Finished Timber Length Marking

Manufacturers of planed and moulded timber sections are using ATD IP9000 printer systems to add value to their products, reduce costs and make them more marketable to their customers.

Planed or moulded timber sections may be produced in random lengths, or small batches.

In many cases the sections have had no way of identifying their length, or have relied on labels stapled to the ends. These are vulnerable to damage or loss during packing and transport, and unmarked sections are easily misplaced or mixed.

By ink-jet marking the end of each section with its length the problems and costs of labelling have been overcome. At the retailer the sections are often presented ‘end on’, and the ink-jet marking enables customers to easily select the required length from the rack.

The high-quality, high-resolution characters printed by ATD IP9000 ink-jet printers have the flexibility to produce character heights ranging from 3 to 50mm. The characters size can be changed instantly (under computer control if required) giving maximum flexibility in the production environment, enabling a single system to cater for the entire range of products.

In addition to length details the printed information can also include text, product and shift codes, date and time, quality marks or company logos. ATD works in partnership with suppliers of length measuring systems (such as Systek in the UK) and can integrate into existing installations, or provide a full installation and engineering service for new equipment.

ATD IP9000 Ink-jet printers are easily integrated with computer controlled saws, molders and planers. A simple RS232 or RS422 protocol allows details of the section length to be transmitted to the printer.

In some installations there may be a number of sections between the printer and the measuring system or planer/molder. The printer will buffer the data to enable each section to be printed with the correct information as it passes the printhead.