Batch Coding Machine - Ink and Coding Options

Quick answer: PackForge sells the 2590 black solvent ink cartridge (HP W3T10B compatible) for handheld inkjet and batch coding machines you already own, at ₹3,099 + ₹558 GST. We do not list the coding printer itself. Two of our band sealers code in the same pass as the seal, and our thermal printer makes date stickers.

What a batch coding machine prints

A batch coding machine puts the variable information on a pack: batch number, MFG date, EXP or best-before date and MRP, and on some packs a logo, barcode or QR code. It changes from batch to batch, which is why it is printed at packing time rather than on the pouch or label stock.

The surface decides the method. Paper and corrugated absorb ink; film, foil, glass, PET and metal do not, and ordinary ink smears or stays wet on them.

Four ways to code a pack

Inkjet batch coding machine and its cartridge

An inkjet coder – handheld or fixed on a line – holds a cartridge and fires ink onto the pack as it passes. The cartridge sets two things: whether it fits the printer, and whether the ink holds on your surface. The 2590 Solvent Black fits printers built for the HP 2590 (W3T10B) slot. Its quick-drying solvent ink holds on plastic, metal, glass, foil, laminated pouches, PET bottles, coated boxes, paper and corrugated, and it prints codes up to 12.7 mm high. It is a compatible cartridge, not an HP original.

PackForge does not list the coder itself, so we do not quote one. If you already own a coder that takes the 2590, we supply the ink; if you are choosing a coder, check that it takes a cartridge you can buy easily.

MRP and date coding on pouches

On a pouch line the cheapest coding is often the one done while sealing. The CS900 continuous band sealer embosses a date code in the same pass, and the CS1100 prints one with a steel wheel on bags up to 10 kg. Both save a separate step and a separate operator. Where the code must be printed in ink rather than embossed, an inkjet coder with a solvent cartridge marks the pouch film instead.

If a pouch line already runs a CS900 or CS1100, check what the embossed or printed code must say before adding an ink coder: a date in the seal may already satisfy part of the requirement, leaving only the MRP and batch for ink on the outer carton.

Coding bottles and cartons

Bottles and jars are usually coded with ink on the label or the glass; the 2590 solvent ink lists glass, PET and metal among its surfaces. Cartons take ink on the corrugated board; a dispatch team dating shipper cartons can use the same black cartridge. For a sticker instead of direct printing, the 58 mm thermal label printer makes a date or batch label that is applied by hand.

Getting a readable code

1. Code on a clean, dry, flat panel; wet, oily or dusty surfaces do not take a clean code.
2. Keep the layout the same on every pack so the code is always found in one place.
3. Let solvent ink set before packs rub together.
4. Cap the cartridge whenever the coder sits idle, or the nozzle dries.
5. Check the first packs of every batch for a complete, legible code.

Embossing, ink or a label: how to choose

Choose embossing in the seal when you already seal pouches on a band sealer and the code can sit in the seal itself; it adds no ink or consumable. Choose ink when the code must appear on a panel of the pack, on bottles, glass or cartons, or must include an MRP and dates in a readable size. Choose a label when packs are coded in small numbers, or when the same sticker also carries a name or price.

Many units use two: an embossed date in the pouch seal and an inked batch and MRP on the shipper carton.

Questions to settle before you buy coding supplies

• What must the code show – batch, MFG, EXP, MRP, logo, barcode?
• Which surfaces carry it – film, foil, glass, PET, metal, paper or board?
• Which coder do you have, and which cartridge slot does it take?
• How many packs a day, and is coding done on a line or by hand?
• Could the date go into the seal instead, on a band sealer?

Send the answers, or a photo of your current coder and pack, on WhatsApp to +91 95822 69346.

Looking after cartridges and codes

Fit the protective cap whenever the coder will stand idle, because an open nozzle dries. Store spare cartridges upright somewhere cool and never near a flame, and wipe the nozzle with a soft, fibre-free cloth. Code only on packs that are clean and dry, and give solvent ink a moment to set before packs touch each other.

Price and ordering

The 2590 Solvent Black cartridge is ₹3,099 + ₹558 GST, with a cart discount from 2 pieces and a separate rate for 50 or more. The CS900 band sealer starts at ₹12,812 + ₹2,306 GST and the CS1100 is ₹95,872 + ₹17,257 GST; the thermal label printer is ₹4,419 + ₹795 GST. Delivery is free across India with a GST invoice. To confirm a cartridge fits, send the printer model or a photo of the old cartridge on WhatsApp to +91 95822 69346. The solvent ink cartridge guide covers fit, use and storage.