The new SmartDate X60 thermal transfer coder transfers more performance to customers thanks to its innovative, high-speed/high-quality printhead.
Markem-Imaje, global manufacturer and distributor of marking and coding solutions, has announced the global launch of its new SmartDate X60 thermal transfer coder. The SmartDate X60’s long life, high-speed printhead is designed to meet the needs of customers in the most demanding, high-volume production environments.
Combining blazing-fast performance with the SmartDate legacy of proven reliability on thousands of packaging lines around the world, the SmartDate X60 can print at pack speeds of up to 1,000 mm per second at full 300 dpi resolution, according to Andy Gray, Markem-Imaje Product Marketing Manager, “The SmartDate X60 is also capable of full resin printing at up to 600 mm per second. That means codes will not rub off. We’re surpassing customer expectations by raising the limits of what thermal transfer can do. Thanks to the SmartDate X60’s advances, thermal transfer is now a viable option where it might not have been before.”
The SmartDate X60 is well suited for manufacturers of baked items, biscuits, cakes, and pasta, as well as chocolate and sugar confectioneries. Markem-Imaje engineered the SmartDate X60 on the requirements of customers like Angel Juan Perez, maintenance manager of a bakery manufacturing plant operated by La Flor Burgalesa in Spain, who says, “Single size packs are an important share of our production. These are lines that run at very high speeds and that require high speed coders.”
Perez speaks for many customers when he says, “Consumable use is also an important factor in our overall production costs. Optimization is something we value.” With that in mind, the new SmartDate X60 minimizes waste and optimizes uptime on the packaging line. A standard 1,100 meter ribbon provides up to 20% more prints per roll, resulting in 20% less waste and reducing the frequency of changeovers, and new ribbon saving techniques optimize ribbon consumption: 20% reduction with no perceivable loss in print quality.
Gray adds, “We’ve incorporated sensitive ‘dead dot’ detection, and the ability for customers to avoid ‘dead-dots’ on the printed image on line, without needing to shut down production and change the thermal head. The SmartDate X60 interface also makes it easy to adjust the image without need for a laptop.” Power-saving features reduce energy consumption by up to 50 percent.
“The SmartDate X60 is more than an advanced product,” says Gray. He explains, “When customers choose a SmartDate, they’re also choosing a groundbreaking warranty, starting at 18 months with unique options to extend peace of mind up to 60 full months, all at a cost of about a single Euro a day. Right now we’re alone in the industry in offering that level of protection. We’ll guarantee our new printhead, replacing it free of charge within one year or 60 kilometers of ribbon if even a single dot fails.” Gray says Markem-Imaje is making it simple for customers to introduce the new SmartDate X60: “We’re simplifying the whole process, from installation to maintenance. Many of our spare parts are compatible with models like the SmartDate 5 and SmartDate X40. We’ve thought through our customers’ requirements in advance, making it easy to transition from a prior SmartDate model to our newest technology.”
Designed to reach a high level of performance, built to lower total costs over time, the SmartDate X60 represents Markem-Imaje’s commitment to both its customers’ production line and their financial bottom line.
