Big, bold codes on cases and pallets. Straight onto the box.
Zanasi large character printers print dates, batch numbers, barcodes and logos directly onto outer cases, bags, pipes and panels, in characters from 4 mm to 67.5 mm tall. Replace pre-printed boxes with on-demand coding at a low cost per print.
- Readable across the warehouse: characters up to 67.5 mm from a single printhead.
- No more pre-printed cases: print the variable data on plain boxes and change it on screen.
- Built for the packing floor: stainless steel consoles and printheads that shrug off dust, heat and vibration.
- Local installation, training & inks from JHB, Durban & Cape Town.
Want to see it print on your carton first? Call 011 466 0030 and ask for a sample.
Get your large character quote
Tell us what you code and how fast the line runs. We'll recommend the printer, printhead and ink, print a sample on your packaging, and send a quote, usually within one business day.
When large character is the right choice.
Large character coding is built for secondary packaging, where the code has to be big, bold and readable at a glance. If one or more of these describes your line, it is probably the right fit.
You code secondary packaging
Outer cases, cartons, sacks, bags, shrink trays, drums, pipes and panels. The code goes on the outside of the pack, where it has to be read by people and scanners in a warehouse.
It has to be read from a distance
Characters from 4 mm to 67.5 mm tall, in bold dot-matrix fonts, legible from across the packing floor or on a stacked pallet.
You want to stop buying pre-printed boxes
Print the date, batch, product name, barcode and logo on plain cases as they pass. One box SKU, changed on screen, instead of a stockroom of printed variants.
The environment is tough
Dust, heat, moisture and vibration on packing lines, in mills, steelworks and extrusion plants. Stainless steel consoles and printheads built for exactly that.
Big drops, only where they're needed.
Large character printers use drop-on-demand (DOD) technology. The printhead has a row of small solenoid valves, seven or sixteen of them, each sitting behind its own nozzle. As the case passes, each valve opens for a fraction of a second to fire a single large drop of ink exactly where a dot is needed. Column by column, the dots build up into characters, barcodes and logos.
Because the drops are large and the ink is fast-drying, the code lands bold and dark on rough, porous surfaces like corrugated board and sacks, and with the right ink on plastics, metal and timber too.
- Text, automatic dates and expiry dates, batch and lot numbers, counters up to 9 digits
- Barcodes (Code 128, GS1-128, EAN 13, Code 39) and 2D Data Matrix and logos on the Z402
- Prints on the side, top or bottom of the pack, with text rotation and repeat-print functions
- Product sensor and encoder inputs, low-ink alarm outputs, RS232 and Ethernet on the Z402
Dates, batch codes, simple text
Single-line codes from 4.2 mm to 27 mm on the Z402, 7 mm to 20 mm on the Z101 LITE. The everyday case coder.
Logos, barcodes, multi-line
Characters from 10.5 mm to 67.5 mm, two lines of text, scannable barcodes and Data Matrix. Z402 only.
Water, alcohol and solvent-based
Water-based for porous board and sacks, alcohol and MEK solvent inks for plastics, metal, coated board and timber. Fast-drying, high-adhesion, RoHS compliant.
Z101 LITE or Z402?
A compact, single-line case coder with no compressed air, or a two-head system with barcodes, logos and remote management.
| Specification | Z101 LITE | Z402 |
|---|---|---|
| Printheads | One 7-dot solenoid valve head | One 16-dot or up to two 7-dot NZ 2.0 heads, up to two lines |
| Print height | 7 mm to 20 mm, five mechanical inclinations | 4.2 mm to 27 mm (7-dot) · 10.5 mm to 67.5 mm (16-dot) |
| Lines of text | Single line | Up to two lines |
| Line speed | Up to 60 m/min · 150 columns/s | Up to 180 m/min · 266 columns/s |
| Throw distance | Up to 25 mm | Up to 35 mm |
| Barcodes & logos | Text, dates and counters | Barcodes, GS1-128, Data Matrix, logos and graphics |
| Ink supply | Built-in pump, no compressed air (air version available) | Pressurised system · water, alcohol and MEK inks |
| Controller | 5.7-inch colour touch screen · 100 messages of 80 characters | 7-inch touch screen with Orkestra software · 4 GB message and logo storage · remote management from a PC |
| Connectivity | Product sensor, low-ink alarm, RS232 optional | RS232, Ethernet, USB, scanner, parallel BCD, sensor and encoder, alarm outputs |
| Console | Stainless steel AISI 304 · 336 x 198 x 87 mm · under 3 kg · IP44 | Stainless steel AISI 304 with internal ventilation and high IP rating · head cable 3 m or 10 m |
| Best for | Single-line dates and batch codes on cases, bags and buckets; lowest entry cost; no air supply needed | Barcodes, logos and two-sided coding; harsh environments; fast lines; coding two lines from one console |
Both are Zanasi drop-on-demand printers with stainless steel construction, automatic dates and counters, and inks for porous and non-porous surfaces. Specifications are indicative and subject to change.
