Linx Printing Technologies, a supplier of industrial coding and marking products, has developed an ink that addresses the challenges of delivering long-term high-quality code adherence for rigid plastics and plastic films.

The new Linx Black Ultra Strong Plastic-Adherent Ink 1061 ensures excellent and consistent adhesion particularly on PET and low surface energy substrates, including OPP, BOPP, HDPE, and LDPE. This ink often eliminates the need for plasma treatment on the packaging, a process sometimes used to modify the surface of the material and enhance adhesion.

Such flexibility makes the ink particularly suitable for businesses handling a variety of plastic packaging for different products on their lines. The ink also performs highly on other challenging substrates, such as those which may have a thin layer of grease or oil coating on them, and on frozen food packs prior to freezing.

The codes can withstand rigorous handling or rubbing during production, packing, and onward transit, maintaining their quality and ensuring full readability and traceability throughout the distribution process.

Linx Black Ultra Strong Plastic-Adherent Ink 1061 is compatible with Linx 8000 Series CIJ printers, and its formulation allows for longer service intervals than many other specialist inks, maximising uptime, and reducing service costs.

In addition, unlike many inks designed for good adhesion, the new Linx ink is free from PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances), CMR substances (carcinogenic, mutagenic, reprotoxic), and contains no mineral oils. It fully complies with industry standards such as the EuPIA (European Printing Ink Association) Exclusion Policy. This helps to ensure enhanced health and safety compliance.

“The low surface energy of plastics has always made printing onto them a challenge and while there are specialist inks for individual materials, until now there has not been one that has the flexibility to work effectively across many substrates,” says Simon Millett, product manager for Inks at Linx Printing Technologies.

“Our new Linx Black Ultra Strong Plastic-Adherent Ink 1061 fills this gap by excelling in rigorous QA adhesion tests, ensuring long-lasting and consistently high-quality codes on the latest generation of mono flexible films and rigid plastics. It combines excellent performance with health and safety benefits, as well as cost of ownership advantages.”

Linx says the new ink has performed to the highest standards in several QA tests for adhesion, including tape tests, where a special tape is used to test ink resistance to exposure throughout the production and distribution process.