Kisico and Merck to launch screw cap for laser marking
The company will present the product at Fachpack in September in Nürnberg, Germany, available for use in the beverage, diagnostic, analytics, and laboratory equipment sectors.
LaserCap
For laboratory caps, information such as manufacturer, brand and product names, or batch number can be lasered into the cap.
Clemens Boerner, technical sales manager, Kisico, told BeverageDaily, since lasers write using only light, no additional materials are required during the marking process besides electricity and suction. The caps also do not need to be pretreated.
“The laser can also create images to individualize the caps,” she said.
“The heat resistance of the laser marking is an advantage for hot filling and pasteurizing. We started the project when a customer asked to have a cap that can be steam sterilized at 121° for 15 minutes and has a printed company logo. This led to the development of LaserCap.
“Currently, the laser marking is occasionally applied to print with the best before date or for lottery codes inside screw caps. Quality and precision are of secondary importance in these applications. With the pigment it is now also possible to laser sharp graphics and small data matrix codes.”
Hazard symbols
Other information can also be lasered, such as thread size, temperature resistance, or hazard symbols.
The entire surface can be used for labelling. Customers are not limited to the top plate and Kisico says switching to laser marking eliminates the costs for changing the injection molding tool, embossed stamp, or printing plates.
Labeling the caps is offered by Kisico as part of an expanded service package. Alternatively, customers with the appropriate equipment can perform the laser directly in-house, on a filling line.
According to Boerner, each cap can be quickly and permanently marked with a batch number or data matrix code, for traceability. With laser marking, very fine markings are possible on small surfaces, which means a great deal of information can be included.
Fachpack trade fair will be held in Nuremberg from September 25 to 27, 2018.
