thermal transfer printers, hot stamp imprinters as well as ink and embossing printers that code and mark for a wide variety of industrial markets worldwide. |
|
Whelen Engineering Relies on Norwood / Allen’s NGT Thermal Transfer Printer to Achieve
Large Print Area
April 8, 2008 – Whelen Engineering, a leading manufacturer of beacons and sirens for emergency vehicles, stays competitive in a world market by using technology to reduce operating costs while maintaining the highest product quality. Recently, Whelen searched for an inline printer that could print installation instructions directly onto packages to eliminate the need to insert separate instruction sheets. They selected NGT large format thermal transfer printers from Norwood Marking Systems / Allen Coding Systems.
“We went looking for a thermal transfer printer that could do large format printing. We found several systems that produced two- and four-inch widths and a couple that produced five-inch widths. But we wanted a printer that could achieve an eight-inch width,” noted Jon Hardy, Supervisor of Manufacturing Engineering at Whelen. “We came to Norwood / Allen just as they were introducing their NGT printers in the U.S.”
Whelen choose Norwood / Allen’s NGT 8 C printers, which achieve a print up to 8.4 inches (213 mm) wide and 19.68 inches (500 mm) long – the largest print area of any thermal transfer coder in the world – at speeds up to 9.8 inches (250 mm) per second.
Prior to installing the NGT printers, Whelen’s operators inserted pre-printed instruction sheets into each bag. Sometimes they had to fold the sheets in half or in quarters to fit into the packages.
“We were motivated to print the instructions directly onto the bags in an effort to reallocate labor to more productive tasks. With three NGT printers installed so far, we’ve managed to move three people who were handling the printing, storing and folding of the instruction manuals to more productive tasks,” said Hardy. “The initial decision to install the Norwood / Allen printers was economic in nature. We did not fully anticipate the many other benefits that would come from this shift to printing on-demand.”
By eliminating the need to insert instruction sheets, Whelen cut a repetitive task and tripled its bagging rate. By printing on-demand, Whelen avoids the possibility that out-of-date or incorrect instruction sheets are inserted and they can now customize the printed package for specific customers. Additionally, the new approach is better for the environment. “We were printing several million instruction sheets per year,” said Bob Dubois, Manufacturing Engineer at Whelen’s Charlestown, NH plant. “Eliminating these sheets saves valuable resources. Plus, it gives us more production flexibility.”
Whelen prints assembly and installation instructions as well as the product description, barcode and date directly onto packages inline at the bagging station. The printers are connected to Whelen’s plant-wide network, where the instructions are saved as image files and automatically combined with the other elements by Teklyx® Sentinel ™ software.
The NGT printers are manufactured in Germany by Norwood / Allen’s distributor, ac codiergeräte gmbh. Robust components and superior mechanics create reliable printers that maximize throughput by reducing unplanned downtime. The frame pivots to provide easy access for adjustments and maintenance.
“We measure the success of the Norwood / Allen printers based on print quality, reliability and ease of use. We’re very satisfied with the NGT printers,” noted Dubois. Hardy added, “The bottom line is that the printers have allowed us to move three people to more productive tasks. That was a home run hit. The rest is icing on the cake.”
|
|
Norwood / Allen Introduces New Bag Printing Systems for Medical Devices
January 30, 2008 – Norwood Marking Systems / Allen Coding Systems introduces its new family of integrated off-line bag printing systems for medical devices. Integrating Norwood / Allen’s NGT large format thermal transfer coders with bag feeding systems from Bomers Technology B.V., the new medical device bag printing systems reduce labor and material costs while producing exceptional print quality.
Designed for medical device manufacturers that are currently using pre-printed bags or affixing labels to bags, the new bag printing systems from Norwood / Allen offer an economical and efficient new alternative. Enabling medical device manufacturers to print directly on the package material on-demand, this new solution eliminates the need to purchase and inventory pre-printed bags and eliminates the high labor and material costs associated with affixing labels to packages.
Norwood / Allen’s family of integrated bag printing systems handles Tyvek, laminated foils and plastic bags – printing barcodes, logos, date/time and batch information directly onto the bags.
Producing the largest print area of any thermal transfer coding system in the world, the NGT achieves a print area of up to 8.4 x 19.68 inches (213 x 500 mm). The NGT coder can be integrated with either Bomers’ ZBM Compact bag feeding system to handle bags up to 13.5 x 15.5 inches (350 x 400 mm) in size or with Bomers’ BDM Series bag feeding system, which handles bags up to 39 x 39 inches (1000 x 1000 mm) in size.
Compared to bag printing or labeling operations that are semi-automatic and require a dedicated operator to manually load one bag at a time, the Norwood / Allen bag printing systems reduce labor and improve print registration. An operator simply loads up to 1500 bags at once and can then step away. With accurate, servo controlled positioning, the new bag printing system automatically feeds and prints up to 1250 bags per hour.
The NGT thermal transfer coders can print fixed and variable data, which improves product security and tracking with UPC, lot and production codes. With full clock and calendar functions as well as serialization, the NGT coders can print text and graphics, including a wide array of two-dimensional or RSS barcodes, with a resolution of 300 dpi (12 dots per mm) both horizontally and vertically. An unlimited choice of TrueType font styles and a wide range of sizes are available – six fonts come standard with space for 44 more.
To handle a wide variety of products while maximizing production throughput, the text and graphics can be changed over in seconds by simply recalling the product from memory. Additionally, the bag size can be changed over in five minutes or less, with no tools or change parts required.
The NGT Series Coders feature an integrated Ethernet card that allows access to a PC or network, which enables remote operation, monitoring and diagnostics of the print operation. The NGT Series Coders can also be equipped with an optional touch screen user interface on the control box, which enables operators to recall images from memory and handle simple editing functions at print time.
|
|
Norwood / Allen Introduces New IV Bag Printing System
January 10, 2008 – Norwood Marking Systems / Allen Coding Systems introduces its new IV Bag Printing System. Designed for bags that will be filled with infusions, parenteral drugs and other pharmaceutical and biotech fluids, the IV Bag Printing System integrates Norwood /Allen’s NGT large format thermal transfer coding system with the ZBM bag feeding system from Bomers Technology B.V. The new IV Bag Printing System reduces labor costs and improves product quality while offering the largest print area of any thermal transfer coding system in the world.
