Optimization of Ribbon Usage in TTO Printer for Reduction of Printing Cost in Food packaging Industry

This paper presents an optimization strategy of ribbon to reduce printing costs in Thermal Transfer Overprinting (TTO) for food packaging. This research explores cost-reduction strategies specific to TTO printing by analyzing the impact of optimized ribbon usage. The study evaluates the printing process for Mini MM’s Biscuit (33g) SKU. Data was collected from multiple manufacturing facilities to identify key cost drivers and assess the effectiveness of various reduction methods. The study evaluates the printing process for Mini MM’s Biscuit (33g) SKU. The current practice involves printing two staggered prints at a 2 mm letter height using a standard 33 mm ribbon width, resulting in significant waste. The study explores reducing the letter height to 1.75 mm and increasing the coding window height by 5 mm to accommodate three staggered prints. The findings demonstrate that three staggered prints can be achieved, improving ribbon utilization by 12%. This improvement has been reduced printing costs from ₹0.25/kg to ₹0.13/kg, with potential total savings over ₹50.4 lakh a year.