Compact and easy to use

The company is a leading producer of wiring harnesses, control panels, battery/power leads, PCBs and control systems. Producing around 25,000 wiring harness per week, this equates to 1.2 million per annum. The business needed a compact and flexible coding solution to print onto its range of cables used in wiring systems for the automotive industry.    

The cables, most of which have a PVC sheath, are coded and cut into various lengths in very small batches, sometimes as few as six in a batch, leading to very frequent code changeovers. Parkinson Harness’s previous printer involved complicated code changes, was not easy to clean or operate, and proved too large for the production line.

By comparison, the Linx 10’s compact dimensions enable it to fit easily into the small space available on the production line, and the proven Linx printhead requires minimal cleaning once a month. This ensures reliable operation and consistent good quality printed codes. Codes are easy to change using the intuitive colour touch screen, enabling operators at any level to input the information themselves. This saves time and reduces the risk of incorrectly coded products reaching the end customer. 

“The Linx 10 is very user-friendly,” confirms Clayton Smith, maintenance manager at Parkinson Harness. “Our operators just started creating codes themselves; they didn’t need to read a manual or be shown how to do it.”

The set-up procedure for the Linx 10 is equally simple with the printer ready for use almost immediately. Fluid changeovers are also easy to perform by the operators, and the Linx 10 provides an onscreen prompt when this is required.

The printer is producing various single line identification codes, in line with individual customer requirements, of up to 1mm in height. It is in operation for up to 16 hours per day in a two-shift pattern.

“The Linx 10 is compact, easy to use, and very quick to set up messages, making it perfect for frequent code changes,” concludes Clayton. “We never need to touch it, and it delivers good quality print– even on small 0.5mm cable.”