Marking gives each pipe an identity

Mühltal, March 19, 2026 - The traceability of tubes made of steel, metal or plastic is becoming increasingly important thanks to the Digital Product Passport. Innovative solutions for industrial coding and marking from REA Elektronik give each tube its own permanent identity - in line with the motto with which the full-range supplier from southern Hesse is presenting them at Tube 2026: "Traceability Starts with Marking: Identity for Every Tube."

With the gradual introduction of the Digital Product Passport from this summer, tubes made of iron, steel, aluminum and plastic will also have to provide permanent information about their origin, composition and environmental friendliness. This presents manufacturers with the task of marking each individual product in such a way that it can reliably disclose this information until the end of its useful life. The marking experts from REA Elektronik have found new solutions for this, which they will be presenting at Tube 2026.

New standards in the world of industrial coding and marking

The new REA JET ST SRE-10 electric spray mark block sets new standards in the world of industrial coding and marking: with electrically controlled spray mark heads, the newcomer produces very large, clearly readable markings with a print height of up to 206 millimetres. Its electromagnetic control ensures precise control at high speeds. This makes the REA JET ST SRE-10 particularly suitable for inline marking on fast production lines for pipes in the aluminum and steel industry. The electric marking block reliably applies material designations, batch numbers, logos and, above all, 2D Codes that can be read by scanning - if required, also with hot marking inks that can withstand temperatures of up to 1,100 degrees Celsius and glow-resistant inks for temperatures of up to 650 degrees Celsius. The new spray mark block is also suitable for the precise application of primers and process fluids.

The REA JET UP and REA JET DOD also work with digital precision for the precise application of oil-free lubricants in the production of welded pipes. At speeds of up to 1,800 meters/minute, the REA JET UP prints high-resolution images of lubricant wetting. Application widths of up to 2,300 millimeters are possible with the REA JET DOD. The mist-free and aerosol-free technologies apply lubricants with high precision and individually - with minimal use of material and without any dripping.

Lecture: "Manual marking of steel pipes? There is a better way"

Companies in the production of metal and steel tubes should also be interested in the presentation by Nicolas Andritsos, Area Sales Manager at REA Elektronik, on the cooperation with the Greek tube manufacturer Corinth Pipeworks (CPW). He will be speaking at the Tube Forum (Hall 1, Stand A47) on April 13 from 11.30 a.m. to 12 noon under the title "Manual marking of steel tubes? There is a better way". He will print how CPW used REA technology to replace error-prone and time-consuming work with spray cans and permanent markers with a solution from REA. It marks steel pipes automatically - on the outside as well as the inside. And it highlights the benefits for the quality and visibility of the marking as well as the working conditions of the employees.

Laser and UV inks for marking plastic pipes

REA Elektronik is bringing two innovative solutions for marking plastic tubes to Tube 2026. A new laser system from the REA LASER product line will be presented to the public for the first time. It can be used directly in the pipe extrusion process for marking during the production process. With its adjustable pipe guide, it is also suitable for various geometries and can be adapted to marking pipes with diameters of 5 to 200 millimetres. The flexible system comes with a frame and castors. The version with a CO2 Laser for marking the most common PE and PVC pipes will be on display at the trade show. In order to achieve the best marking result for each material, the system can also be flexibly equipped with other laser types (fiber laser, UV laser).

And finally, REA will be presenting its innovative inks for high resolution marking of the difficult-to-mark plastic group of polyolefins PP, PA and PE at Tube. The UV-curing inks are suitable for the REA JET HR and REA JET UP printing systems, which use them to print 1D and 2D Codes and logos in top quality. Available in black, white, cyan, yellow, magenta, red, violet, green and grey, the new inks are likely to be of particular interest to extrusion companies that have to produce and reliably mark pipes in many different colors.

Experience these and other REA Coding and Marking Solutions from REA Elektronik at Tube 2026, April 13-17, 2026 in Duesseldorf: Hall 6, Stand D09