In the beverage and bottling sector, product traceability has never been more central than it is today. Increasingly stringent regulations, demanding consumers and ever more complex supply chains require companies to precisely identify every single unit produced: production date, batch, expiry date, barcode, QR code. Choosing the right marking system is no longer a secondary decision, but a strategic lever that affects productivity, sustainability and operating costs.

It is in this context that SIS.MA stands out – an Emilian company based in Casalecchio di Reno (Bologna) – with over thirty years of experience in the supply of industrial marking systems. Its latest flagship product is the IQJET, a small-character inkjet marker that, thanks to a series of exclusive technological solutions, has established itself as a benchmark for companies operating in high-volume production environments that demand maximum performance from their production lines.

A single system for the entire supply chain

Before going into the details of the product, it is useful to understand SIS.MA’s operational philosophy. The company, while operating in a complementary way across the territory, shares a common vision: to offer complete, integrated marking solutions for every stage of the production supply chain. This means covering primary and secondary packaging with small-character inkjet, thermal transfer, cartridge inkjet, print and apply, and laser technologies through to tertiary packaging and pallets, with high-definition inkjet solutions, bench-top printers and large-format print and apply systems.

For the food and beverage sector, this end-to-end coverage is particularly valuable: a wine bottle, for example, requires marking of the cap with date and batch (primary packaging), labelling of the six-bottle box (secondary) and a code on the pallet (tertiary). Having a single single point of contact for all these stages simplifies management, reduces downtime and ensures consistency across traceability systems.

The service network is another key strength: SIS.MA offers direct technical support with a guaranteed response time of 24-48 hours, the possibility of sampling and demo installations at the customer’s premises, short-, medium- and long-term rentals, a constantly available stock of spare parts and consumables, and remote management via NiceLabel software. A comprehensive service package designed to minimise the risk of production stoppages and support the customer at every stage of the machine’s lifecycle.

IQJET: what changes compared to traditional markers

At the heart of the technological offering is the IQJET, a small-character inkjet marker developed around three key concepts: maximum productivity, minimal consumption, and near-zero maintenance. An ambitious combination that, nevertheless, translates into verifiable and measurable technical specifications.

Let’s start with print resolution: with 48 dots of resolution, IQJET positions itself at the highest level currently available on the market for this product category. High resolution is not an aesthetic detail: it means barcodes readable on the first pass, clear text even on irregular surfaces, and a reduction in waste caused by illegible or non-compliant markings.

Print speed reaches 500 metres per minute with a single line of text. A figure that speaks clearly to companies with high-speed lines: marking is not the bottleneck of production. And when the complexity of the information to be printed increases, IQJET responds with the ability to print up to 8 lines simultaneously, the highest number available on the market in its category.

The 10-inch touchscreen display makes the interface intuitive even for non-specialised operators. No cryptic menus, no complicated procedures: setting up a new message or editing a variable field takes just a few taps. And for facilities with multiple machines on the line, the inclusion of an integrated PLC as standard ensures full compatibility with existing automation systems.

IP65 protection and operational continuity

Those who work in bottling environments are well acquainted with the challenges associated with plant cleaning: water, detergents, steam, all potentially damaging elements for the electronic and mechanical components of a marker. The IQJET is IP65 certified, meaning complete protection against dust and against water jets from any direction. This is no minor specification for those who must guarantee food safety and comply with HACCP protocols.

Another classic issue on bottling lines is managing machine stoppages: for format changes, line cleaning, end of shift, scheduled maintenance. In these cases, traditional markers tend to dry out the ink in the print head, making cleaning cycles necessary at start-up wasting ink, solvent and time. The IQJET integrates the Sealtronic system as standard, an exclusive technology developed by Leibinger, the German brand of which SIS.MA is the sole official distributor in Italy. The principle is elegant in its simplicity: when the marker stops, the nozzle seals automatically, sealing the ink circuit and preventing any contact with air. When production resumes, the nozzle extends and prints immediately, from the very first drop, with no cleaning cycles and no rinsing. The result is immediate restart even after stoppages lasting weeks or months, a concrete advantage for wine cellars, seasonal lines, or any operation with discontinuous production rhythms.

Completing the picture of operational continuity is the integrated internal UPS (uninterruptible power supply), included as standard: in the event of a power interruption, the marker retains its settings and ensures a restart with no loss of data or messages.

Sustainability and savings: the numbers that matter

Among the most significant trends in the industrial packaging sector is the reduction of environmental and energy impact. On this front too, IQJET presents compelling figures.

Total energy consumption is just 36 W over 8 hours of operation: an extraordinarily low figure for a high-performance marking system. To put it in perspective, an average LED light bulb consumes roughly the same. This translates into savings on energy bills, but also into a lower thermal load on the line, a not insignificant factor in food production environments where temperature control is critical.

Even more relevant is the topic of solvent. The IQJET integrates the exclusive Ecosolv system as standard, which recovers by condensation the solvent suspended in the hydraulic circuits when the machine is idle. The savings are quantifiable: IQJET’s average solvent consumption is 2.7 ml/hour, compared to 6–8 ml/hour for a traditional marker. In practical terms, this means savings of over 50% on solvent consumption. On an annual basis, for a line running just two shifts a day, this amounts to litres and litres of solvent saved with a positive impact on both operating costs and the environment.

On the consumables front, the IQJET uses XXL 950 ml cartridges that are consumed entirely thanks to a dedicated device, with no waste and no interruptions. The autonomy, once cartridges are depleted, exceeds 48 hours: a valuable buffer for planning replenishment without risking unscheduled stoppages. Ink consumption stands at 1 litre per 100 million characters printed, a figure that allows companies to estimate consumable costs with precision and plan purchases accordingly.