Traditionally, most IV Bags are marked using either hot stamp coders or applied labels, since historically, these were the options for achieving the wide print area needed. Now, with the introduction of Norwood / Allen’s NGT large format thermal transfer coding systems, a print area of up to 8.4 x 19.68 inches (213 x 500 mm) can be achieved with this superior printing technology.
Compared to hot stamp coders that can puncture or damage the IV bag, thermal transfer printers improve the quality of IV Bags and optimize downstream processes by eliminating leakers.
Unlike hot stamp coders that print only fixed data, thermal transfer coders can print fixed and variable data, which improves product security and tracking with UPC, lot and production codes. With full clock and calendar functions as well as serialization, the NGT coders can print text and graphics, including a wide array of two-dimensional or RSS barcodes, with a resolution of 300 dpi (12 dots per mm) both horizontally and vertically. An unlimited choice of TrueType font styles and a wide range of sizes are available – six fonts come standard and there is space for 44 more.
Compared to most IV bag printing or labeling operations that are semi-automatic and require a dedicated operator manually load one bag at a time, the ZBM bag feeding system reduces labor and improves print registration. Using Norwood / Allen’s IV Bag Printing System, an operator simply loads up to 1500 bags at once and can then step away. With accurate, servo controlled positioning, the IV Bag Printing System automatically feeds and prints up to 1250 bags per hour.
To handle a wide variety of products while maximizing production throughput, the text and graphics can be changed over in seconds by simply recalling the product from memory. Additionally, the bag size can be changed over in five minutes or less, with no tools or change parts required.
Bomers’ ZBM Compact bag feeding system handles IV bags up to 13.5 x 15.5 inches (350 x 400 mm) in size at speeds of up to 1250 bags per hour. For larger IV bags, Norwood / Allen can integrate its NGT printer with Bomers’ BDM Series bag feeding system, which handles bags up to 39 x 39 inches (1000 x 1000 mm) in size at speeds of up to 1000 bags per hour.
The NGT Series Coders feature an integrated Ethernet card that allows access to a PC or network, which enables remote operation, monitoring and diagnostics of the print operation. The NGT Series Coders can also be equipped with an optional touch screen user interface on the control box, which enables operators to recall images from memory and handle simple editing functions at print time.
|
|
Norwood / Allen Introduces New 53LT Low Cost Thermal Transfer Printer
November 14, 2007 - Norwood Marking Systems / Allen Coding Systems introduces the new 53LT - a high performance, low cost thermal transfer printer. This state-of-the-art printer is priced competitively with most hot stamp systems, enabling OEMs and end users to affordably upgrade to this more versatile type of system that easily prints fixed and variable text and graphics.
Available in both intermittent and continuous motion models, Norwood / Allen’s new 53LT provides many of the advanced features of more expensive thermal transfer printers. These features include 300 dpi resolution, printer resident barcodes, cassette ribbon loading, large 600 meter ribbon capacity and best-in-class thermal print head. The 53LT can be equipped with an optional external Ethernet device to enable remote changeovers and the centralized control of multiple printers via plant-wide networks.
The rugged 53LT is a space-saving, two-component model. Compared to traditional three-component thermal transfer printers with multiple connection points, the two-component design of the 53LT offers a single connection point, minimizing space requirements and improving reliability. This compact printer can be easily integrated with a wide range of host equipment such as vertical- and horizontal-form-fill-seal systems, primary labelers, thermoformers and overwrapping equipment.
The affordable 53LT comes standard with an operator keypad and Windows-based full-featured label design software. With full clock and calendar functions as well as serialization, the 53LT can print fixed and variable data. Text, graphics and a wide array of barcodes including RRS linear and composite versions, can be printed both horizontally and vertically with a resolution of 300 dpi (12 dots per mm). The printer can mark labels and a variety of substrates for packaged products with expiration dates, product identification information, lot-batch numbers, company logos and more.
The intermittent motion 53LTi offers a print area of up to 2.08 inches (53 mm) wide and 1.18 inches (30 mm) long. The continuous motion 53LTc offers a print area of up to 2.08 inches (53 mm) wide and 1.97 inches (50 mm) long and can print at speeds of up to 400 mm per second.
|
|
Norwood / Allen Introduces New National Service Coverage
August 14, 2007 – Norwood Marking Systems / Allen Coding Systems introduces its new National Service Coverage, which includes both on-site service plans and on-site time and material repairs for customers across the U.S. With National Service Coverage, customers eliminate concerns about shipping printers to depot locations and they experience faster response times and reduced costs for on-site service.
With hundreds of local, factory trained and certified technicians situated throughout the U.S., Norwood / Allen is now offering on-site upgrades to its standard depot warranty for both new printers and, with some restrictions, its installed base of printers. The upgraded warranty covers unlimited repairs, travel time and all labor and parts (excluding printheads and consumables) as well as unlimited telephone technical support and two preventative maintenance checks, all for one set fee.
Norwood / Allen customers choosing not to upgrade their standard warranty with the new on-site service plan can still have a local, factory trained and certified technician visit their facility on a time and material basis under the new National Service Coverage.
With both on-site service plans and on-site time and material repairs, customers can choose the response time they require – be it same day, next business day or standard two-business-day service. Service is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year. Technicians arrive with new, OEM parts in hand, which results in a 96 percent first-call fix-rate.
