As meat processors scramble to meet the July 6 deadline for mandatory nutrition labeling, they are frantically searching for the quickest, most efficient, most affordable and least stressful way to label their products.
Topeka, Kan.-based Ohse Foods (a division of Hudson Foods) has found a solution to its nutrition labeling needs for its 1-pound sliced and 12-ounce sliced luncheon meats: Bell-Mark Corp.'s FlexPrint In-Line Printing System. Ohse's first system was installed on a Tiromat packaging machine in January; it will eventually have four systems in operation.
"With the new nutrition labeling mandate, I was very concerned that we would have to go with dual labels," said Les Broadbent, Ohse Foods plant manager. "We didn't have enough room to put everything [company/product information plus nutrition information] on one label. This Bell-Mark system is going to save us a lot of [labeling] space, as well as a lot of money in label costs."
Bell-Mark calls FlexPrint a state-of-the-art, in-line flexographic printing system that provides high-resolution, single-color printing on polypropylene, polyester, surlyn, and any poly films. The system is designed to mount on all horizontal form, fill and seal and vacuum packaging machines (including Multivac, Curwood, Tiromat, Hooper, Mahaffy & Harder). A top mount is also available.
FlexPrint printing applications include: product identification, company logos, nutrition labeling, scannable bar codes, reverse printing and instructions. And the system prints different label lengths.
"Our system eliminates the need for a processor to purchase and store 50 different nutrition labels on pre-printed film," noted Steve Reich, Bell-Mark sales engineer. "Printing flexographically in-line is the least expensive way to handle this operation."
How it works
In flexographic printing, the ink is transferred to a print plate that is located on a plate cylinder. The ink is transferred through an engraved roller, which carries a metered amount of ink that transfers to the plate.
The plate cylinder will reset to a home position after each cycle. When the packaging machine is ready to index, it will send a signal to the printer, and the film will pass through a web-driven S wrap drive system.
The film is actually driving the plate cylinder, which is how the system matches the speed of the index. This helps to ensure precise package registration and clarity in printing as the line speed fluctuates.
"If the index slows down, the system slows down," said Tom Glatfelter, Bell-Mark field engineer. "We have an impression roll that rotates the film against the print plate and transfers the ink. That's how our printing process works."
Ohse is using pressure-sensitive labels for its company and product information, which is put on the bottom side of each package.
"We're printing the nutrition label right on the top web; right on the packaging film itself," Glatfelter said. "The ink system we use [Ink Management System] is exceptional. You don't have to get your hands dirty [the system uses disposable one-gallon cartridges]; you don't have to wipe anything down. Installation is relatively quick. We can do an installation in a day.
"We can register the label wherever you want it," he added. "There's a registration roller; we can change the position of that and it will automatically move the position of what you're printing on the package."
Reich added that the FlexPrint system is built to withstand the harsh environment of a meat plant. It offers the highest cycle rate (35 CPM) available, according to the company.
"The profit margin in lunch meat is such that 10 or 15 minutes of down-time can make a very big difference in a plant's bottom line during daily processing," said Reich. "We had to come up with a quick way to change plates when a processor changes products-so we came up with a clip-on plate system. The photopolymer printing plate comes as an assembly. It's pre-mounted on a mylar carrier that clips onto a plate cylinder. The carrier clips on to that drum."
The plate system allows for quick message changes, accurate plate placement, eliminates costly spare print cylinders, and machine down time.
"This takes all the guess work out of placing the printing mat or plate on the drum," Reich added. "You can't make a mistake. Once it's connected, the plate is perfectly situated on that drum. And all of the timing of the machine is done by the plate. So every time you change plates, the machine automatically adjusts for that index. The machine is PLC-controlled."
An optional programmable multiple column coder with disposable cartridge ink system imprints all sell by dates and production codes.