Quick answer: A beverage coding machine should not be selected from a specification sheet alone. Before purchase, test the real bottle, pouch, label or carton under the intended production conditions. Confirm the required code, ink-to-surface compatibility, print position, movement, drying and handling, operator workflow and acceptance criteria. A short, documented site trial can reveal practical issues that a showroom demonstration may miss.

The photograph accompanying this article records a PTS Technology visit involving a Malaysian beverage-sector customer, BENTSAI equipment and conveyor-related hardware. It is useful because it shows what a coding project looks like before normal production begins: people from the supplier and customer need to examine the application together.

This is not presented as a performance case study. The customer is not identified, and no production result, speed, saving or compliance outcome is claimed. Instead, the visit provides a practical starting point for an important question: what should a beverage manufacturer verify before approving a batch or date-coding solution?

Why beverage coding must be tested in the real application

“Beverage packaging” can describe very different surfaces and workflows. A manufacturer may need to mark a PET bottle, coated label, aluminium can, laminated pouch, paperboard sleeve or corrugated shipping carton. Two packages that both look like paper or plastic can behave differently because of varnish, lamination, surface treatment, moisture or curvature.

The printing environment also matters. A code may look clear on a dry sample at a desk but behave differently when the pack is cold, moving, recently filled or handled immediately after printing. That is why the most reliable buying process begins with the actual pack and the actual workflow—not a generic sample supplied by the printer vendor.

An eight-point beverage coding site-trial checklist

1. Define the exact variable information

Start by listing what must change from one production run to another. Examples may include a manufacturing date, best-before or expiry date, batch or lot identifier, production time, line number, barcode or QR code. Confirm the required language, date format, character height and available print area.

Malaysia's Food Regulations 1985 contain labelling provisions, including a specific regulation on date marking. However, the information required and the way it must appear depend on the food or beverage concerned. Manufacturers should confirm their exact label obligations using the current Ministry of Health Malaysia regulations or qualified regulatory advice. A coding printer can apply approved information; it does not decide what the legally correct information is.

2. Identify the real printing surface

Do not record only “plastic bottle” or “carton.” Note the precise location: the bottle body, cap, sleeve, adhesive label, shrink film, tray or outer case. If the code will be printed on a label, test the actual finished label because its coating may affect ink adhesion. If it will be printed on corrugated board, test the same board grade and print coverage used in production.

3. Select ink through sample testing

Aqueous and solvent-based TIJ inks serve different surface types. Porous materials such as suitable uncoated paperboard can absorb aqueous ink, while many non-porous or coated surfaces require an appropriate solvent-based formulation. This is a selection principle, not a guarantee that every ink will work on every item in the same material family.

Print several samples, allow the intended drying time and perform handling checks appropriate to the product. The final ink choice should be based on the actual packaging, not colour or substrate name alone.

4. Reproduce temperature and moisture conditions

Beverage packs may be dry and at room temperature, chilled before coding or exposed to condensation later. Moisture on the print zone can interfere with contact between ink and the surface. During the trial, record whether the pack is warm, cold, dry or visibly wet at the moment of printing.

If condensation is part of the normal process, test it deliberately. Do not describe a code as water-resistant, condensation-resistant or suitable for cold-chain use unless that exact ink-and-substrate combination has been checked under representative conditions.

5. Confirm code position, orientation and print distance

The preferred marketing position is not always the best coding position. Curves, seams, embossed areas and unstable packages can change the distance or angle between the printhead and the surface. Select a reasonably flat and repeatable zone that remains visible after packing.

For an inline setup, observe how the container or carton approaches the print point. Guides, sensors and mounting hardware may be needed to keep every item in a consistent position. For handheld work, confirm that operators can follow a stable path without rolling or twisting the pack.

6. Choose handheld, assisted or inline operation

The correct operating mode depends on the workflow rather than the industry name. Handheld printing may suit short runs, rework, outer cartons, changing locations or products that are difficult to bring to a fixed station. An inline configuration may be more appropriate when packs move continuously and repeatable placement is required.

For portable or mixed manual workflows, manufacturers can evaluate the BENTSAI BT-HH6205BL handheld TIJ printer. For a dedicated conveyor coding point, the BENTSAI E61P inline TIJ coding printer is another option to assess. Model and ink compatibility should still be confirmed against the real application before purchase.

7. Test the operator workflow, not only the print sample

A technically good code can still fail operationally if the wrong message is selected. During training, ask an operator to create or load the approved message, check the date and batch fields, position the code, run a first-off sample and stop the process when an error is found.

Decide who may edit templates and who approves the first printed pack. Keep approved message names simple and unambiguous. For changeovers, use a short sign-off that links the product SKU, code content and production batch.

8. Write measurable acceptance criteria

“Looks good” is not a repeatable standard. Agree on simple checks before the trial ends. The code should contain the approved data, appear within the chosen print area, remain legible after the agreed drying and handling period, and be readable by the intended scanner when a machine-readable code is used.

Retain an approved sample or photograph together with the message name, ink reference, substrate description and test conditions. This becomes a useful reference for operator training and future troubleshooting.

What to bring to a PTS coding assessment

Item to prepare	Why it matters
Actual empty packages	Allows testing on the correct coating, colour, curvature and surface.
Required code artwork or text	Confirms whether the information fits the available print area.
Production-flow details	Helps distinguish handheld, assisted and inline requirements.
Temperature and moisture conditions	Identifies environmental factors that should be reproduced in testing.
Handling or scanning requirement	Defines how the finished code will be judged.

A better buying question for beverage manufacturers

Instead of asking only, “Which printer is best for beverages?”, ask: “Which printer, ink, mounting method and operating procedure can produce an acceptable code on our real pack in our real workflow?”

That question leads to a more useful discussion. It prevents a model from being selected only because of a headline specification and keeps the focus on the finished code that production, quality and warehouse teams actually need.

PTS Technology Sdn Bhd supplies BENTSAI coding and marking solutions in Malaysia and can assess packaging samples before a final configuration is selected. To discuss a beverage coding application, send photographs of the printing area, packaging samples, required code and workflow details through WhatsApp at +6014-360 0265.

Frequently asked questions

Why must a beverage manufacturer test the actual packaging?

Coatings, curvature, moisture and handling can change ink adhesion and print consistency. A generic sample may not reproduce the conditions of the finished package.

Can one TIJ ink print on both beverage cartons and plastic bottles?

Not automatically. Ink must be selected for the exact surface. Suitable porous board and non-porous or coated plastic commonly require different ink approaches, followed by sample testing.

Should a beverage factory choose a handheld or inline coder?

Handheld operation can suit short runs, rework and mobile carton coding. Inline operation is generally evaluated when products move continuously and repeatable code placement is needed.

Can a TIJ printer mark a cold or wet beverage container?

Suitability cannot be assumed. Test the selected ink on the actual container at the temperature and moisture condition present when printing occurs.

What should be documented after a successful coding trial?

Record the package and print zone, approved message, ink reference, operating setup, drying and handling conditions, acceptance checks and an approved print sample.

Related application guide: Explore our Food & Beverage Coding Solutions in Malaysia for batch numbers, manufacturing dates, expiry dates, barcodes and QR codes.