Videojet Technologies Inc. (global.videojet.com), a world-leading manufacturer of coding, marking and printing products, introduces a new UV fluorescent ink for its 1000 Line of continuous ink jet printers. Videojet’s V458-D UV ink is specifically formulated for dual-purpose applications that require both machine readable fluorescent and human readable codes.

“Videojet continues to increase its ink offerings in order to help meet expanding customer needs,” says John Kirschner, Videojet supplies business manager. “By launching a new UV fluorescent ink that produces both machine and human readable codes, we can better serve customers with multi-purpose applications. The ink imparts unique code properties to enable automated product validation and to assure correct product routing and usage throughout the supply chain. These features help to drive increased productivity and enhanced uptime.”

Customers implementing Videojet 1000 Line printers will have the ability to now print UV fluorescent codes that are easily readable by machines and humans. The new ink offers enhanced productivity through its visually distinctive properties that enable reading and authentication on a variety of different background colors and materials. V458-D ink produces a red, light-emitting fluorescent code when illuminated by a UV light. These red fluorescent images can be read on high speed production lines immediately after printing, even when printed on multi-color surfaces – conditions normally challenging for conventional fluorescent inks and camera-based reader systems. Additionally, the ink produces a human-visible pink color making it easy to conduct immediate visual code quality checks during the production process, or downstream in the distribution supply chain. High quality, readable codes are an integral part of Code Assurance, Videojet’s comprehensive approach to printing the right codes on the right products.

Fluorescent Applications

The ink is specially formulated with a unique set of fluorescent and visible dyes combined to provide machine and human readable codes on a variety of differing color backgrounds. Various methods of illumination may be used to activate the dye and enable it to fluoresce. A fast illumination response time means codes can be captured and read on high speed production lines. Primary applications include automotive and automated parts marking, postal bar codes and codes included as part of track and trace applications.