CASE STUDY
Revolutionizing Pallet Marking: How Switching to Inkjet Printing Boosted Efficiency and Cut Costs
COMPANY
Quint-C Pallet Company
OVERVIEW
Quint-C Pallet Company, in Limestone, TN, needed a more efficient and reliable solution for marking pallets with IPPC and treatment certifications. Facing challenges with labor-intensive stamping and slow heat branding, they implemented the PP108 Inkjet Printer. This transformation boosted their production rate, reduced cost, and eliminated the need for manual labor—all while improving print quality and consistency across their entire operation.
OBJECTIVE
Quint-C Pallet Company needed a more efficient and reliable way to mark their pallets with IPPC and treatment certifications. The rubber stamps were extremely labor intensive and costly. They had recently installed a heat brander onto their GBN Stinger Pallet machine to automate this process, but this had its own challenges and was also slowing down production. They needed a faster, more automated printing alternative that could integrate into their existing pallet assembly machines and speed up production.
CHALLENGE
Like most pallet manufacturers, Quint-C has an extremely harsh production environment, where sawdust, splinters, and vibrations from assembly machines are constant challenges. Additionally, their Stinger Machine builds pallets with stringer boards running perpendicular to the conveyor, so they needed a way to print across the correct face of the boards without slowing down production.
SOLUTION
Pak-Tec replaced Quint-C's rubber stamp and heat branding systems with PP108 Inkjet Printers on both the GBN Block Pallet and Stringer Pallet assembly machines. The PP108's durable design, shock-resistant print head, and stainless-steel faceplate provided a reliable solution for their harsh environment. With an integrated traversing system, the printers delivered high-resolution (300 DPI) prints across the correct face of the boards, regardless of wood type or moisture content. This upgrade automated the process, increased production rates by 15%, improved changeover times, and reduced costs while enhancing product quality.
- Retractable Bracket – Industrial bracket keeps your printhead out of harms way.
- Printhead Guard – Stainless steel faceplate designed specifically to eliminate damage from wood and splinters.
- High Resolution (960 DPI) – Best vertical resolution in class. Print 360 DPI at 500 feet/ Min.
- Gray Scale Printing – Full grey scale printing for complex graphics and extra ink savings
- Self Priming – Start up is easy and quick
- Shock Resistant Print Head – Unique ink circulation system self-cleans & eliminates issues due to impact or vibrations
- Easy to Integrate Into any Pallet Machine - Designed with independent ink supply, the printhead has a small footprint ideal retro-fitting your existing pallet assembly machine
RESULTS
1. Increased in Production Rate by 15%
Productivity and throughput increased by eliminating the dwell time for heat branding and reduced changeover time between product runs.
2. Reduced Labor Costs
Automated manual stamping and stenciling process reduced labor costs and freed up workers for more productive tasks.
3. Improved IPPC and Heat Treatment Codes on Pallet
Delivered bold, clear prints regardless of wood type, eliminating variability caused by operator errors and moisture content.
4. Reduced Marking Cost by 80%
The cost to print IPPC and HT certification with inkjet, including equipment costs, is just a fifth of the cost compared to stamping.
.jpg "Copy of Pallet Printing Wood Type (200 x 500 px)")
READY TO UPGRADE YOUR PALLET MARKING?
Contact us today to learn more about how the PP108 Inkjet Printer can transform your pallet marking process and bring efficiency, reliability, and savings to your operation.
