Through rigorous testing, Domino’s V230i printer qualified as a solution for marking variable information on packaging film as the film is formed, filled and sealed on an ISHIDA Atlas bag maker. The qualification took place at Heat and Control’s corporate headquarters in Hayward, CA under the watchful supervision of Heat and Control’s product management and technical service teams in cooperation with Dominos' sector development team in flexible packaging.
Heat and Control is an important industry influencer that commands respect. Domino has targeted Heat and Control as a company that can benefit from our solutions for marking flexible film. When Domino’s Sector Development Manager John Malette and Product Manager Todd Thornton were given the opportunity to qualify Domino’s latest V-Series thermal transfer over-printer on Heat and Control’s ISHIDA Atlas bag maker, they knew they needed to come prepared to impress all.
Preparation
The Domino team knew to qualify on ISHIDA Atlas and pass the demanding tests, they needed to do their homework. “We visited Heat and Control’s Lititz, PA service center in the heart of America’s snack food region. We listened to the guys who install and service the packaging machines and noted their challenges.”
“Next, we traveled to Heat andControl’s corporate headquarters in Hayward, CA to hear from product management about the expectations they have from a solution provider like Domino.”
Armed with a firm understanding of requirements, Domino engineered a custom solution for mounting our V230i printer to the ISHIDA Atlas machine. The bracket incorporates Heat and Control’s desire to print ‘downward’ on the packaging film, thus protecting the printer from debris and seasonings that fall from above. The bracket also includes a window opening for easy access for cleaning and sanitation. When Domino’s equipment arrived, “the Heat and Control folks were very impressed” Thornton declared. Before Domino arrived on-site, the Heat and Control Team had already mounted the preassembled bracket to the Atlas bag maker, taking only about 15 minutes.
Test & Outcome
“We performed better than we predicted in Heat and Control’s qualification. That was reassuring for the OEM and a nice achievement for Domino.”— Sector Development Manager John Malette
Beginning with basic speed tests, the Heat and Control Team input simple messages to run test prints and inspect print quality with each speed increase. After periodically stopping to find flawless printing at each increase, Heat and Control began pushing the limits of the machine. The Team systematically increased speed to identify weak points within the Domino coder. The V230i continued to persevere while conserving ribbon in 10% increments from 10% to 60%. speeds up to 230 bags per minute. “We ran faster than what is typical in any production environment we’re targeting,” Malette beamed.