Print best-by and expiration dates, lot and batch numbers, and barcodes on every pack, with a thermal inkjet (TIJ) date coder: sealed cartridges, codes up to 600 dpi, and low maintenance.
Tap any code type for detail on how it prints and what it carries.
Most date and lot codes are ½" or smaller. Pick the system by how you want to run it and how much you print.
A 7" touchscreen at the operator station; one head prints ½" codes at 600 × 600 dpi and 1" at 300 × 600.
Everything in one unit with a 5" touchscreen: set it up on the line and print.
A ½" unit you run from a browser or the NexLink app (Android), with no controller. Builds into a machine; the lowest up-front cost.
X1 Lite + T2XL · 160 mLHigh-volume date and lot coding: a 1" head prints ½" codes too, at 300 × 600 dpi, with 4× the ink of a standard cartridge.
X1 + Type-HTwo lines from one controller, or an IP66 controller housing for a wet or dusty area (the heads aren't IP-rated).A thermal inkjet head trades resolution for speed. At 300 dpi, these date coders print at 60 m/min (about 197 ft/min). At 600 dpi, the sharpest setting, about 30 m/min. You'll see "up to 300 m/min" for thermal inkjet; that's at 60 dpi, which is too coarse for a readable date or barcode. Tell us your line speed and we'll set the resolution to match.
Print the codes your market and customers expect — formatted, calculated, and updated automatically.
| Code type | Example |
|---|---|
| Best-by / use-by date | BEST BY 06/2027 · EXP 2027-06-25 |
| Julian / ordinal date | 26176 (year 2026, day 176) |
| Lot / batch number | LOT A26-1184 · BATCH 240625-2 |
| Time, shift & counter | 14:32 · SHIFT B · 0004821 |
| Barcode / 2D code | GS1-128 · GS1 Data Matrix |
Examples are illustrative — your codes, formats, and layout are configured to your spec.
Thermal inkjet (TIJ) prints high-resolution dates, lot numbers, and barcodes from sealed cartridges — no make-up fluid and little scheduled maintenance. Because it’s variable-data by design, every package gets the right date and lot automatically.
Match the ink to the surface: Odyssey water-based ink for porous cartons, paper and corrugate; Odyssey solvent ink for non-porous plastics, films, metal and glass. When a cartridge runs out, you swap it, like any cartridge printer. Compare water-based vs. solvent inks.
Date and lot codes can also be applied with continuous inkjet, thermal transfer, or laser, depending on substrate and speed. See how the coding & marking technologies compare — and where thermal inkjet is the simplest fit.
Running Matthews Evolution printers? Evolution inks and parts →
Share your product, substrate and line speed. A TPS coding specialist will recommend the right date and lot setup, then connect you with the right distributor for your quote and local support.
Request a QuoteDifferent lines, different substrates and codes. See how date & lot coding works in your sector.
Best-by dates and lot codes on cartons, cases, cans, and films.
Explore Food & Beverage coding →Expiry, lot and serialized GS1 Data Matrix codes for traceability.
Explore Pharmaceutical coding →Discreet batch codes and dates on premium cartons, tubes, and bottles.
Explore Cosmetics & Personal Care coding →Date and lot coding is printing variable information (best-by or expiration dates, lot and batch numbers, and often a barcode) directly onto products and packaging, so every unit can be traced back to when and where it was made.
The terms are often used interchangeably. Both identify a specific production run so a product can be traced — for quality control, recalls, and audits. A date code (best-by or expiration) is separate and communicates shelf life.
A date coder is a printer that puts dates, lot codes and other variable data on products as they move down a production line. Industrial date coders use thermal inkjet (TIJ), continuous inkjet (CIJ), thermal transfer (TTO) or laser. Thermal inkjet is the simplest of these to run: sealed cartridges, high-resolution codes and low maintenance. For coding off the line (cartons, pallets or drums), the SPH Mobile Kit turns the Smart Printhead into a handheld coder. The 18V battery and charger are bought locally, and the Mobile Kit carries a 1-year warranty.
SPH Mobile Kit →Yes. All four Anser NexGen printers (the Smart Printhead, A1, X1 Lite and X1) print a unique serialized QR or GS1 Data Matrix code on each item, next to the date and lot, with the serial number drawn from a database or data feed. Serialization is a printing capability. Whether a program meets a specific regulation depends on the whole system. Tell us how you generate serial numbers and we’ll work out the setup with you.
Food and beverage, pharmaceutical, cosmetics and general manufacturing all use date and lot codes for traceability and shelf life.
A Julian (or ordinal) date code expresses the production date as the day of the year — for example, 26176 means day 176 of 2026 (June 25). It is a compact way to date-stamp products and is common in food and automotive manufacturing. Thermal inkjet can calculate and print Julian dates automatically alongside calendar dates and lot codes.
Yes. A single thermal inkjet message can combine a best-by or expiration date, a lot or batch number, a counter, and a 1D or 2D barcode in one print — each updating automatically. The printer manages the variable data, so every package gets the correct codes without operator input.
A lot or batch code ties each unit back to a specific production run, so if a problem is found you can identify and pull exactly the affected products instead of recalling everything. Clean, legible, scannable codes make recalls faster, narrower, and less costly — which is why regulated industries rely on it.
It depends on the resolution. At 300 dpi, 60 m/min (about 197 ft/min); at 600 dpi, about 30 m/min. The "up to 300 m/min" figure you'll see for thermal inkjet is at 60 dpi, too coarse for a readable code. Tell us your line speed and the code you need, and we'll set the resolution to match.
Yes, with a solvent ink. Metal doesn't absorb ink the way cardboard does, so a water-based ink won't hold; an Odyssey solvent ink bonds to the surface instead. The printhead sits about 6 mm from the can, so mounting matters. Tell us the can, its coating and your line conditions, and we'll match the ink and setup.
Yes. A 1" head prints any code up to 1", including ½" dates and lots. The 160 mL heads print at 300 × 600 dpi, while a ½" standard cartridge prints at 600 × 600. Both run at 60 m/min at 300 dpi. If you run long shifts, the 160 mL cartridge holds 4× the ink of a standard one, so you change cartridges less often.
For a single line, start with the Smart Printhead (run from a browser or phone, no controller), the A1 (screen built in) or the X1 Lite (7" touchscreen at the operator station). All three print ½" lot codes at 600 × 600 dpi. If you need two lines from one controller, look at the X1.
