The Durable Industrial Marking Blog

Direct part marking food packaging often requires the marking tooling to have specific properties. Ink for food packaging, specifically, needs to meet a few key criteria. To understand what to look for in food packaging marking solutions, it is necessary to look at why we mark food packaging and the unique challenges inherent in this type of packaging.

Hot stamping is capable of creating vibrant, permanent marks on a wide variety of substrates. To get the best results when hot stamping, however, it is important to fully understand how to hot stamp properly with foil and ribbons.  

There are many reasons to mark plastic, but with the increasing popularity of plastic packaging, for everything from milk to motor oil, it’s no surprise that the most common reason for marking plastic is to apply an expiration date to a food or beverage item. So, what options do you have for printing expiration dates on plastic?

OEM thermal transfer printers heat coated thermal transfer ribbons to create an image in the areas where the ribbon has been heated. After heat has been applied, the ink releases from the carrier and transfers to the substrate, typically flexible packaging or paper labels. This marking method is ideal for directly marking information onto packaging, like expiration dates or bar codes.

Permanent marking on metal, whether stainless steel, aluminum, titanium, brass, or copper, presents a couple of unique challenges but can be accomplished in a number of ways.

Electric branding irons are one of the most cost-effective ways to permanently mark nearly any surface material. Aside from glass and metal, branding irons can be used to create custom text, logos, and graphics onto nearly any material.

Industrial markers can be found in environments as diverse as factory floors and outdoor construction sites. These markers are designed to be highly pigmented, create clear and crisp marks, and reliably last in even the harshest environments. Some styles of industrial markers, however, are designed to be removed, either with detergent or water.

For many artisans, the ability to permanently mark their products is a balancing act of efficiency, quality, and affordability. There are many direct part marking methods available, but often times those marking solutions are out of the price range of artists, hobbyists, and small businesses. Steel hand stamps are often the ideal solution for customization, however, because the advantages of steel make hand stamps both durable and affordable while being endlessly customizable. So, even the smallest of operations can afford to customize their products with a maker’s mark, touchmark logo, or custom design.

In Case You Didn’t Notice, We’ve Redesigned Our Website

Why did we decide to redesign our website? Well, we’ve redesigned our entire website, even the mobile version, with you in mind! We wanted to make it easier for you to find the information you need to make your mark. From hot stamping, to date coding, to industrial marking systems, you'll find marking solutions for every direct part marking need and application. With our new website design, finding the right solution will be easier than ever.

As any parent of an 18-year-old boy knows, it is hard to find the right Christmas present for them. Katie Bradds in Nashville, TN came up with a unique gift idea for her son, Jackson, and the team at Durable Technologies helped make it happen.