Novacode Boosts Quality Control With EyeC
Founded in 2004, Novacode Sp. z o.o. has established itself as a manufacturer of self-adhesive labels in Poland, serving a diverse range of industries, including pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, automotive, white goods, and logistics. With around 160 employees spread across three locations, the company specializes in producing complex and technically challenging labels, where accuracy and reliability are paramount. Recognizing the critical role that packaging plays in ensuring product safety and enhancing brand reputation, flawless quality control is crucial. Committed to delivering high-quality, Novacode continuously seeks advanced technological solutions to meet the ever-evolving demands of its customers.
Initial Challenges: Rising Expectations in Quality Assurance
The company faced a series of quality control and operational challenges that threatened both efficiency and product quality. Inspection processes relied heavily on manual reviews. This made it challenging to maintain 100% quality control on high-speed production lines. Furthermore, the pharmaceutical industry demanded not only impeccable quality but also documented proof of it. Novacode was required to provide certificates of compliance for every batch, which was almost impossible to achieve using traditional inspection methods. "For a company serving the pharmaceutical industry, where packaging integrity is literally a matter of life and death, even minor defects are unacceptable," explains Przemysław Ruge CEO at Novacode.
Quality defects often went unnoticed, leading to customer complaints and costly product returns, which significantly increased operational costs and waste, ultimately impacting both profitability and production efficiency. "By using traditional inspection methods, it was simply impossible to ensure and verify 100% quality control of pharmaceutical labels and to issue a certificate of fitness while keeping up with the high print and rewind speeds of flexo machines.
The Search for a Solution
To address these challenges, Novacode's search for a quality control solution was driven by specific, non-negotiable requirements: the required system needed to deliver 100% real-time inspection capability at production speeds, integrate with existing flexographic machines, and comply with ISO standards for pharmaceutical applications as well as system validation capability for regulated environments. It also needed to come with strong local support, as the team valued hands-on guidance in Polish. While other options were considered, Novacode quickly turned to EyeC. The company had already established a relationship with EyeC over several years, which is known for its reliable systems and responsive service and ultimately gave them confidence in the partnership. "We were looking for a system that could be validated, fit into our current workflows, and come with strong local support. EyeC, with its ProofRunner Web system and Quality Link solution, checked all those boxes," says Ruge.
Implementation of the EyeC ProofRunner Web and Quality Link
Novacode implemented EyeC's vision inspection systems in phases. Starting with the integration of the EyeC ProofRunner Web into their Quality Department, followed by the EyeC Quality Link for comprehensive, 100% inspec-tion of every label printed. Integrated directly into Novacode's flexographic printing machines, the systems created a seamless quality control process that operates at full production speed without compromising throughput. While the new systems weren't just a technical shift, they required significant organi-zational change. "In print shops, we often operate according to established patterns, tried and tested procedures. Any change in this area can be demanding. It requires time, team commit-ment, and an openness to a new approach," acknowledges Ruge.
The success of the implementation was largely attributed to strong support from EyeC's Polish team and buy-in from Novacode's implementation team. "The support from the EyeC Polska team was crucial. Their professionalism and individual approach ensured everything ran smoothly, while our own team played a key role by fully understanding the real benefits and embracing the change," Ruge continued.
The Inspection Process: How the Systems Work in Practice
The inspection solutions are integrated into a dedicated production line, where EyeC cameras scan each label during the printing process. Every label undergoes a full 100% inspection and is verified by the EyeC ProofRunner Web. Any errors are automatically detected and flagged, allowing only defect-free products to proceed. Operators and quality control staff oversee the entire process and address any anomalies identified by the system.
The updated process also involves equipping all flexo-graphic printing machines with EyeC vision systems, supported by trained personnel from both the Quality and Production Departments. This transition required a realignment of workflows, adjustments to inspection speed, and a broader cultural shift toward data-driven quality assurance.
While not all customers need such a thorough inspection, Novacode has made EyeC an essential part of its universal quality monitoring process. All production at Novacode now integrates EyeC vision systems for quality monitoring and verification using EyeC ProofRunner. “We adapted our processes to fully automated quality control,” notes Ruge. “That was a significant opera-tional change, but a necessary one to meet the evolving expectations of our clients and industry standards." This establishes a comprehensive quality assurance framework across all product lines.
Results and Improvements: Better Quality, Less Waste, Higher Confidence
The EyeC systems now play a key role in Novacode’s production line, particularly for pharmaceutical and medical labels. Since implementation, Novacode has achieved clear and measurable improvements. Not only has quality improved, but efficiency has soared. Automating the inspection process has drastically reduced the time and labor involved. Minimizing waste and product returns has had a direct, positive impact on the bottom line. Customers now receive verified confirmation that every label has passed the inspection, ensuring full compliance and reinforcing trust. The effects were measured through a detailed analysis of production results and KPIs from the quality department. "EyeC Quality Link has helped us minimize the risk of human error and guarantee 100% inspection of every piece of product delivered," says Ruge. The EyeC solutions also give Novacode the flexibility to maintain high standards while adapting to individual customer needs.
Conclusion and Next Steps
With EyeC systems in place, Novacode has transformed its approach to quality control, boosting accuracy, efficiency, and customer confidence. “It’s not just about meeting requirements,” says CEO Przemysław Ruge. “It’s about setting new standards.”
Encouraged by these results, Novacode is now exploring further innovations, including AI-driven solutions to optimize other areas of production. As continuous training and process adaptation remain central to upholding the company’s high-quality standards, the partnership with EyeC continues to play a key role in this journey. “EyeC’s reliability, industry experience, and strong technical support made them an easy choice - and a long-term partner I would highly recommend,” Ruge concludes.
The preceding press release was provided by a company unaffiliated with Packaging Impressions. The views expressed within may not directly reflect the thoughts or opinions of the staff of Packaging Impressions.
