Ink Systems traceability is a combination of well trained and certified Ink Systems employees supported by in house custom set of technology and software that leaves nothing to chance.
Starting from our raw material acquisition process where all critical raw materials are subject a stringent set of QC processes, identified by manufacture lot numbers. Any lot number which does not pass Pre Shipment Sampling (PSS), is identified and rejected, prior to receiving any material (other than samples).
Each container of material received is checked against the PSS log to verify the lot number prior to warehousing.
During production lot numbers are checked against the PSS logs, any lot number not properly validated against PSS, will halt the production process. All batch tickets (digital and paper) include lot numbers for their individual constituents and is backed by a robust internal search tool, that can trace lot numbers across multiple WIPs and finished goods.
Ink System doesn’t just have a robust traceability regime internally. We extend the same level of robust tracking of lot numbers to our customer end points which have internal ink rooms provided by Ink Systems.
When a customer partners with Ink Systems, this same level of robustness can be extended to the job level tracking (on press), allowing ink systems to provide a chain of authority for what is in our inks from customer press all they way back to origination from our vendors.
Traceability is an integral part of our Quality Control and Assurance programs and when deployed with our in house customer software at our custom ink rooms, customers can be confident knowing their jobs are running an unparalleled ink when it comes to traceability, quality, and sustainability.
Raw Material Acquisition Process:
Purchase orders are placed with vendors based on perpetual inventory and supply chain constraint. PSS samples for each unique lot numbers is received by ink systems prior to any actual shipments leave the vendors facility.
Once a sample has passed the PSS QC process, it is released for shipment.
On receipt of shipment, each lot number is validated against the PSS and received using a handheld barcode scanning terminals prior to placement into inventory; failing PSS results in the material being quarantined.
Production:
All raw material product code and lot numbers are similarly scanned prior to use in a batch. This both insures the correct product is being used in a given batch, and it also insures that any raw material that fails as a result of subsequent QC testing on finished good, are also quarantined. This may occur in instances where material is flagged, after having passed its initial raw material QC process, either by a customer concern or internal production team member.
The finished product is also assigned its own unique lot number in the form of batch_number+code. This unique lot number can be used to identify the individual constituents used in the ink by lot.
Delivery:
During the shipping process, all part numbers and each unique batch number (lot number) is recorder using hand held barcode scanners prior to packaging and is part of the GHS compliant labeling on each individual container and larger pallet containers.
Consumption:
In cases where customer have adopted a colocated in-plant ink room, Ink Systems continues our traceability regime by providing customers the option to do job level traceability, in which they are able to apply the same level of traceability, such receiving inventory with lot numbers, batching with lot numbers, and tracking lots on individual jobs by job basis.