Virtually no area of the electrical and electronics industry is unaffected by it: Product pirates unashamedly make reproductions of high-quality products and, in the worst cases, damage the reputation of the trademark owner with their inferior articles. Marking specialist Koenig & Bauer Coding offers marking solutions featuring coded imprints to make it easier to identify counterfeit products and guarantee the traceability of the original products.

There is hardly a single manufacturer in the electrical and electronics industry these days that has been left untouched by product piracy. That the product is a replica or even a forgery is hard to see from the product itself. The quality of switches, plug-in connectors, sets of cables, capacitors or electronic components is difficult to discern at first glance.

One means of identifying replica or counterfeit products quickly is to use effective product markings with the date of manufacture, batch number and other data in coded form. At incoming goods inspections it is easier to differentiate parts from counterfeits if they have this type of detailed marking.

A further advantage of product marking is traceability. This means that in the event of a production fault it is easier to identify and sort out the faulty parts. The question however is, which marking system is suitable for which application? To answer this question, Oliver Volland, CEO at Koenig & Bauer Coding, is just the person to talk to. The company has enjoyed a reputation in the market for decades as a competent supplier of marking solutions.

"As in all industries, there is also a range of marking technologies for applications in the electrical and electronics industry with specific strengths to offer for specific tasks," explains Oliver Volland, and emphasizes: "The preferred solution is inkjet systems since they deliver good marking results especially when it comes to the varying compositions of plastics that are often involved. For applications with simple markings, hot stamping units can be the solution. Laser systems are more dependent on the compound than inkjets and hot stamping units." A further advantage is offered by inkjet printers capable of applying small lettering with excellent legibility in what is generally only limited space available for marking.

"The alphaJET pico is a high-quality inkjet printer (CIJ) in our range of products which is capable of producing a 5-line printed image in a consistent quality even on uneven or structured surfaces," explains Oliver Volland. With its miniscule nozzle diameter of just 42 micrometers, the alphaJET pico delivers outstanding printing results with a small, fine and clear line structure. This is key to trouble-free identification of codes such as DMC, 2D and DotCode using standard scanners. The device also scores high marks for an excellent print image when it comes to the marking of ultra-thin cables with cross-sections as little as 0.35 mm2.

Using interfaces such as Ethernet, RS232 and USB the printer can be integrated seamlessly in the line and be used together with camera systems for checking the print quality. The device achieves speeds of up to 695 m/min depending on the checkbox and the legibility check.

In addition to the alphaJET pico, Koenig & Bauer Coding also offers a variety of other inkjet marking systems so that precisely the right solution is available for practically every conceivable application. The devices can be used for marking a wide spectrum of products and components in the electrical and electronics industry. In the plug-in connector segment this includes all types of connecting and installation terminals. They are also used for marking switches, keys, fuses and printed circuit boards.

Virtually no area of the electrical and electronics industry is unaffected by it: Product pirates unashamedly make reproductions of high-quality products and, in the worst cases, damage the reputation of the trademark owner with their inferior articles. Marking specialist Koenig & Bauer Coding offers marking solutions featuring coded imprints to make it easier to identify counterfeit products and guarantee the traceability of the original products.

There is hardly a single manufacturer in the electrical and electronics industry these days that has been left untouched by product piracy. That the product is a replica or even a forgery is hard to see from the product itself. The quality of switches, plug-in connectors, sets of cables, capacitors or electronic components is difficult to discern at first glance.

One means of identifying replica or counterfeit products quickly is to use effective product markings with the date of manufacture, batch number and other data in coded form. At incoming goods inspections it is easier to differentiate parts from counterfeits if they have this type of detailed marking.

A further advantage of product marking is traceability. This means that in the event of a production fault it is easier to identify and sort out the faulty parts. The question however is, which marking system is suitable for which application? To answer this question, Oliver Volland, CEO at Koenig & Bauer Coding, is just the person to talk to. The company has enjoyed a reputation in the market for decades as a competent supplier of marking solutions.

"As in all industries, there is also a range of marking technologies for applications in the electrical and electronics industry with specific strengths to offer for specific tasks," explains Oliver Volland, and emphasizes: "The preferred solution is inkjet systems since they deliver good marking results especially when it comes to the varying compositions of plastics that are often involved. For applications with simple markings, hot stamping units can be the solution. Laser systems are more dependent on the compound than inkjets and hot stamping units." A further advantage is offered by inkjet printers capable of applying small lettering with excellent legibility in what is generally only limited space available for marking.

"The alphaJET pico is a high-quality inkjet printer (CIJ) in our range of products which is capable of producing a 5-line printed image in a consistent quality even on uneven or structured surfaces," explains Oliver Volland. With its miniscule nozzle diameter of just 42 micrometers, the alphaJET pico delivers outstanding printing results with a small, fine and clear line structure. This is key to trouble-free identification of codes such as DMC, 2D and DotCode using standard scanners. The device also scores high marks for an excellent print image when it comes to the marking of ultra-thin cables with cross-sections as little as 0.35 mm2.

Using interfaces such as Ethernet, RS232 and USB the printer can be integrated seamlessly in the line and be used together with camera systems for checking the print quality. The device achieves speeds of up to 695 m/min depending on the checkbox and the legibility check.

In addition to the alphaJET pico, Koenig & Bauer Coding also offers a variety of other inkjet marking systems so that precisely the right solution is available for practically every conceivable application. The devices can be used for marking a wide spectrum of products and components in the electrical and electronics industry. In the plug-in connector segment this includes all types of connecting and installation terminals. They are also used for marking switches, keys, fuses and printed circuit boards.