“At Norwood / Allen, we’re taking customer service to the next level,” noted Chuck Theobald, Business Unit Manager at Norwood / Allen. “With our new National Service Coverage, we’re offering peace of mind. With the on-site service plan, customers transfer the responsibility of keeping their equipment operating to us, thereby reducing their risk. Faster response translates to greater uptime and line productivity. And proper service helps extend the life of the equipment.”
|
|
Norwood / Allen Introduces New Family of Off-Line Bag Printing Systems
July 10, 2007 - Norwood Marking Systems / Allen Coding Systems introduces its new family of integrated off-line bag printing systems at Pack Expo Vegas booth #C-1211. The system to be exhibited features the ZBM bag feeding system from Bomers Technology B.V. with Norwood /Allen’s NGT large format thermal transfer coding system. The integrated system produces the largest print area of any thermal transfer coder in the world while achieving exceptional print quality.
Ideal for a wide range of applications such as foods packed in bulk bags as well as fertilizers, feed and grain, textiles and chemicals in bulk bags, on-demand printing eliminates the need to purchase and inventory pre-printed bags and eliminates the need to apply labels. The family of integrated bag printing systems handles plastic, paper and aluminum bags, printing barcodes, logos, date/time and batch information directly on the bags.
Bomers’ ZBM Compact bag feeding system on exhibit at Pack Expo Vegas handles bags up to 13.5 x 15.5 inches (350 x 400 mm) in size at speeds of up to 1250 bags per hour. Norwood / Allen also integrates its printers with Bomers’ BDM Series bag feeding system, which handles bags up to 39 x 39 inches (1000 x 1000 mm) in size at speeds of up to 1000 bags per hour.
Norwood /Allen’s NGT series of large format thermal transfer coding systems maximize production flexibility and increase print cycle speeds with a print engine that can be turned in the frame. The largest model in the NGT series - the NGT 8 - will be on exhibit at Pack Expo Vegas. The NGT 8, which comes in continuous or intermittent with a quick change, can print up to 8.4 x 20 inches (213 x 500 mm) at speeds up to 9.8 inches (250 mm) per second.
With full clock and calendar functions as well as serialization, the NGT Series Coders can print fixed and/or variable data on a variety of flexible packaging materials and label substrates. Text and graphics, including a wide array of two-dimensional or RSS barcodes, can be printed with a resolution of 300 dpi (12 dots per mm) both horizontally and vertically. An unlimited choice of TrueType font styles and a wide range of sizes are available; six fonts come standard and there is space for 44 more.
The NGT Series Coders feature an integrated Ethernet card that allows access to a PC or network, which enables remote operation, monitoring and diagnostics of the print operation. The NGT Series Coders can also be equipped with an optional touch screen user interface on the control box, which enables operators to recall images from memory and handle simple editing functions at print time.
About Bomers Technology B.V.
Bomers Technology B.V., based in Enschede, the Netherlands, designs and manufacturers feeding systems for printing bags, foils and cartons. Focused on providing customer-oriented solutions, Bomers helps processors in the food, cosmetic, pharmaceutical, medical device and chemical industries optimize processes and reduce costs with innovative packaging equipment. Norwood / Allen is the exclusive distributor of Bomers’ bag feeding and carton feeding systems in the U.S., Canada, Mexico and Puerto Rico.
About Norwood Marking Systems / Allen Coding Systems / Kingsley Machine Company
Norwood Marking Systems, a division of Illinois Tool Works, has been at the forefront of innovation since developing the world’s first hot stamp imprinters for the food industry over 45 years ago. Kingsley Machine Company has also led the way, having patented its first hot stamp imprinter in 1932. Joining the ITW family in 2006, Allen Coding Systems is a leading U.K. manufacturer of overprinting equipment. Today, Norwood, Allen and Kingsley continue as market leaders, designing and manufacturing a range of innovative thermal transfer printers, hot stamp imprinters as well as ink and embossing printers that code and mark for a wide variety of industrial markets worldwide.
|
|
Norwood / Allen Announces Distributor Agreement Between ITW Ltd. and Allen Codiergeräte GmbH
July 9, 2007 - Norwood Marking Systems / Allen Coding Systems announces the formation of a distributor agreement between ITW Ltd. and Allen Codiergeräte GmbH, the largest independent distributor for Allen Coding Systems. The agreement gives ITW companies, Norwood Marking Systems and Allen Coding Systems, exclusive rights to distribute the coding and marking equipment designed and manufactured by German-based Allen Codiergeräte to all the regions of the world not currently served by Allen Codiergeräte.
“Allen Codiergeräte develops unique coding and marking equipment with a focus on quality and reliability. Their printers will augment our existing product offering. We now have more thermal transfer printers and hot stamp coders to satisfy a wider range of applications, including large-format printing and high-speed applications,” noted Larry Kulik, General Manager at Norwood Marking Systems. “Given their strong development group and excellent engineering staff, we plan to work with Allen Codiergeräte to customize technology and cooperate on future product development.”
Allen Codiergeräte, which has been an independent distributor for Allen Coding Systems since 1989, will continue to offer products from Norwood Marking Systems, Allen Coding Systems and Allen Codiergeräte in their eight country territory, which includes Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Poland, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Slovakia and Turkey. Customers in North America and Latin America can turn to Norwood Marking Systems, and customers in other European countries as well as Asia and Africa can turn to Allen Coding Systems for package printing technology from all three companies.
Among the technological innovations developed by Allen Codiergeräte, the NGT series of thermal transfer coding systems, introduced within Allen Codiergeräte’s territory in 2000 and to the rest of the world in 2006, stands out. The NGT 6 and NGT 8 - available in both intermittent and continuous motion versions - offer the largest print areas of any in-line thermal transfer coders in the world. The NGT 2, which is now being developed by Allen Codiergeräte, is expected to produce the most prints per minute of any in-line thermal transfer coding system in the world.
|
|
Norwood / Allen Partners with Bomers Technology
June 13, 2007 - Norwood Marking Systems / Allen Coding Systems announces the formation of a distributor partnership between Norwood / Allen and Bomers Technology B.V. The agreement makes Norwood / Allen the exclusive distributor of Bomers’ bag feeding and carton feeding systems in the U.S., Canada, Mexico and Puerto Rico. By combining Norwood / Allen’s marking and coding equipment and Bomers’ material handling equipment, Norwood / Allen will offer customers unique off-line printing systems - integrated solutions that achieve exceptional print quality.
