High-Speed Marking and Coding on Cable, Wire & Pipe

India is the world’s third-largest producer, and third-largest consumer of electricity and 99.7% of the Indian population has access to electricity as on 31^st March 2019 as per the Ministry of Power, Government of India. The Extrusion industry comprised of wire &cable, PVC and HDPE pipe manufacturing is growing at an annual rate of around 10%  as per the latest reports. Further, with the make in India impetus, the cable, wire and pipe manufacturing industry is bound to at a compounded rate with more focus on exports.

Considering this, cable, wire and piping industry manufacturers need to be prepared to scale their manufacturing process. Further, they should also ensure that their branding, cable marking and details printed on cables are legible and satisfy legal requirements. This will also prevent any inferior versions from being passed off as their product by duplicators and help original manufacturers identify such cases easily. Competition in the wire and cable industry is intense, and differentiation by brand recall and compliance with legal requirements can only be achieved by correct printing of details.

Types of cables and wires and basic manufacturing process

There are different types of cables and wires being manufactured, including but not limited to shielded cables, coaxial cables and fibre-optic cables, among others.They are manufactured by the extrusion process, with the material being pushed through a die of a fixed cross-section. Once the cable is manufactured, the printing happens, and the cable is wound on bobbins.

While we discuss in this blog about a specific case of the wire and cable industry, the application developed by KGK Jet Cable Printing Machine is general and finds multiple applications. It is useful in other instances in which extrusion is involved as a manufacturing process, for example, in the pipe manufacturing industry.

What are the Challenges faced in printing on wires and cables by companies manufacturing industrial inkjet printers in India?

High Speed

Cables are manufactured on a high-speed extrusion process. The industrial inkjet printer (cable printer/cable printing machine) must be able to match the speed of the manufacturing line while still working on the winder-rewinder application process. Otherwise, the printing operation will be a showstopper and slow down the entire manufacturing process.

Precision

High speeds can mean over 600 m per minute. The marking per metre of length should be precise. Thus, the Continuous Inkjet Printer should also work in tandem with highly reliable metre marking software to ensure that all the data is printed at the correct length and in the intended format. There should not be any spill-over or splatter. The cost of poor quality in such cases is extremely high since printing happens directly on the final and finished product.

Different varieties of substrates

Cables, wires and pipes use a variety of substrates including PVC, XLPE, ETFE and HDPE polymer-based substrates for environmental resistance. The ink used to mark the length, for lot number marking or batch number marking must dry quickly. Otherwise, a mirror image is created, and smudging happens when the cable gets wound because the ink has not dried quickly enough. This will defeat the very purpose of printing.

Flexibility

Cable manufacturers face a cyclical business pattern and hence, manufacturing may need to be scaled up or down as need be. The continuous inkjet printer (CIJ printer) or MRP Printing Machine must also be capable of being configured based on the scaling up and down as per the needs of the plant.

Cable Diameter/Cross-sectional area/thickness

Another critical factor that needs consideration is the cross-sectional area (thickness) of the electrical cable. For example, house wire can range from 0.5mm Sq.mm to even 6 mm Sq.mm in cross-section, while  LT & HT Cables can have 200Sq.mmcross-section. Also, the data must be printed correctly by the industrial inkjet printer.

Ink Quality and Ink Consumption

Ink must be quick-drying to prevent mirror image formation. But consumption must be economical in the long run. Further, even if the ink is quick-drying, it should not dry in the nozzle, thereby blocking the nozzle. Any nozzle blocks and stoppages for cleaning can adversely affect production. The industrial inkjet printer, the metre-marking software and the ink used must all match and work in synchronization for best results.

Print Life

Cables and wires can be stored in different conditions and be exposed to harsh weather, either in storage or in operations. The data printed on the cable must be visible and last long despite these ‘natural and environmental’ factors.

