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Creative Cosmetics

Linx 10 coder provides flexible coding solution for cosmetics manufacturer.

The new Linx 10 coder has earned high praise from a cosmetics contract manufacturer for greatly improving the efficiency of the company’s operation. Creative Cosmetics, based in Ipswich, UK, has been particularly impressed with the coder’s outstanding flexibility, manoeuvrability and ease of use.

Creative Cosmetics is one of the UK’s leading contract manufacturers incorporating design, production, filling and assembly of cosmetic and skin care products for many large High Street stores, specialist retailers, mail order companies, and party plan organisations.

Creative Cosmetics is already a long-standing user of Continuous Ink Jet (CIJ) coders across five different production lines, but these could be difficult for operators to move easily between lines. As a result, when the printers were not available, operators had to hand-apply labels – a labour-intensive activity that added unnecessary costs to the operation.

By comparison, the Linx 10 printer is totally portable and can be easily moved to where it is required. For Creative Cosmetics the printer and printhead bracket are fixed to a movable cabinet, which can be wheeled between lines or repositioned on a line.

At Creative Cosmetics, the Linx 10 is printing in all orientations on different product types and surfaces including acrylic, Polyethylene terephthalate (PET), metallised glass and untreated glass. Typical code requirements are one or two lines.

The company says its two Linx 10s are better able to meet its needs in a short-run, production environment in which frequent changeovers are required.

The purchase of the two Linx 10 coders followed a trial of the new machine at the company’s factory.

“For me, the major advantages of the Linx 10 are its flexibility and mobility,” explains Factory Manager Gregory Webb. “It is half the size of our other printers, meaning I can position it exactly where I want.”

“Setup is very easy and intuitive with the graphical user interface” confirms Gregory. “The line speed sensor is a great feature, meaning that if the speed of the line changes, the code is still good. Equally important, the process of refilling the fluids in the printer is very simple.”

"By the end of the trial period, our operators were reluctant to hand back the printer to Linx as they loved it so much!" concludes Creative Cosmetics’ Managing Director Alan Major. "We immediately knew that we wanted one.”

Parkinson Harness

Cable coding solution for cable harness company

Parkinson Harness Technology, based in Boston, UK, has found that operators don't need to read a manual before using the Linx 10 for the first time.

Parkinson Harness is a leading producer of wiring harnesses, control panels, battery/power leads, PCBs and control systems. The business needed a compact and flexible coding solution to print onto its range of cables used in wiring systems for the automotive industry.

The cables, most of which have a PVC sheath, are coded and cut into various lengths in small batches, leading to very frequent code changes. The company’s previous printer required complicated code changes, was not easy to clean or operate, and proved too large for the production line.

The Linx 10 printer’s compact dimensions enable it to fit easily into the small space available in the production area. Codes are easy to set up and change with the intuitive colour touch screen, enabling operators at any level to input the information themselves. This saves time and reduces the risk of incorrectly coded products reaching the end customer.

Emissco

A Linx 10 printer from Linx Printing Technologies is providing one of the UK’s leading manufacturers of emission products with a high-quality, compact, and easy-to-use coding solution.
Based in Stoke-on-Trent, UK, Emissco has especially praised the Linx 10 for its reliability and flexibility.

The aerosol cans that Emissco manufactures must display batch numbers, product numbers, and expiry dates without fail – and therefore require a highly reliable coding solution that provides consistent and durable codes, and is simple to operate and maintain.

The Linx 10 ink jet printer is used to print two lines of code onto the bottom of metal aerosol cans, and can easily cope with higher line speeds of 60 cans per minute.

“Our Linx 10 is a handy piece of kit that does exactly what it says on the tin,” comments Jill Burke, Aerosol Plant Manager at Emissco.

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