“This partnership allows us to marry Norwood / Allen’s best-in-class printing technology with Bomers’ best-in-class material handling equipment. It’s a perfect fit that enables us to deliver unique solutions to our customers,” noted William Delmolino, Director of Sales & Marketing with Norwood / Allen. “One example of a unique solution is the combination of Norwood / Allen’s NGT large format thermal transfer coding systems, which offer the largest print area of any thermal transfer coder in the world, with Bomers’ large bag feeding systems.”
These new large format bag printing systems are ideal for manufacturers that pack foods, pharmaceuticals, medical devices, feed and grain, textiles and chemicals into bulk bags. On-demand printing eliminates the need to purchase and inventory pre-printed bags and often eliminates the need to apply labels.
The companies will integrate Norwood / Allen’s versatile NGT large format thermal transfer coding systems and high speed 55sst thermal transfer coding systems as well as other thermal transfer and hot stamp printing systems from Norwood / Allen and ink jet printers from ITW with Bomers bag and carton feeding machines. These integrated systems can print barcodes, logos, date/time and batch information.
Bomers BDM Series bag feeding system handles bags up to 1000 x 1000 mm (39 x 39 inches) in size at speeds of up to 1000 bags per hour. Bomers ZBM Compact bag feeding systems handles bags up to 350 x 400 mm (13.5 x 15.5 inches) in size at speeds of up to 1250 bags per hour. Both systems handle plastic, paper and aluminum bags.
Norwood /Allen’s NGT series of large format thermal transfer coding systems maximize production flexibility and increase print cycle speeds with a print engine that can be turned in the frame. The largest two models in the NGT series include the NGT 6 CM, which can print up to 6.3 x 40 inches (160 x 1000 mm), and the NGT 8 CM, which can print up to 8.4 x 20 inches (213 x 500 mm), both at speeds up to 9.8 inches (250 mm) per second.
“Norwood / Allen has an excellent reputation for high quality equipment and exceptional customer service. We’re delighted to formalize our relationship with Norwood / Allen for the purpose of developing integrated technologies,” noted Han Nijland, Managing Director of Bomers Technology. “Driven by high market interest in Norwood / Allen’s NGT large format coders and Bomers’ bag and carton feeding systems, and the compatibility of the technologies, we’re confident we’ve got a winning combination.”
About Bomers Technology B.V.
Bomers Technology B.V., based in Enschede, the Netherlands, designs and manufacturers feeding systems for printing bags, foils and cartons. Focused on providing customer-oriented solutions, Bomers helps processors in the food, cosmetic, pharmaceutical, medical device and chemical industries optimize processes and reduce costs with innovative packaging equipment.
|
|
Norwood / Allen Presents the Compact 40/25 CL Low Cost Hot Stamp Coder
May 29, 2007 - Norwood Marking Systems / Allen Coding Systems presents the Compact 40/25 CL Low Cost Hot Stamp Coder at ExpoPack Mexico Booth #2002. Designed for reliable performance, this affordable in-line hot stamp coder is ideal for original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and product manufacturers looking to achieve exceptionally high print quality while minimizing capital costs.
The smallest and most affordable hot stamp coder within the Norwood / Allen family, the 40/25 CL achieves up to 150 prints per minute in a frame only 132 by 205 mm (5.2 by 8.1 inches) in size. The size, price and reliability of the 40/25 CL make it popular with OEMs. The compact coder can be easily integrated with a wide range of host equipment including primary labelers, vertical- and horizontal-form-fill-seal systems, thermoformers, overwrapping systems and other packaging equipment. The 40/25 CL is available with an optional IP65 rating.
To offer the lowest price possible, Norwood / Allen provides the 40/25 CL without an operator interface module. The coder is designed for integration with host equipment and can be controlled via the host equipment’s PLC. If an operator interface module is required, the model 40/25 is available.
With a print area of up to 38 by 25 mm (1-1/2 by 1 inch), the 40/25 CL achieves consistently high print quality on a wide variety of substrates. Code expiration dates, product identification information, lot-batch numbers and company logos can be printed onto labels and packaged products.
The 40/25 CL features Norwood / Allen’s patented foil indexing system, which minimizes foil waste to reduce foil changes and operating labor while maximizing print quality. The coder accurately indexes the same length of foil from the start to the end of the reel and can be adjusted when stationary or during operation at any speed.
Norwood / Allen equips the 40/25 CL with a standard quick-change foil magazine that reduces the downtime associated with ribbon re-threading. The coder can also be equipped with an optional foil-out sensor to notify operators if a ribbon breaks, which helps prevent product from going unprinted.
The robust 40/25 CL Hot Stamp Coder is designed for low maintenance and reliable performance. The coder does not require lubrication and it features fewer wear parts and fewer spare parts than competitive hot stamp coders.
About Norwood Marking Systems / Allen Coding Systems / Kingsley Machine Company
Norwood Marking Systems, a division of Illinois Tool Works, has been at the forefront of innovation since developing the world’s first hot stamp imprinters for the food industry over 45 years ago. Kingsley Machine Company has also led the way, having patented its first hot stamp imprinter in 1932. Joining the ITW family in 2006, Allen Coding Systems is a leading U.K. manufacturer of overprinting equipment. Today, Norwood, Allen and Kingsley continue as market leaders, designing and manufacturing a range of innovative thermal transfer printers, hot stamp imprinters as well as ink and embossing printers that code and mark for a wide variety of industrial markets worldwide.
|
|
Norwood / Allen Expands Sales Organization in Latin America
April 19, 2007 - Norwood Marking Systems / Allen Coding Systems announces the expansion of its Latin American sales organization with the addition of three new distributors and agents. With a total of 10 distributors and agents now covering most of Latin American, more Norwood / Allen customers have access to local machine sales, service, spare parts and training.