Solutions Offered by KGK Jet India

KGK’s line of industrial inkjet printers (which also act as barcode printing machines and batch coding machines) offers a comprehensive solution to all of the above challenges faced by the wire and cable industry. As mentioned earlier, we are experts in delivering printing solutions for the extrusion production process and our solution for cables and wires can also be enhanced for other industries like pipe manufacturers by specific customizations.

Our solution is to deliver a P Type Head High-Speed Cable Printing Machine with an inbuilt Meter Marking Software. Our high-speed printer solution (up to 600m per minute) can be configured to match the production process and the associated scaleup and scale down as appropriate. With the high-speed industrial inkjet printer, customers will be able to meet their production targets and will also be able to have a legible print even from 0.5mm Sq.mm to even 200 mm Sq.mm.

Communication ports and USB provision give flexibility for communication with other devices. Further, it also means that the printing speed can be controlled from a single touch panel, and each line can have its custom specifications.

MEK Inks are quick to dry by having a strong adherence to the substrate. Thus, they will be more legible. As the inks are MEK Based Inks for Continuous Inkjet Printing, they will dry faster so that even when they are printing at 600 meters per minute and on a winder-rewinder application the chances of getting a mirror image is avoided.

For the case of XLPE, ETFE, and HDPE polymer-based substrates, which have low surface energy, ink adhesion and long-term retention can be a challenge. The KGK Industrial Ink Jet printer team has engineered a practical solution for making the ink indelible and ensuring strong adhesion by providing external heat to activate the surface using plasma flame. This provides a scratch-resistance solution that can also survive harsh environments and exposure to weather conditions, thereby making our product one of the best for Cable Inkjet Printing.

KGK is proud to have innovated state-of-the-art inks that can remain on the substrate even when they are exposed to tough environmental conditions, like continuous exposure to moisture and water or being exposed to the harsh sun.

Our cable printing machine, the meter marking software and process innovations are products of our deep research, market reach and expertise. We are proud to innovate and set standards continuously.

Model Recommendations

Specific models we recommend for our customer are

1, CCS 3000

CCS 3000 is a continuous inkjet printer with a compact print head and a large 10.4-inch removable touch panel. With a user-friendly interface and a space-saving design, it easily fits with your production process. Start and stop is not necessary due to the patented nozzle-capping mechanism. Communication ports and USB provision give flexibility for communication with other devices. Further, it also means that the printing speed can be controlled from a single touch panel, and each line can have its custom specifications.

2, CCS3100

The CCS 3100 continuous inkjet printer is a simple-yet-sophisticated innovation from the KGK stable. From a single central module, up to 16 CIJ printers can be controlled. This means that in the wire and cable manufacturing industry (extrusion industry), multiple lines can be managed. Further, with the inclusion of the metre-marking software, precise printing at the correct length is achieved. The quick-drying inks and winder rewinder capability ensure that CCS3100 can cater to all the demands of production.

Communication ports and USB provision give flexibility for communication with other devices. Further, it also means that the printing speed can be controlled from a single touch panel, and each line can have its custom specifications.

With a printing speed of 400m/min (6.7m/s), the CCS3100model is suitable for any wire and cable manufacturing.

Advantages of choosing KGK for industrial inkjet printers for the wire and cable manufacturing (extrusion) sector

1. Rugged and reliable machines and systems that match the demands of a hot, humid factory environment common in India
2. Unmatched customer support with checks by KGK personnel every 4 months.
3. Japanese roots and rich innovation capabilities
4. Balanced and competitive pricing
5. Using Corona treatment externally, our printers can support for printing on PVC Pipes
6. Wide variety of ink choices in colour and based on the substrate.
7. Inks are extremely quick drying.
8. Long-lasting prints that can withstand harsh environmental conditions
9. Reasonable ink consumption with a guarantee from KGK before installation on ink consumption for operations
10. Unique and proprietary ink management system to keep the machine up and running at all times.

Need some more information or ideas?

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