Understanding Next‑Bag‑Out Printing: Why Bag Quality Matters

Author: Johnson Chong, CEO

• CEO of Adsure Packaging Limited

• Master's degree from the University of Warwick

• 30+ years of expertise in producing automated packaging bags

• Helps operations teams choose consumables that match their bagging equipment.

• Proven strategies to cut material waste, reduce downtime, and drive cost-effective efficiency across your packaging line.

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【Length: 1,150 words | Estimated reading time: 5–6 min​】

Next‑bag‑out printing can reduce relabeling and prevent misprints from interrupting your packing flow, but only if the bag feeds and presents consistently cycle after cycle. When bag quality varies, the “printing problem” often shows up as micro‑stops, rescans, and rework that quietly lowers paid‑hour throughput.

Key takeaway: By tightening bag flatness and perforation control, Adsure helps next‑bag‑out lines reduce misprints and micro‑stops—so operators spend less time fixing labels and more time shipping orders.

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What is “next‑bag‑out” printing?

Next‑bag‑out means the system prints the label for the next order only when the next bag is presented at the print position, which reduces the risk of label mix‑ups from pre‑printed piles when order sequence changes. This workflow is widely positioned as a way to improve accuracy and reduce the time spent handling misprints during automated bagging.

In practice, next‑bag‑out works best when every bag arrives at the same place, at the same time, with a stable print surface.​

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A real-world scenario

Scenario: 

A fulfillment line runs smoothly until peak volume, when operators start pausing to reprint shipping details because barcodes don’t scan reliably. A throughput-focused guide from Pregis explicitly calls out that misprints “cost time and money” and that operators may have to pause to reprint shipping details, which is exactly how print instability becomes an operations bottleneck.

What usually causes it: 

Not just the printer—often the bag presentation: wrinkles, inconsistent tension at tear points, or shifting print position that makes a barcode fall on a crease or low-contrast area.

What ops sees: Micro‑stops, rescans, relabeling, and extra touches—exactly the hidden labor and downtime that procurement doesn’t see on the bag invoice.

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Terminology made simple

These are the two terms that confuse most non-engineers—here’s what they mean in “packing-floor language”:

• Perforation consistency = “Every tear feels the same.”

If some bags tear too easily and others tear too hard, the machine sees unstable tension during feeding/dispensing, which can shift where the print lands or trigger stops.

• Registration features = “The system knows where to print.”

Many print-and-apply systems use controlled positioning (and sometimes registration control) so the print starts at the right spot every time; if the bag arrives slightly early/late or skewed, the print can be off.

A related term you may see on printer specs is “print registration” (how precisely the printer can place print). For example, Autobag AutoLabel 500 product info claims registration within 1/16 inch and mentions “Target Registration Control” for adjustment while running, showing how much systems care about stable positioning.

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What to measure (with usable standards)

Barcode quality: use ISO grading when possible

If barcodes are part of the workflow, you can validate print quality using ISO/IEC 15416, a widely recognized standard for evaluating linear barcode print quality with graded parameters (contrast, defects, decodability, quiet zone, etc.). ISO/IEC 15416 grades can be reported from A (4.0) to F (0.0), giving you a comparable metric across shifts, sites, and suppliers.​

How to use this operationally:

• Sample barcodes from the line each shift and record ISO grade trend (not just pass/fail).

• When changing bag supply, compare grade distribution before/after (e.g., fewer low grades), not just “did it scan.”​

Line metrics: define them so procurement can compare suppliers

To make supplier trials fair and procurement-friendly, define metrics as “per paid hour” and “per 10,000 bags” style rates. A simple set that maps directly to labor and downtime is:​

• Micro‑stops per shift (and total minutes).

• Reprint / relabel count per 1,000 orders.

• Rescan rate (exceptions) per 1,000 orders.

• Scrap/rework bags per 10,000 dispensed.

• Bags per paid hour (your true KPI)

  
  

These are not “industry standards” with one universal number, but writing them as rates makes them comparable across suppliers and sites.

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A supplier qualification plan (3 steps)

1.Define the scenario

Pick 1–2 representative SKUs (one high runner + one “problem child”) and run in normal shift conditions.​

2.Measure the right things

Track micro‑stops, reprints, rescans, scrap/rework, and bags per paid hour—plus barcode quality grading if available.​

3.Compare formats and suppliers

Use the same printer settings, operator staffing, and packing SOPs; only change the bag supply during the test window.

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What to ask suppliers (so quality is enforceable)

To reduce “it worked in the demo but not in our shift” problems, procurement can ask suppliers to document process controls tied to next‑bag‑out performance, especially around bag presentation and print stability.​

If your setup uses thermal transfer printing/print-and-apply, also confirm the supplier supports the print system’s registration needs and produces bags that maintain consistent print surface behavior across the roll/box.