In recent months, Abitek (Santiago, Chile), covering Chile; Alogin Ltda (Bogota, Colombia), covering Colombia, Ecuador and Peru; and EM Packaging Inc. (Caguas, Puerto Rico), covering Puerto Rico, have joined the Norwood / Allen family of distributors and agents.
They join Caribe Industrial Systems (Bayamon, Puerto Rico), covering Puerto Rico and the Caribbean Islands with consumables only; Centropack (Guatemala City, Guatemala), covering Panama with consumables only; Comertec Corporation (Santiago, Chile), covering Chile with consumables only; Coreptec (Quito, Ecuador), covering Ecuador with consumables; Distributor Hermes International (Guatemala City, Guatemala), covering Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Belize, Costa Rica and Nicaragua; GrupTech International (Phoenix, Arizona USA), covering Mexico, Venezuela, Dominican Republic and Argentina; and ITW do Brasil Industrial e Comercial Ltda (Sao Paulo, Brazil), covering Brazil with consumables only.
These distributors and agents are responsible for developing sales for Norwood / Allen in their respective territories, bringing the companies’ innovative coding and marking equipment and consumables to customers packaging foods, pharmaceuticals, medical devices, chemicals and other industrial products.
“As an international leader in quality coding and marking equipment, Norwood / Allen is focused on expanding its sales channels in Latin America,” noted William Delmolino, Director of Sales and Marketing at Norwood / Allen. “Our team of distributors and agents provides very important links in developing and maintaining strong customer relationships in the region.”
|
|
Norwood / Kingsley Introduces Modprint 2020 Series Hot Stamp Machines for Wire Harnesses
March 1, 2007 - Norwood Marking Systems / Kingsley Machine Company introduces the new Modprint 2020 Series hot stamp machines for marking insulated wire and cable. The Modprint 2020A features an integrated spark tester and an optional motorized de-reeler/pre-feeder to maximize wire quality. This integrated hot stamp / spark test model meets the pending General Aviation Standard and FAA ruling, which allows continued use of hot stamp machines with an integrated spark tester for wire and cable destined for the U.S. aviation industry.
Modprint’s integrated spark tester checks the integrity of the wire insulation after the wire has been marked and automatically halts the operation if an insulation fault is detected. The optional motorized de-reeler/pre-feeder provides constant tension to help reduce slippage and improve the accuracy of the length measurement. Together, these features ensure only the highest quality wire advances to down-line processes.
The Modprint 2020EC measures, marks and cuts. The Modprint 2020A measures, marks and cuts, and includes the standard spark tester and optional motorized pre-feeder. All Modprint 2020 Series models reduce floorspace requirements and ease operation with enhanced ergonomics and an intuitive user interface.
Compared to other hot stamp machines for marking insulated wire and cable, the Modprint 2020 Series systems improve ergonomics. Unlike other systems that require an operator to reach up to 17 inches to access the wire, printing, feeding and cutting components, the Modprint 2020 Series puts these machine functions within four inches of the operator.
Compared to the previous Modprint 2000 Series, the new Modprint 2020 Series is 50 percent smaller, which allows existing MP2000E and MP2000EC customers to install the new MP2020A, thus adding spark testing to improve wire quality without increasing floorspace requirements. Current Norwood / Kingsley customers can upgrade to the new Modprint systems and continue using their existing accessories.
The Modprint 2020 Series systems are designed for ease of operation. With a touchscreen control panel and intuitive user interface, these new hot stamp wire marking systems reduce operator training.
The Modprint 2020 Series systems print on insulated wire and cable sizes from .035 inches to .250 inches, including ETFE and TFE insulations, at speeds up to 40 feet per minute. These hot stamp systems are monitored and controlled by a microprocessor-based PLC, which eases programming and reduces maintenance.
To maximize productivity, Norwood / Kingsley designed the Modprint 2020 Series systems for quick and easy changeover. Message changes can be made in seconds and wire size changes can be made in less than five minutes, no tools and no change parts required.
The Modprint 2020 Series systems utilize full-size, 40-character typewheels. Up to 28 typewheels can be mounted. The systems print horizontally or vertically.
|
|
Norwood / Allen Hires New Sales Rep Agency for Puerto Rico
February 15, 2007 - Norwood Marking Systems / Allen Coding Systems announce the appointment of EM Packaging, Inc. as sales representative for Puerto Rico. EM Packaging is responsible for developing coding machine sales for Norwood / Allen in Puerto Rico, bringing the companies’ innovative coding and marking equipment to customers packaging foods, pharmaceuticals, medical devices, chemicals and other industrial products.
Headquartered in Caguas, Puerto Rico, EM Packaging has been supplying packaging equipment to manufacturers in Puerto Rico for many years.
“As an international leader in quality coding and marking equipment, Norwood / Allen is focused on expanding its sales channels in strategically selected market areas such as Puerto Rico,” noted William Delmolino, Director of Sales and Marketing at Norwood / Allen. “The EM Packaging team provides a very important link in developing and maintaining strong customer relationships in the region.”
|
|
Norwood / Allen Introduces the BDSV Family of Carton Coders
January 3, 2007 - Norwood Marking Systems / Allen Coding Systems introduces the versatile BDSV Family of Carton Coders. Available with either thermal transfer or hot foil printing technology, these off-line carton coders feature a vacuum transport system, which maximizes equipment flexibility by reliably handling a wide range of cartons, sleeves, blister packs and leaflets at high production speeds.
Unlike traditional off-line carton coding systems that use belt drives to transport product, the BDSV transports product from the hopper through the printhead with a vacuum drive. The vacuum transport system enables the BDSV to handle complex shapes, odd sizes and thinner material while achieving excellent registration. Unlike belt roller systems, which necessitate a “dead area” within the print area, the vacuum drive allows print anywhere within the capability of the print head.
