True-zero VOC Inks for Marking Rubber Take Center Stage at ITEC 2022

In a busy tire manufacturing facility, thousands of flat slabs of tread rubber are processed daily. Keeping track of slabs that look virtually identical but are actually comprised of different compounds would be impossible without accurate marking that can survive the manufacturing process. For over 60 years, Matthews Marking Systems has been an important partner with many of the world’s leading tire manufacturers by supplying the systems and inks that make such marks possible.

Up until the digital era, the primary means of producing tire marks was with roll coders and offset printers. These analog devices were inflexible and inefficient. Making matters worse, they required the use of caustic and dangerous VOC inks to feed messy mechanical printers and coders.

To improve efficiency and reduce VOC emissions, the tire industry has gradually shifted to reliable inkjet printing technology that significantly reduces ink consumption — and the associated environmental impact. Now, that environmental impact has been reduced even further with the advent of curable, true zero VOC- and HAPS-free inks for use with Matthews MPERIA V-Series valvejet printers that we will be showing at ITEC 2022, the largest tire manufacturing show in North America.

Reliable rubber marking from a single supplier.

Withstanding the harsh, fast paced conditions typically found in rubber and tire plants requires rugged printers and specialized inks that are up to the task. That’s where V-Series shines, with deployments at major tire factories around the world and proven reliability for large character marking on rubber and tires. V-Series printheads use a range of inks including our VOC-free white ink, “disappearing” ink for identifying slabs that change properties early in the manufacturing process, and other specialized inks for rubber marking applications.

With Matthews you can depend on a single supplier for ink, equipment, service and support. We control all aspects of the application and ink formulation to ensure superior performance and proven reliability. To further ensure coding accuracy and reduce human error, the MPERIA controller integrates easily with backend systems and can control multiple printers across multiple production lines.

Visit us at ITEC 2022.

As an illustration of Matthews’ unwavering commitment to the tire industry, when you head over to ITEC 2022 to see the latest in tire manufacturing technology, you’ll find just one marking supplier on hand: Matthews Marking Systems. If you’re attending this event, be sure to stop by Booth #314 to learn how we can take on your toughest rubber marking challenges and meet our team of tire industry marking experts.