Optimization of Ribbon Usage in TTO Printer for Reduction of Printing Cost in Food packaging Industry

Abstract

This paper presents an optimization strategy of ribbon to reduce printing costs in Thermal Transfer Overprinting (TTO) for food packaging. This research explores cost-reduction strategies specific to TTO printing by analyzing the impact of optimized ribbon usage. The study evaluates the printing process for Mini MM’s Biscuit (33g) SKU. Data was collected from multiple manufacturing facilities to identify key cost drivers and assess the effectiveness of various reduction methods. The study evaluates the printing process for Mini MM’s Biscuit (33g) SKU. The current practice involves printing two staggered prints at a 2 mm letter height using a standard 33 mm ribbon width, resulting in significant waste. The study explores reducing the letter height to 1.75 mm and increasing the coding window height by 5 mm to accommodate three staggered prints. The findings demonstrate that three staggered prints can be achieved, improving ribbon utilization by 12%. This improvement has been reduced printing costs from ?0.25/kg to ?0.13/kg, with potential total savings over ?50.4 lakh a year.

Introduction

Objective

The research aimed to reduce printing costs at Narayana Foods Pvt. Ltd. by optimizing ribbon usage in Thermal Transfer Overprinting (TTO), focusing specifically on the high-volume Mini MM’s Biscuits (33g) SKU.

Background

TTO is widely used in food packaging for high-quality printing of essential information such as batch numbers, expiration dates, and traceability codes. However, excessive ribbon usage leads to high operational costs, frequent printer downtime, material waste, and increased environmental impact.

Problem Statement

• Only 17 mm of a 33 mm ribbon width was being utilized, resulting in nearly 50% ribbon wastage.

• High ribbon consumption raised costs to ?0.25/kg, with frequent ribbon changes causing increased downtime and labor costs.

• The coding window height was restricted, limiting optimization opportunities.

• These inefficiencies had both economic and environmental impacts, including a high carbon footprint.

Optimization Strategies Implemented

1. Letter Height Reduction:

   • Reduced from 2 mm to 1.75 mm, optimizing space without compromising legibility.

2. Staggered Printing:

   • Increased from 2 to 3 prints per ribbon pass, enhancing ribbon usage per cycle.

3. Coding Window Height Adjustment:

   • Increased by 5 mm, allowing for additional prints in a single pass.

Quantitative Results

Methodology

• Collected production and operational data.

• Analyzed current inefficiencies in ribbon usage and printing patterns.

• Conducted trial runs with adjusted font sizes and coding windows.

• Assessed visual and regulatory compliance.

• Performed a cost-benefit and environmental impact analysis.

Literature Review Insights

• Studies support the use of lean manufacturing, automation, and material optimization to reduce waste.

• Reference to SATO, Mark Andy Inc., GCR technique, and Hyflex Pack highlighted global best practices for sustainable, cost-effective printing.

Conclusion

The research conducted at Narayana Foods PVT. LTD. confirms that optimizing ribbon utilization in Thermal Transfer Overprinting (TTO) leads to substantial cost savings and improved efficiency. The key outcomes of the project include: 1) Improved ribbon area utilization by 47% 2) 49% reduction in ribbon usage, resulting in significant material savings. 3) Reduced printing cost from 0.25 Rs/kg to 0.13 Rs/kg. 4) Estimated annual cost savings of ?50.4 lakhs for the Mini MM’s Biscuits (33g) SKU along through staggered printing and coding window adjustments. 5) 46% reduction in carbon footprint due to lower material consumption, contributing to the company’s sustainability goals.

References

[1] Johansson, K., Lundberg, P., & Ryberg, R. (2002). A guide to graphic print production. Wiley. [2] Foley, J. (2012). Business transformation: A new path to profit for the printing industry. NAPL. [3] Food Safety and Standards Authority of India. (2011). Food Safety and Standards (Packaging and Labelling) Regulations, 2011. Government of India. [4] Ministry of Consumer Affairs. (2011). The Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities) Rules, 2011. Government of India. [5] Markem-Imaje. (n.d.). SmartDate X40 user manual. Markem-Imaje Corporation. [6] Markem-Imaje. (n.d.). 9020 service manual. Markem-Imaje Corporation. [7] Mark Andy Inc. (n.d.). Reducing waste and costs in label and packaging printing. Retrieved from https://www.markandy.com [8] Sato Europe. (n.d.). Thermal transfer printing cost savings strategies: European Consumables Program (ECP). Sato Europe. [9] Mirkovic, D., & Pavlovic, A. (2015). Optimization of printing process for reducing the ink consumption using GCR technique. Journal of Graphic Engineering and Design, 6(2), 25–30. [10] Mark Andy Inc. (n.d.). Reducing waste and costs in label and packaging printing. Mark Andy Inc. [11] HyFlexPack. (n.d.). Flexible packaging cost optimization guide. HyFlexPack Research.

Copyright

Copyright © 2025 Prof. Swapnil Choudhary, Mr. Nikhil Bhondve, Mr. Sahil Bhusri, Mr. Parmanand Dubey, Sangharsh Yadav. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.