The BDSV handles carton blanks from 3.5 x 3.2 inches (90 x 80 mm) up to 12.4 x 12.4 inches (315 x 315 mm) in size. If equipped with Norwood / Allen’s NX4 thermal transfer printer, the BDSV can achieve a print area as large as 4.20 x 3.54 inches (107 x 90 mm). If equipped with Norwood / Allen’s 60/35S hot stamp printer, the BDSV can produce a print area up to 2.4 x 1.4 inches (60 x 35 mm).
Rapid product changes can be accomplished quickly and easily with the BDSV’s adjustable feeder and position indicators. A product size change can be made in only two minutes with no tools and no change parts required. Machine parameters such as speed, index length and batch quantity are easily changed via the keypad.
The high speed BDSV operates at speeds of up to 295 feet (90 m) per minute, handling up to 160 cartons per minute. The BDSV can print batch and production codes, expiration and sell-by dates, logos, barcodes and other graphics, depending on the capabilities of the printhead that is integrated.
This compact off-line carton coder sits on castor wheels so it can be easily moved from one area to another. Manufactured from stainless steel and anodized aluminum, the BDSV meets the needs of the food, pharmaceutical, cosmetics and chemical industries. The system comes standard with a batch counter and low foil warning with auto stop.
Norwood / Allen can equip the BDSV Carton Coder with a wide range of options. Bar code
scanners/verifiers, blob detectors, vision inspection and print verification assure the highest quality product. The extra-long BDSVL can be fitted with multiple printheads so a single run on a four-printhead system achieves the same results as four passes on a single-printhead system.
|
|
Norwood / Allen Introduces
NGT Series Large Format Thermal Transfer Coding Systems
July 12, 2006 - Norwood Marking Systems / Allen Coding Systems introduces the NGT Series of Large Format Thermal Transfer Coding Systems at Pack Expo Booth #S-1502. Capable of producing the largest print area of any intermittent motion thermal transfer coder in the world and featuring a print engine that can be turned in the frame, the NGT Series Coders maximize production flexibility and increase print cycle speeds while reducing the cost of spare parts and consumables for large format coding applications.
Within the NGT Series, there are four intermittent motion (IM) coders and one model - the NGT 6 CM - that operates in either intermittent motion or continuous motion mode with quick conversion.
The NGT 6 IM can produce a print area up to 6.3 x 4 inches (160 x 100 mm), the NGT 6 CM can produce a print area up to 6.3 x 40 inches (160 x 1000 mm) and the NGT 6 E can print up to 6.3 x 6 inches (160 x 155 mm) at speeds up to 11.8 inches (300 mm) per second. The NGT 8 can print up to 8.4 x 4 inches (213 x 100 MM) and the NGT 8 E can print up to 8.4 x 6 inches (213 x 155 mm) at speeds up to 9.8 inches (250 mm) per second. By comparison, the largest print area that can be achieved with competitive thermal transfer coders is only five inches (127 mm) wide.
The design of the intermittent motion NGT Series Coders allows for the rotation of the print engine within the print module’s frame, which enables the customer to configure the coder to produce the shortest stroke for any given application. Reducing the stroke increases print speeds. Reducing the stroke also allows the NGT Series Coders to minimize foil consumption and increase the life of the thermal print head, which dramatically reduces the cost of consumables and spare parts.
Based on a print area of 6.3 by 0.4 inches (160 x 10 mm), the NGT Series Coders consume 90 percent less foil and require 93 percent less thermal print head travel than traditional thermal transfer coders using a full width ribbon. With a print area of 6.3 by 2.3 inches (160 x 60 mm), the NGT Series Coders consume 44 percent less foil and require 62 percent less thermal print head travel than traditional thermal transfer coders using a full width ribbon.
The NGT Series Coders are ideal for foods packed in industrial bags and boxes for foodservice customers, pharmaceuticals and medical devices packed in blister packs, fertilizers and feed and grain packed in bags, textiles packed in bags or boxes and printing labels for chemicals packed in bulk containers.
With full clock and calendar functions as well as serialization, the NGT Series Coders can print fixed and/or variable data on a variety of flexible packaging materials and label substrates. Text and graphics, including a wide array of two-dimensional or RSS barcodes, can be printed with a resolution of 300 dpi (12 dots per mm) both horizontally and vertically. An unlimited choice of TrueType font styles and a wide range of sizes are available; six fonts come standard and there is space for 44 more.
The NGT Series Coders feature an integrated Ethernet card that allows access to a PC or network, which enables remote operation, monitoring and diagnostics of the print operation. The NGT Series Coders can also be equipped with an optional touch screen user interface on the control box, which enables operators to recall images from memory and handle simple editing functions at print time.
Manufactured in Germany with robust mechanics and superior components, the durable NGT Series Coders improve reliability and uptime to maximize production throughput. A pivoting frame provides operators easy access for maintenance and adjustments.
|
|
Norwood / Kingsley Presents MCM-2005T
Programmable Thermal Printing, Measure and Cut System
March 28, 2006 - Norwood Marking Systems / Kingsley Machine Company introduces the enhanced MCM-2005T, a programmable thermal printing, measure and cut system. The MCM-2005T integrates Norwood’s Jaguar II Model 52i thermal transfer printer with Carpenter’s Model 42B Compu-Cut® Automatic Measure and Cut system to mark, measure and cut heat shrink sleeving and generic thin wall flexible tubing. Redesigned for ease of operation, the new MCM-2005T improves ergonomics while maintaining superior print quality and cut accuracy.
The enhanced MCM-2005T features a more accessible user interface and a streamlined layout that enable the integrated system to be easily operated from one side. Norwood / Kingsley can equip the MCM-2005T with its optional 55sst Thermal Transfer printer to further ease use with a full color touch screen control and built-in diagnostics.
