Egg carton printing over multiple egg grading lanes

Egg carton printing on egg grading lanes using Evolution inkjet sliding brackets

Evolution inkjets offer an ideal alternative to labelling machines used to date-code egg cartons passing on a grading line.

Evolution inkjets are ideal for an egg-carton printing application as they are easily installed over multiple lanes.

The Evolution inkjets have proven to be a very reliable and low-maintenance alternative and are popular with lane carton packers as they do not cause jams or hold-ups.

Criteria for egg carton printing

Eggs are often packed on multiple egg grading lanes, meaning MULTIPLE printers are required. Therefore, inkjet printer cost must be low!!.

Eggs are a volume item and cost-per-print is a concern. Therefore, running cost must be low!!

Multiple operators are used at the end of each grading line. When the line stops - their time is wasted, therefore printer reliability must be high and maintenance must be low!!

Because of the proximity of multiple lanes, there is not unlimited room for mounting and equipment. Therefore, printers must be compact and not take up much room!!!

No-one wants to struggle to make out a date-code, and poor printing detracts from the packaging - therefore printing must be of good quality.

Packs sometimes exit the machine unclosed or unoriented in some way - therefore printers must not obstruct unclosed cartons.

Printing location can be different depending on egg carton size and brand being packed. Therefore, printer height and print position should be easily adjustable.

Evolution Inkjet printers have been chosen because they meet and exceed all these requirements, with a simple and flexible mounting bracketry option.

Evolution Inkjets enjoy the ability to mount printheads independently of a controller, as they have on-board memory, operational controls, inbuilt product sensor and a self-contained ink cartridge.

Maintenance is vitually non existent with self-contained cartridges and no solvents or flushing required. Ink volume used, even at 300dpi high print quality is very low - leading to extremely low printing costs (not even taking into account about the usual printer maintenenace costs associated with other types of inkjets).

Mounting bracketry used

Mounting bracketry used is quite simple.

Sliding bar & block

1. Printhead shaft with breakaway protection

A stainless steel rod, with a spring-loaded "breakaway" function. This rod fastens into the standard mounting hole in the rear of the printhead and pushes the printhead out of the way in case a package is faulty or not closed.

2. Sliding shaft mounting bar and block

This can be extended to almost any length. Blocks are used to hold the printhead shaft. Multiple blocks can be used on the same sliding shaft for mulktiple printheads.