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.
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.
Creative Cosmetics already used two continuous ink jet (CIJ) coders to service up to 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.
“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.”
At Creative Cosmetics, the Linx 10 is printing in all orientations on different product types and surfaces including acrylic, PET, metallised glass and untreated glass. Typical code requirements are one or two lines.
Besides its portability, the Linx 10 provides a number of additional benefits. These include its fast and easy message set-up via a touch screen featuring image-based code-selection; its integrated, automatic line speed sensor, which eliminates the need for a separate sensor attached to the line; and its ability to be serviced by customers, without the need for an engineer.
The market-leading Linx printhead also requires minimal cleaning once a month, while consumables are easy to replace via a mess-free cartridge system.
“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.”
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. The purchase of the two Linx 10 coders followed a trial of the new machine at the company’s factory.
"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.”
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