The programmable MCM-2005T can print multiple lines of fixed and/or variable information directly on sleeving and/or tubing. With a high resolution of 300 dpi (12 dots per mm) and a choice of font styles and sizes, the system can print text and graphics, including logos, and a wide array of two-dimensional or RSS barcodes. Fonts, images and barcodes as well as cut settings can be stored in the system’s memory for easy recall to speed set-up and changeover. The ribbon cassette, which holds up to 600 meters (1970 feet), allows for quick change of ribbons/colors.
The versatile MCM-2005T handles the widest assortment of sleeving and tubing to maximize production versatility and reduce the cost of materials. Unlike the other integrated thermal printing and cutting system on the market, which requires the use of tubing and sleeving from only that one manufacturer, Norwood / Kingsley designed the MCM-2005T to mark, measure and cut tubing and sleeving from most manufacturers. This versatility allows customers to purchase supplies from a wide variety of sources, which creates a competitive pricing environment that dramatically reduces the cost of materials. One Norwood / Kingsley customer recently commented that he reduced the cost of consumables by 60% with the new MCM-2005T.
The integrated mark, measure and cut system from Norwood / Kingsley accepts sleeve and tube sizes from 1/8 to 2 inches (3 to 50 mm) in diameter with a maximum 4-inch (100 mm) flat width. With five programmable feed speeds, the standard MCM-2005T achieves an average throughput of 90 two-inch (50 mm) pieces of sleeves or tubes per minute.
|
|
Illinois Tool Works Acquires Allen Coding Systems;
Norwood Marking Systems and Allen Coding Systems Join Forces
February 21, 2006 – Norwood Marking Systems, recognized worldwide for its high-quality thermal transfer and hot stamp printing equipment, announces that Allen Coding Systems has joined the ITW family of companies. Allen Coding Systems, a U.K.-based manufacturer of premium contact coding systems, will report to Norwood Marking Systems.
“Norwood and Allen have complementary technologies and synergistic businesses. By working together, we’ll have stronger value propositions and more diversified global operations,” noted Larry Kulik, General Manager of Norwood. “Customers will benefit from broader product lines, which feature best-in-class technologies, as well as more extensive service organizations and expanded R&D capabilities.”
By joining forces, Norwood and Allen and their networks of worldwide distributors and agents will have the widest assortment of thermal transfer printers and hot stamp printers to satisfy the widest range of coding and marking applications. Allen customers will have streamlined access to Norwood’s family of ribbons and type – consumables that compliment the Allen line of equipment. Additionally, Allen’s North American customers will now be able to turn to Norwood’s strong U.S.-based team for technical service and support.
About Allen Coding Systems
Allen Coding Systems has been designing and manufacturing high quality overprinting equipment for almost 30 years. Considered one of the leading U.K. designers of hot stamp and thermal transfer coding systems with over 13,000 installations worldwide, Allen serves companies in the food, pharmaceutical, chemical, cosmetics and other industries. Acquired by ITW in February 2006, the Allen brand continues to be recognized as one of the leading names within the packaging industry.
|
|
Norwood Marking Systems Presents its Family of Ribbons
December 14, 2005 – Norwood Marking Systems, recognized worldwide for its high-quality thermal transfer and hot stamp printing equipment, presents its Family of Ribbons. With formulations that satisfy the widest range of applications, Norwood’s thermal transfer ribbons, hot stamp ribbons and wire marking ribbons, for use on Norwood, Kingsley and other in-line marking systems, reduce customers’ inventory requirements and improve print quality at an affordable cost.
“Norwood is the specialist in coding and marking for the flexible packaging industry with over 40 years of experience with both equipment and consumables. This expertise enables us to offer customers an unparalleled level of quality, service and support,” noted Elizabeth DiCianni, Ribbon Business Unit Manager at Norwood. “With service technicians and in-house chemists – with same-day delivery on stock items when needed – we help ensure production uptime and quality imprints.”
Norwood’s thermal transfer ribbons feature proprietary formulations that assure print head protection. With the lowest print head energy requirements in the market and a unique anti-static back coating process, Norwood’s thermal transfer ribbons allow printing at lower temperatures and faster speeds. These unique ribbons lower overall energy usage and extend the life of the print head to reduce operational costs while maximizing print quality.
Norwood’s hot stamp imprinting ribbons achieve superior performance and offer the versatility to print on most flexible packaging substrates. In addition to seven standard colors, Norwood will customize its hot stamp ribbons to match any color to enhance package graphics. Formulations are available for ultraviolet, water soluble and food grade applications.
To meet the specific needs of the aerospace, electronics, transportation, medical device and military customers, Norwood offers its family of wire and sleeve marking ribbons for use on Kingsley and other in-line wire marking systems. This extensive line of specialized foil formulations maximizes performance on a wide variety of substrates. Application-specific foils meet military, medical and commercial requirements for permanency and legibility.
|
|
New ThermalPak™ TP-4000 Multi-Head Thermal Transfer Printer from Norwood
Maximizes Throughput on Multi-Lane Packaging Lines
November 14, 2005 – Norwood Marking Systems introduces the ThermalPak™ Model TP-4000, the industry’s only multi-head thermal transfer printer designed to match the high throughput of a variety of multi-lane packaging machines. The TP-4000 comes standard with three to six prints heads, depending on the needs of the application. Each print head prints fixed and/or variable data on a variety of flexible packaging materials.
Ideal for a wide range of multi-lane packaging applications from portion packs of condiments to IV bags and more, the TP-4000 maximizes throughput while improving product security and tracking with real-time data such as UPC, lot and production codes, expiration and use-by dates, which are produced in-line as products are packaged. The multi-head TP-4000 can be easily integrated with a variety of intermittent motion, multi-lane equipment including vertical-form-fill-seal, horizontal-form-fill-seal, blister packing, thermoforming, overwrapping, bagging and other types of packaging machines.
