About Our Ink

About Our Thermochromic Ink — yes it is really IRREVERSIBLE.

Outstanding among SIRA’s product offerings is an innovative barcode ink made possible by the patented pigment technology used to formulate the ink. The ink, incorporated into SIRA’s patented barcode array, will automatically modify or transinform ordinary coded data into an advanced cold chain monitoring mechanism when exposed to an adulterating temperature level.

Currently available inks monitor at 40ºF and 120ºF.  In final stages of research at SIRA are 0ºF to 180ºF. The pigments are easily customized desired temperature thresholds.

Ink Properties —
shelf stable until activation • can be used on standard printing presses • print on labels, packages or cartons • water based • cannot revert after it reaches its trip point • can survive retort — all key elements to assure wholesome foods, viable biologicals, pharmaceuticals and thwart product tampering.

How long will it take the barcode to change?

This is a question we are often asked.  Our answer — however long regulatory, legislative, or special custom needs govern monitoring thermal threshold.  The 40ºF currently features a trip point after an accumulative 4 hours, allowing for incremental short-term exposure to higher temperatures.  We can adjust our kinetics to suit the situation.

The Label Activation Process

How can our inks be printed on ordinary presses, in normal printing atmospheres? Because they are designed to be “activated” when product reaches its packaged stage within the cold chain.  This process, for which we use the term “label activation”*, refers to the means by which the inks can be “switched on” so they can react to exposure to too high a temperature for too long a time.

Activation devices are in final-stage development by SIRA Technologies for use for weigh scales, printing press add-ons, production line conveyor systems and hand-held devices.