Wood

Robust, integrated systems: How wood surfaces can be reliably marked

Coding and marking solutions for the wood industry

Wood is a very versatile material and an indispensable part of many industrial sectors, especially the construction and furniture industries. As a natural product, wood has very different properties depending on the type and processing method. The marking of wood and wood products requires printing systems and labeling solutions that can cope with the environmental conditions in the wood processing industry. They have to be designed for the high dust pollution, the large temperature fluctuations and the sometimes strong vibrations caused by conveyor belts and chains.

The markings that sawmills and wood processors have to apply to beams, boards, panels, plywood and other wood products include internationally prescribed quality seals, CE marking, DIN standards, information on wood grading, manufacturer logos and product designations. Variable data such as production date and time and batch number are also printed or applied by label to ensure serialization and complete traceability. Data for transportation and shipping is usually applied to wooden products using logistics labels. All coding and marking systems and labeling solutions also have to be designed for the high cycle rates of wood processing machines.

Challenges in marking wood surfaces

Marking at sometimes very high machine speeds

Resistance to dust, vibrations and temperature fluctuations

Direct marking of irregularly grown wooden surfaces

Marking with variable data for serialization

Compliance with EPAL standards for pallet production