Cardboard coated

Properties of coated cardboard

Coated cardboard is used when the appearance of the (outer) box is important. For instance when products are offered directly from their boxes to end users, or if logo/branding is important. The coated layer is preprinted for this purpose, and variable information such as a bar code, contents or address details will be printed onto it later. The coating consists of non-porous material causing oil-based ink to adhere less well. Therefore, ink with solvent is used. The solvent evaporates after printing leaving the necessary dye behind.

Coding techniques suitable for coated cardboard

Because of the required resolution for barcodes, logo’s and text, Hi-Res Inkjet is the most appropriate technique for coding variable information onto coated cardboard. If contrast with the coating is adequate, Hi-Res Inkjet produces the lowest cost per print. If necessary, a legible/scan-able contrast can be achieved with colored ink. Finally, budget considerations, or just the need for printing of a fixed text or logo can make Rollcoders a good alternative.