Date Coder Options

[drewseslu]

Howdy folks,

We're about join the ranks of the bottling and I would like to add date codes on our bottles as soon as we reasonably can, and am looking for suggestions on a reasonably priced option.
We have a 4 head Meheen and will apply pressure sensitive labels with a M&D PSL 3000 labeler.
Altogether I expect us to operate in the 25bpm range, so the coder would have to keep up with that. Thanks!

Cheers and beers,
Drew

[Darel Matthews]

Videojets are reliable if kept scrupulously clean.

DO NOT consider anything from Domino. Garbage from the factory, garbage immediately after the factory rep comes to fix them. We actually put 2 date codes on every bottle as a backup so when one machine goes down we at least have one code. Translation: 2 separate machines per line. On the line I've got Dominos on, we actually had to pull out an ancient Videojet and start putting 3 codes on every bottle (2 Dominos and 1 VJ)....and the only code you'll ever see is the one from the VJ.

[biosonik]

I 2nd the Videojet. However I must say, I've worked with a few different models and the new versions are considerably more reliable and easy to use. I'd highly suggest buying a new machine if you can swing it. They are virtually maintenance free.

[Darel Matthews]

Got a model #? As much as I like my VJs I'm still pulling the heads about once per shift for a cleaning, and wastewater isn't thrilled about all that makeup fluid going down the drain.

[biosonik]

We are running the 1220. It performs its own maintenance cycles every time you fire it up and shut it down. My PM's are to clean the head once a month. Never any problems.

[Darel Matthews]

Ah, that's the rub. Mine never shut down.

[triple]

Howdy folks,

We're about join the ranks of the bottling and I would like to add date codes on our bottles as soon as we reasonably can, and am looking for suggestions on a reasonably priced option.
We have a 4 head Meheen and will apply pressure sensitive labels with a M&D PSL 3000 labeler.
Altogether I expect us to operate in the 25bpm range, so the coder would have to keep up with that. Thanks!

Cheers and beers,
Drew

We have 2 VideoJet printers. A 1710 for bottles and a 1210 for cans. They are very reliable and our local service is good.

[biosonik]

@Darel: So you're packaging 24 hours a day? Or you just don't turn them off? I know the older models would always be left on. They also don't have this feature. At any rate, you can force the cleaning cycle when ever you want. I only open the head once a month.