Enlarge: Half-day training, here with PrintoLUX employees Daniel Becker (left) and Jens Jonderko.

What were the challenges to be solved and what specific benefits were achieved?

Requirements in industrial labelling have recently increased significantly, particularly with regard to the following aspects:

• High resistance to thermal, physical and chemical stresses
• Display quality (smallest typos, different international characters incl. Chinese, Arabic et al, colours, 2-D codes etc.)
• Flexibility of the label material (metal, foil, plastic, ...)
• Efficiency

Conventional production procedures (e.g. engraving and screen printing) are only of limited use these days, which frequently results in parallel and laborious use of several procedures. PrintoLUX® has provided a comprehensively applicable procedure for the production of labels since 2008. The patented procedure represents a version of digital printing and impresses a number of users with the realisation of the specification “One single procedure for all requirements” – simply put: “One for all!”

PrintoLUX® has demonstrably and significantly optimised industrial labelling. In mechanical and plant engineering, users of the procedure do not save a mere 3 or 4 percent of previous expenditure, but 30 or 40 percent. Complex, flexible and time-saving labelling with PrintoLUX® proves to be an efficient tool for process simplification in practical implementations.

How can the Industrie 4.0 approach be described?

With the specific interaction of the individual components of the PrintoLUX® procedure (certified label materials made of metal, plastic and foil; pre-treatment, special inks, printing system, software and heating unit), industrially used labels can be produced quickly, economically, portably, in varying designs and with special display quality and high durability.

Enlarge: The PrintoLUX®-FB-20/400-STONE brought to market in 2017

What could be achieved?

• Where several procedures have so far been used in the industry (often machine and plant engineering) for the production of required labels, a single procedure can now be used (“One for all”).
• Economic performance, simple handling and efficiency of the PrintoLUX® procedure are noted by the German automotive industry and put into practice.
• Reputable mechanical and plant engineering companies are also among the users of the PrintoLUX® procedure.
• Users generally record savings of more than 30%.

What measures have been taken to achieve the solution?

Interplay of the following components realises the strengths of the PrintoLUX® procedure:

• Label materials that were chosen by PrintoLUX® as suitable, tested and certified
• Own printing systems developed and produced in Germany in different sizes and in various designs
• Water-based inks that do not represent any health risks
• Heating units for thermosetting.

What can others learn from it?

The successful development of the PrintoLUX® procedure has prompted the entire automotive industry to critically examine the little noticed field of labelling with regard to its economic relevance and potential for optimisation. – The success story of the PrintoLUX® procedure also causes other industrial companies to question their own label production and look into scope for optimisation.