Two case coders. One for every packing line.
Not sure which fits? Tell us what you code, the size of the code and the line speed, and we'll print a sample and recommend the model, head and ink.
Z101 LITE
7-dot printhead · 7 to 20 mm · 5.7-inch touch screen
Light, Intelligent, Tiny, Economic. A stainless steel console under 3 kg with a built-in ink pump, so it mounts on almost any line without an air supply. Dates, batch codes and counters on cases, bags, cans and buckets at a minimal cost per print.
- 7-dot solenoid valve head, 7–20 mm in five inclinations
- 100 messages, automatic dates, expiry and 9-digit counters
- Built-in pump, no compressed air · IP44 stainless console
- Water, alcohol and solvent inks for porous and non-porous surfaces
Typical uses: cartons · cases · boxes · bags · cans · plastic buckets
Z402
NZ 2.0 printheads · 4.2 to 67.5 mm · 7-inch Orkestra touch screen
Robust, Reliable, Repairable. A sealed stainless steel console that drives one 16-dot or two 7-dot NZ 2.0 heads, so one printer can code two sides of a case or two lines. Barcodes, Data Matrix, logos and two-line text at up to 180 m/min.
- NZ 2.0 heads with automatic nozzle-by-nozzle cleaning and calibration
- Standard or Harsh Environment heads for mills, steelworks and extrusion
- Orkestra software, 4 GB storage, remote management from a PC
- RS232, Ethernet, USB, scanner, encoder and alarm connections
Typical uses: cases & cartons · sacks · shrink trays · pipes & profiles · timber & panels · steel
Need to code two sides of the case, or two lines from one printer? The Z402 runs two 7-dot heads from one console, and the heads come on 3 m or 10 m cables.
Ask about two-head setupsTap what you code.
The surface decides the ink, and the size of the code decides the head.
Z101 LITE or Z402 · water-based ink
Water-based ink soaks into kraft and corrugated for a bold, dark code. Z101 LITE for single-line dates and batch codes; Z402 with a 16-dot head for product names, logos and scannable barcodes.
Tip: coated or glossy cartons need an alcohol or solvent-based ink.
Food & Beverage
Dates, batch and product codes on outer cases and shrink trays, with barcodes for the retailer's DC.
Logistics & Distribution
Shipping marks, SSCC-style codes and handling symbols readable across the warehouse.
Building Materials
Grades, sizes and standards marks on pipes, profiles, boards, panels and cement bags.
Agriculture & Feed
Batch, weight and date codes on feed, seed and fertiliser sacks in dusty environments.
Steel, Pipes & Extrusion
Specifications and heat numbers on steel profiles, tubes and PVC pipe at line speed, with Harsh Environment heads.
This is what a large character code looks like.
Printed on Zanasi drop-on-demand printers. Bold, dark and readable at a distance on board, bags, pipes and steel.
Trusted by South African manufacturers
Robust, reliable, repairable.
Zanasi has built drop-on-demand coders in Italy for decades. The range is designed to be fixed on site with ordinary skills, not sent away.
Stainless steel throughout
AISI 304 consoles and printheads, sealed against dust, water and heat. The Z402 adds internal ventilation and a high IP rating for mills and steelworks.
Heads that clean themselves
Z402 NZ 2.0 heads calibrate and purge nozzle by nozzle from the console. Reduced internal friction doubles head life and MTBF, and the heads are repairable, not disposable.
