Print in the Channel - issue #7

SECURE LABEL PRINTING

Most importantly, for a secure labelling solution, RFID tags are difficult to copy as the chip will contain a unique identifying number, whereas with your printed barcode they

“In such cases, to support these smaller label sizes it’s critical to have high quality supplies from a reputable vendor. This will help ensure the correct label and ribbon combination to achieve a superior, stable and durable printed image that will last the product’s lifetime and still be readable at the end of that product’s lifecycle once it enters a recycling or circular economy program. At this point, the identification of what is entering such programs will be just as vital. “We are also seeing a growing trend in sustainability, with customers seeking labelling solutions and materials that align to their environmental objectives. Linerless media is an area Zebra has seen a growth in interest, and one that we are well placed to support given our experience, alongside a range of environmentally friendly printing solutions.” innovative solutions available. For example, Zebra manufacturers what it claims is a one- of-a-kind printer operating system called Link-OS. “This enables Print DNA, Zebra’s suite of software capabilities that provides a full lifecycle of experiences for all users,” says Elaine. “Included with Print DNA are various Solutions available With the market developing, there are applications that help ensure the security of the installed print fleet, starting with PrintSecure. With PrintSecure, organisations can encrypt connections, allow only permitted access and regularly update their thermal printers to address new threats. Unless locked down, printers are typically ‘open’ devices – meaning anyone can alter settings. However, with the Protected Mode from Zebra’s PrintSecure, an administrator level account

of RFID printing technology available on the market. “The biggest growth has been for Ultra-High Frequency RFID print and encode technology, which combines optical information such as printed text and barcodes alongside magnetic technology that encodes data onto the label, which is then scanned by a reader,” he says. “There are also other types of RFID printing technology available such as HF (High Frequency) and LF (Low Frequency) encoding and barcode printing. However, there is a very limited market for these types of printers.” Elaine adds that RFID brings the ability to, unlike printed barcodes, read and write to them, facilitating easy updates to the tags with new information,” she says. “Most importantly, for a secure labelling solution, RFID tags are difficult to copy as the chip will contain a unique identifying number, whereas with your printed barcode they are much easier to photograph, reprint and scan.” Major trends As a technology that is still developing, trends are changing among businesses that use secure labels, as Elaine explains. “Recently we have seen a tendency for customers to request smaller labels to tag smaller products or components at the item level, rather than merely on the outer packaging of the unit,” she says. “This is driven by the need for greater visibility and traceability within the supply and manufacturing chains, end-to-end, for greater transparency of materials and supply of those used in the products. Asset identification and tracking is gaining importance to support sustainability efforts to trace and evidence the source for materials like precious metals.

are much easier to photograph, reprint and scan.

Jay Kim managing director

bixoloneu.com

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