Unlike traditional transverse thermal transfer printers, which use one print head to print to several lanes across a web sequentially, Norwood’s ThermalPak Model TP-4000 uses multiple heads to print to numerous lanes simultaneously. This multi-head operating principle maximizes throughput with each print head printing up to 9.84 inches (250 mm) per second. Each print head can be dedicated to one lane or can be configured to handle multiple lanes. For example, a 24-lane VFFS system filling small condiments can be equipped with a six-head TP-4000 where each print head traverses only four lanes rather than all 24 lanes.
Norwood designed the TP-4000 to maximize throughput and production flexibility with fast and simple changeover. Changes to print, including text and graphics, can be achieved in seconds by recalling the print image from memory via the handheld display. Changes in lane configuration, which could involve changing the positions of the print heads along the carriage as well as adding or removing print heads, can be achieved by one operator in less than two minutes.
With full clock and calendar functions as well as serialization, the ThermalPak can print fixed and variable text. Text and graphics, including a wide array of two-dimensional or RSS barcodes, can be printed with a resolution of 300 dpi (12 dots per mm) both horizontally and vertically. A wide range of font styles and font sizes are available.
To ease use at high line speeds, Norwood equips the TP-4000 with a 4000-foot (1200M) ribbon roll, which is longer than many traditional thermal transfer printers, to reduce ribbon roll changes. Additionally, Norwood offers intelligent ribbon handling, which eliminates ribbon waste by sequencing a number of short ribbon feed cycles and long ribbon feed cycles, depending on the application, to optimize ribbon consumption. This technique assures that there are minimal unused areas of ribbon.
The ThermalPak TP-4000 offers a print area up to 4.17 inches (106mm) wide and 7.87 inches (200mm) long, per head. Print heads can be positioned at any point along the head carriage with a minimum print head center distance of 3.35 inches (85mm).
|
|
Norwood Marking Systems Introduces the 55sst Thermal Express
October 17, 2005 – Norwood Marking Systems introduces the 55sst Thermal Express, a versatile, high-speed thermal transfer printer that prints fixed and/or variable data on a wide range of flexible packaging materials, including a variety of flexible films and label substrates. Capable of operating in either intermittent motion or continuous motion mode with quick conversion, the 55sst offers tremendous production versatility. Norwood’s patented ribbon handling system allows the 55sst to maximize print quality while achieving high throughput, even in the most challenging environments.
Variable printing improves product security and tracking with real-time data such as UPC, lot and production codes, expiration and sell-by dates, which are produced in-line as products are packaged. The 55sst printer operates at production speeds of up to 1000 mm per second in continuous motion mode and up to 400 mm per second in intermittent motion mode.
Unlike traditional continuous-motion thermal transfer printers that are adversely affected by fluctuations in web speed, Norwood’s patented ribbon management system provides controlled ribbon acceleration. This unique system improves registration to produce consistent print quality while causing less wear and tear on the system. The 55sst virtually eliminates partial prints, misprints and ribbon breakage caused by fluctuations in web speed.
The versatile 55sst Thermal Express offers three different user interface options to ease operation. In addition to the PR4 color touch screen that would typically be mounted to the host equipment near the print engine, Norwood can equip the 55sst with a PR3 color handheld interface. Both options enable operators to recall images from memory and handle simple editing functions at print time. The 55sst also allows connectivity to a PC or network, which enables remote operation, monitoring and diagnostics of the print operation. Norwood offers its user interface in eight different languages. Multi-level password protection increases production security.
With full clock and calendar functions as well as serialization, the 55sst can print fixed and variable text. Text and graphics, including a wide array of two-dimensional or RSS barcodes, can be printed with a resolution of 300 dpi (12 dots per mm) both horizontally and vertically. An unlimited choice of font styles and a wide range of sizes are available. A unique paragraph feature, ideal for listing ingredients and nutritional information, enables text to automatically wrap, which eliminates the need to format text one line at a time.
Norwood’s 55sst can be mounted on a wide variety of host equipment to print fixed and/or variable data. Common applications include integrating the 55sst with vertical- and horizontal-form-fill-seal systems, primary labelers, thermoformers and overwrapping equipment. A software-enabled, electronic adjustment provides quick and easy change from intermittent motion to continuous motion operation, which makes the 55sst ideal for packagers that wish to maximize equipment versatility. The 55sst is IP65 and NEMA 4/13 compliant.
Operating in intermittent motion mode, the 55sst offers a print area up to 2.05 inches (52mm) wide and 3.15 inches (80mm) long. With continuous motion operation, the print area can be up to 2.05 inches (52mm) wide and 4.92 inches (125mm) long.
|
|
Norwood Marking Systems Appoints William Delmolino Director of Sales & Marketing
August 18, 2005 – Norwood Marking Systems announces the appointment of William Delmolino as Director of Sales & Marketing. Delmolino is responsible for leading the sales organization and pursuing marketing activities that build awareness for the company’s in-line coding and marking systems. He will oversee the development and execution of programs that target Norwood’s primary markets – the food, beverage, pharmaceutical, medical device, personal care and other industries.
“Bill is well qualified to take a leadership role with Norwood. He has extensive sales and engineering expertise in the packaging industry. He knows our markets and he understands our customers,” commented Larry Kulik, General Manager of Norwood. “Bill helps position Norwood for continued growth.”
Delmolino brings over 30 years of sales and engineering experience to Norwood. Most recently, he was Vice President Technical Sales at NJM/CLI (formerly known as New Jersey Machine). He also served as Product Manager for Print and Apply Labelers and spearheaded development of NJM/CLI’s RFID product line. Previously, he was Vice President of Engineering at NJM/CLI and prior to that, he was Vice President of Engineering at MATSI, Inc. He holds a Masters degree in mechanical engineering from University of Massachusetts, Amherst. He owns several patents, has published numerous white papers and is an accomplished industry speaker.
“Norwood is a respected market leader known for its quality engineering and customer support,” commented William Delmolino. “With product safety such an important issue in the world today, manufacturers are searching for technologies that improve security and tracking. Norwood has a tremendous opportunity to improve customers’ product safety. I’m excited to join the team.”
|
|
|
|
|