Barcodes and GS1
Code 128, GS1-128, EAN 13, Code 39, Data Matrix and GS1 Data Matrix from the Z402's 16-dot head, with 4 GB of message and logo storage.
Orkestra software
A 7-inch touch screen with a graphic editor for messages, logos and shapes, a customisable interface per operator, and remote monitoring and editing from a PC.
Lower ink cost
Smaller 120 µm nozzles on the Z402 cut ink consumption by up to 45 %, and the Z101 LITE's rationalised hydraulics keep the cost per print minimal.
Fits the line
Product sensors, encoders for irregular movement, alarm outputs and OEM-ready connectivity. Heads rotate freely to print on the side, top or bottom of the pack.
Installed, stocked and supported by a South African team.
Marking Solutions has kept SA packing lines coding since 1998. Our technicians mount the heads, wire the sensors, train your operators and keep the inks on the shelf.
Sample printing
Send us a carton, bag or offcut. We'll print your code on it with the right ink and send it back.
Installation & training
Head mounting, sensor and encoder integration, job set-up and operator training on site.
Inks & spares in stock
Water, alcohol and solvent-based Zanasi inks and head spares held locally, with no import delays.
Remote troubleshooting
Fast phone and WhatsApp support, with Orkestra remote access to the Z402 where you allow it.
27–29 October · CTICC, Cape Town. Bring a carton and we'll code it on the stand.
From enquiry to coding on your packing line
We specify the printer, head and ink around your packaging, code and line speed, so it works from day one.
Tell us about your line
What you code, the surface, the size of the code, line speed, and where the head will mount.
Sample print
We print your code on your carton or bag with the right ink and send it back with a recommendation and quote.
Demo on site or at Propak
See the printer code your packaging at line speed before you commit.
Install, train, support
Mounting, integration and operator training on site, then local service and inks for the life of the printer.
Large character coding questions
What can a large character printer print on?
Corrugated cases and cartons, sacks and bags, shrink film, drums, buckets and crates, pipes, profiles and extrusions, timber, boards and panels, and steel. Water-based ink suits porous surfaces like board and paper sacks; alcohol and solvent-based inks suit plastics, coated board, metal and timber. We test your packaging and match the ink.
How tall can the characters be?
The Z101 LITE prints 7 mm to 20 mm with its 7-dot head. The Z402 prints 4.2 mm to 27 mm with a 7-dot head and 10.5 mm to 67.5 mm with a 16-dot head, and can run two 7-dot heads for two lines of text or two sides of the case.
Can it print barcodes and logos?
Yes, on the Z402. Its 16-dot NZ 2.0 head prints Code 128, GS1-128, EAN 13, Code 39, Data Matrix and GS1 Data Matrix, plus logos and graphics created in the Orkestra editor. The Z101 LITE is a text, date and counter coder.
Can I replace pre-printed boxes?
In most cases, yes. Keep one plain case and print the product name, date, batch, barcode and logo on the line. Changes are made on screen in seconds, so there is no stock of printed variants to manage or write off.
Do I need compressed air?
Not for the Z101 LITE, which has a built-in ink pump (a compressed-air version is available to order). The Z402 uses a pressurised ink system; we'll confirm the air requirement when we specify your line.
Can one printer code two sides of a case?
Yes. The Z402 drives up to two 7-dot heads from one console, on 3 m or 10 m cables, so you can code both sides of the case or run two lines from one printer.
What maintenance is needed?
Keeping the printhead nozzles clean and the ink topped up. On the Z402 the NZ 2.0 heads purge and calibrate nozzle by nozzle from the console; on the Z101 LITE purge and print functions are selected on the touch screen. Both are built to be serviced on site without specialist skills.
What support and warranty do I get?
Every printer comes with a manufacturer warranty backed by our national team: on-site installation, operator training, remote troubleshooting, and inks and spares held locally in Johannesburg, Durban and Cape Town.
Get the right Zanasi case coder for your line.
Tell us what you code and how fast the line runs. We'll print a sample, recommend the printer, head and ink, and send you a quote within one business day.
