A Korean company seeks to patent a new QR code printing technology.
Anycos a company based in Korea that manufactures plastic packaging materials for food, cosmetics and pharmaceuticals, has developed a high speed printing technology for QR code packaging. The company is now seeking a patent for the high-speed printing tech that helps to prevent copycat products.
Anycos’ quick response codes help to provide authenticity tracing.
Korea’s market for plastic packing has increased due to the upswing of online shopping, home deliveries and home meal replacements. In fact, according to CJ, a Korean foods manufacturing giant, the sale of home meal replacements is expected to triple from 240 billion won ($203 million) in 2017 to 700 billion won by 2020, reports The Korea Herald.
Wanting to make the most of this opportunity Anycos, which operates in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi Province, intends to manufacture about 40 million meters of plastic packaging materials for food, pharmaceuticals and cosmetics, per year.
Their unique High Speed Printing System for QR Code packing that they hope to patent, is designed to help prevent copycat products. The idea is that by printing different QR codes on individual products, this will improve the product’s authenticity tracing.
The printed QR Code packaging replaces the traditional sticker-style codes.
Traditionally, quick response codes could not quickly be printed on plastic packaging materials. Instead, a QR code sticker was added to the packing. This has often led to the mishandling of these stickers and low productivity. Know more details about product packaging design.
According to Anycos, the trick to overcoming printed QR code obstacles is special ink and a rapid cooling system. Their system not only prints with a special ink that is able to last on the plastic surface, but it also instantly dries the ink with a quick cooling process. This reportedly allows the system to produce five to six prints per second.
“What’s essential is the technology to dry the special ink in the time you’d bat an eye,” said Anycos CEO Song Tae-yeol, as quoted by The Korea Herald.
“We expect to get a patent for the ink and the cooling system by October,” Song added.
Anycos expects its QR code packing printed technology will be used in marketing, promotional activities and in logistics managements. The company already has deals with SD Biotechnologies, a cosmetics face mask firm, Ottogi, a packaged food producer, and the aforementioned CJ.
