Industrial coding systems · UK
High-resolution TIJ coders for dates, batches, serial numbers, QR codes and DataMatrix—specified for your product, substrate, speed and traceability workflow.
Oxford Traceability
The best thermal inkjet result comes from matching the printhead, ink chemistry, mounting, sensing and data flow to the real production environment.
We help UK manufacturers move from samples and line details to a practical specification—then support integration, trials, commissioning and ongoing consumables.
See our integration approach ↗Solutions
From a single printhead on a carton conveyor to connected multi-line serialization, we define the system around the job—not the other way round.
Compact cartridge-based coders for repeatable batch, date, lot and serial marking.
↗ 02Crisp text, logos and machine-readable codes with the right ink and line set-up.
↗ 03Variable 2D codes for traceability, GS1 workflows, product data and digital links.
↗ 04Reliable coding onto corrugated board, folding cartons, sleeves, paper and labels.
↗ 05Fast-dry ink options for coated stock, plastics, films, metals and glass.
↗ 06Sensors, encoders, PLC handshakes, data connections and print verification.
↗ 07Controlled variable coding for best-before dates, use-by dates, lot numbers and shift data.
↗ 08DataMatrix and QR workflows designed around data, print quality, scanning and verification.
↗Print quality
TIJ technology fires precisely controlled droplets from a replaceable cartridge, delivering clean variable data with straightforward changeovers.
Variable data
Generate production data at the line, receive it from a database, or integrate with existing controls. We can help define the print and verification workflow.
Plan for GS1 2D barcodes ↗Example artwork for visual illustration only
Ink & substrate matching
Surface energy, coating, dwell time, handling and cure requirements all affect performance. Sample testing removes guesswork.
Aqueous ink options for absorbent surfaces such as corrugated cases, kraft paper, uncoated cartons and paper labels.
Fast-dry solvent ink options for smooth or coated surfaces, selected through application testing and drying-time checks.
Integration
We consider product presentation, sensing, speed measurement, mounting, message control and inspection as one working system.
Product, code, speed, environment and data source.
Substrate samples, ink selection and print trials.
Mounts, sensors, encoder, controls and guarding.
Install, optimise, train and document.
LINE INTEGRATION
Applications
A coding system should fit the hygiene regime, product presentation, changeover pattern and traceability standard of its industry.
Explore industries →Depending on the controller, a TIJ coder can print text, dates, batch and lot codes, serial numbers, logos, linear barcodes, QR codes and DataMatrix. The message, resolution and line speed must be assessed together.
Yes, when the surface and process suit a compatible fast-dry ink. The real substrate should be tested for adhesion, drying time and resistance before final specification.
A product sensor normally triggers each print. An encoder can track changing belt speed, while PLC I/O or network connections can control messages and line status.
TIJ can produce high-resolution 2D codes. Code size, quiet zones, contrast, substrate, speed and downstream verification must all be designed for reliable scanning.
Start a conversation
Share your product, substrate, required code and line speed. We’ll come back with practical next steps.
A thermal inkjet printer should be assessed with the real substrate and the most demanding approved message. Text size, barcode layout, print area and speed belong in the same trial; a resolution figure alone does not show whether the completed code will meet your requirement.
Provide the longest variable text, required barcode content and smallest permitted layout. Include changes in date, batch or serial length. Confirm how the message is generated and which values must be compared with the released production job.
Test the actual coated carton, label, film or container rather than an apparently similar material. Identify the time and handling between printing and the next operation. Assess readability and the required resistance after that handling using the intended ink and agreed test method.
Observe first prints after a normal pause, job changes and the cartridge replacement procedure. Confirm the approved cleaning and storage instructions for the proposed system. These events affect useful production output even when a continuous demonstration prints well.
Compare the same artwork, ink, print setting and expected annual volume. Include setup, waste, inspection, cartridge changes and support in the scope. A published cartridge yield based on another message cannot establish your cost per accepted code.
Review QR and DataMatrix printing for code layout, production-line integration for triggers and controls, and the TIJ cost guide for quotation comparisons.
Related guidance:
Practical application guide
A thermal inkjet quotation becomes comparable when it uses the same message, substrate and operating pattern. Separate equipment price from consumables, setup waste and integration work, and state which assumptions came from a representative trial rather than a catalogue example.
Provide the actual text, logo and machine-readable code at the required size. Record the ink, resolution and operating conditions used for the comparison. A yield estimate from a shorter message or different coverage cannot be transferred directly to a more demanding layout.
Separate trial pieces, setup waste, rejected codes and released production. Include first prints after idle and cartridge replacement in the observation period. This makes it possible to compare a continuous demonstration with the stop-start pattern your line actually runs.
List mounting, sensing, movement tracking, controls, data connection and the required checking method. Identify which parts are supplied with the printer and which remain with the line integrator. A lower hardware quote can leave important work outside the compared scope, so record exclusions explicitly.
Ask how consumable use was measured or estimated and what changes the result. Include approved storage, cleaning and replacement practices for the selected system. Record the calculation assumptions with the quotation so a later change in artwork, ink or production mix can be reviewed.
For an illustrative calculation only, suppose consumables for a defined run cost £100 and 10,000 codes are accepted after its setup and reject losses. The consumable element is £0.01 per accepted code. That invented example is not a product price or yield claim and excludes equipment, labour and integration; a real comparison must use the supplier’s actual inputs and agreed scope.
For the next step, discuss this application using the examples and unresolved decisions above.