Lumber and Wood Coding Systems

Lot and date coding on lumber & wood products is essential for traceability and compliance with regulations. The MK-G Series continuous inkjet printer offers flexible printing options, including sequential numbering, expiration dates, and batch codes, to meet various industry requirements. With its self-troubleshooting capabilities, the printer can also detect and alert for any errors in code printing to prevent costly mistakes.

• Dimensional Lumber
• Timber
• Plywood
• Oriented Strand Board (OSB)
• Medium-Density Fiberboard (MDF)
• Particleboard
• Hardwood Lumber
• Softwood Lumber
• Wood Veneer

Direct-to-wood industrial inkjet printer technology helps lumber mills, engineered wood lines, and pallet operations apply variable data where it matters. Wood products carry information such as grade stamps, dimensions, moisture indicators, batch numbers, and brand marks. These codes help teams track inventory, sort material, and maintain consistent production. A continuous inkjet (CIJ) printer for lumber manufacturing handles this variety without slowing the line.

KEYENCE systems place high-contrast code printing on wood surfaces with stable droplet control, even when grain patterns or surface quality shift from board to board.

Boards move in uneven ways, and surfaces can switch from flat to rough in the same pass. Dust and airflow add more movement around the print area. A non-contact jet stream marks from a distance, so the print head stays out of the path of changing board profiles.

KEYENCE inkjet systems respond to environmental shifts by monitoring ink conditions and adjusting droplet formation in real time. This helps maintain clear characters on absorbent surfaces and coated materials alike. Long-distance printing keeps the print head away from irregular edges while still placing sharp marks at production speed. These capabilities create predictable results across a wide range of wood substrates.

A CIJ printer for lumber manufacturing is the primary tool for direct-to-wood codes. It applies variable data, grade information, and production details without stopping the line. Lumber and panel producers rely on this flexibility as products change in size or move between processing stages. Case coders complement CIJ printers by supporting box printing for wrapped bundles, cartons, and pallet shipments.

Lumber lines run fast, and boards rarely move at a steady pace. Some pass cleanly across the conveyor, while others shift or vibrate near the print point. A CIJ printer for lumber manufacturing has to match that speed. KEYENCE systems place high-contrast code printing on wood surfaces while keeping characters sharp at full throughput. Automatic cleaning and ink control help keep the line moving during long shifts.

Different wood products create different marking needs. Dimensional lumber, plywood, OSB, MDF, veneer, and engineered panels each respond differently to ink because of porosity, density, and surface finish. KEYENCE CIJ systems adapt to these differences with stable droplet control and flexible mounting options across saw lines, panel presses, and finishing stations. Marks remain legible on furniture components, pallet parts, trim boards, and other wood goods that move through mixed environments.

Lumber and wood products often ship in bundles, cartons, or palletized loads that require clear identification. When those bundles and cartons are made of cardboard, case coders (like the CC-1000 Series) provide high-resolution box printing for barcodes, date coding, lot numbers, and brand information on corrugated surfaces. This helps distribution teams scan products quickly and route shipments through warehouses without delays.

Request a Demo to See How CIJ & Case Coders Can Transform Your Wood Product Marking Process!