Labelling on cardboard packaging, boxes and cases

Although all packaging is made of cardboard, the labelling requirements differ significantly between the different levels. A pharmaceutical box must be individually identifiable and often contains serialized information that is verified mechanically. A shipping carton, on the other hand, has the task of identifying a larger number of products during storage and distribution.

The choice of technology for marking cardboard packaging, boxes and cases is therefore not determined by the fact that the material is cardboard, but by the function of the packaging in the production and distribution chain. Based on our experience, it is precisely this difference that often determines which solution will be the most reliable and cost-effective.

The medicine box – the most important information carrier

The cardboard box that meets the end customer is much more than protective packaging.

It works simultaneously as:

• product identification
• information carrier
• traceability carrier
• regulatory labelling
• marketing

Here you will find, among other things:

• product name
• strength
• pharmaceutical form
• manufacturer
• batch number
• expiration date
• Datamatrix code
• Serial Number

Unlike blister packaging, the pharmaceutical box is often the packaging that is identified throughout the distribution chain. This also means that the requirements for print quality are very high.

The biggest challenges are rarely about the labelling itself

When discussing labelling on cardboard packaging, boxes and cases, the focus often ends up being on which printer to use. In practice, this is rarely the biggest challenge. The real challenge is instead how to integrate the labelling system into the existing production line.

We often encounter situations where:

• the products come out in the wrong orientation for labelling
• the marking was previously done manually
• there is no space for new equipment
• the printer must be integrated between existing machines
• the product flow needs to be automated

In many cases, the project is therefore as much about material handling and machine integration as it is about the marking technology itself.

Product orientation often determines the entire solution

A cardboard box may leave the carton upright. The next machine may require it to be laid down. The vision camera may need to see a specific side. The print head may need to access the top.

This means that the marking often affects how the entire conveyor path must be designed. In some cases, the product needs to be rotated. In other cases, guides or conveyors are rebuilt to create the correct orientation before marking occurs. This is why two seemingly identical cartons can require completely different marking solutions.

Production rate is rarely the limiting factor

Unlike labelling small vials or ampoules, speed is rarely the biggest challenge when labelling cartons, boxes and cases. The reason is simple. The cartons are typically produced after the filling and packaging process.

Carton erectors, carton sealers and packaging machines generally operate at a significantly slower rate than the filling line itself. This means that in most cases the labelling system has plenty of time to apply and verify the labelling. Instead, the focus shifts to:

• correct product positioning
• verification
• integration
• recipe control
• operator friendliness