CASE STUDY: Multi-lane stickpack packaging machine with Inkjet coding

For dietary supplements, packaging marking is far more than a formality. Every package must be traceable, legible, and correctly coded.

This was exactly the challenge presented to us at NOMATECH by a contract manufacturer of dietary supplements and food products. They required a high-performance packaging line for single-dose powdered products that could not only package the product but also accurately print the required information on every individual sachet.

We designed a complete solution based on the 10-lane VOLCANO 250S10 vertical packaging machine. The line includes an integrated stickpack printing system supplied by the Czech manufacturer TS Electronics Zlín, together with a downstream cartoning machine. The result is a stable production output of up to 350 stickpacks per minute while maintaining excellent print quality and readability.

The demand: high output, narrow sachets, and individual coding

The customer is a contract manufacturer providing complete services for its clients, from blend preparation to final packaging. In practice, this means diverse projects and frequent changes of products, batch numbers, and expiry dates. In this application, a powdered dietary supplement was packed into 5 g stickpacks measuring 30 × 120 mm.

The customer’s requirements were clear:

• package powdered dietary supplements into narrow single-dose stickpacks,
• ensure reliable coding on every sachet – batch number (LOT) and expiry date,
• mark all 10 lanes simultaneously,
• maintain high packaging speed,
• ensure readability of printed information despite the limited print area and small font size,
• minimize additional operations and manual handling,
• maintain a hygienic production environment suitable for the food industry,
• automatically carton the sachets in the required quantity.
   

The challenge: Why is stickpack coding technically challenging?

A stickpack is a narrow sachet designed for single-dose packaging of powders, liquids, or pastes. Compared to larger packages, it offers only a very limited area for printing.

In this project, the print had to be applied longitudinally, in the direction of film movement. This is more demanding than conventional sachet printing, where information is often printed across the package, providing more available space and requiring only one sachet to be marked per cycle.

With a 10-lane machine, achieving high-quality printing in a single lane is not enough. The same result must be delivered simultaneously across all 10 lanes. Each web must maintain precise print positioning, sufficient contrast, and clear readability.
 

What technological alternatives were considered?

In theory, ten separate printers could have been used. However, this would have resulted in significantly higher investment costs, a more complex mounting system for ten print heads, more demanding setup and servicing, higher operating costs, and more components requiring maintenance.

Another theoretical option was a single moving print head. However, on a multi-lane packaging machine, such a solution would compromise stability and print quality while requiring a reduction in production speed.

The Solution: dosing, packaging, and coding in a single system

We proposed a fully integrated line in which all processes seamlessly follow one another:

1. VOLCANO 250S10 – 10-lane vertical packaging machine for stickpack production and filling.
2. RACKET-S auger dosing system for powdered products.
3. Integrated TIJ coding system (Thermal Inkjet) for printing LOT numbers and expiry dates on stickpacks.
4. Horizontal cartoning machine for packaging groups of sachets into cartons.

The packaging machine VOLCANO 250S10 forms single-dose stickpacks from a roll of heat-sealable packaging material, doses the product, and seals the package. Thanks to its 10-lane configuration, it can produce large quantities of single-dose sachets in a short time.

The coding system was integrated so that printing is applied directly onto the film web before it is divided into individual lanes, formed into sachets, and filled with product. This eliminates the need for coding finished sachets or applying labels.

Finished stickpacks with the required printed information then proceed to the cartoning machine for final packaging.
 

Why NOMATECH chose TIJ coding

For this application, a TS Electronics inkjet printer based on Thermal Inkjet (TIJ) technology was selected. The customer required coding that would be precise, highly legible, and virtually maintenance-free.

• The TIJ system uses cartridges containing both the ink and the print head. Replacing the cartridge therefore replaces not only the ink supply but also the printing component itself. No regular flushing, aggressive solvents, or complicated servicing are required. Routine maintenance is limited mainly to shaking the cartridge and wiping the print head.
• The ink remains enclosed within the cartridge, and printing occurs at a very short distance—approximately 1 mm from the substrate. This minimizes ink mist and contamination of the surrounding area.

Key differences between TIJ (Thermal Inkjet) and CIJ (Continuous Inkjet)

Less manual work, lower risk of errors

Integrated sachet printing saves time by eliminating additional process steps. Finished sachets no longer need secondary printing or label application. The risk of unmarked sachets or incorrect batch information is significantly reduced.

For a contract manufacturer, this is also important from a logistics and production planning perspective. Frequent product changes require frequent updates of printed information. With coding integrated directly into the packaging line, variable data can be managed within the production process itself.

The result is a cleaner workflow, reduced handling, and a lower risk of complaints caused by missing or illegible information.

Results: Stable production of up to 350 sachets per minute

The customer received a solution that successfully combines high throughput, accurate dosing, reliable coding, and automated cartoning. The capacity increase is substantial: at maximum speed, the line can produce up to 21,000 sachets per hour. Compared with single-lane or semi-automatic solutions, this represents a significant productivity improvement while requiring minimal operator involvement.

This project demonstrates that even a relatively small detail, such as printing on a narrow sachet, can determine the success of an entire packaging line. If coding does not work reliably, production does not work reliably. That is why the solution had to be designed as an integral part of the machine from the very beginning.

Technical Specifications

• Packaging machine: VOLCANO 250S10
• Number of lanes: 10
• Package type: Stickpack sachet
• Product: Powdered dietary supplement
• Printing technology: TIJ (Thermal Inkjet printer)
• Printed information: LOT number, expiry date
• Print resolution: 300–600 DPI
• Print head decap time: 6–24 hours depending on ink type and operating conditions
• Ink drying time: Approximately 1 second with the latest ink formulations
• Packaging/printing speed: Up to 350 stickpacks per minute
   

Do you need to code single-dose sachets?

We can design a solution tailored to your product type, required output, and coding requirements. We help integrate packaging, coding, and downstream processes into one efficient production line.
 

Frequently Asked Questions about stickpack coding (FAQ)