Innovative New Machinery at PACK EXPO: Labeling

Labeling isn't the only area of interest at PACK EXPO. Click the links that follow to read more about innovations in:  Cartoning  |  Case and Tray Packing  |  Coding and Marking  |  Conveyors and Material Handling  |  Inspection and Detection  |  Form/Fill/Seal  |  Food Processing & Packaging  |  Sustainable Packaging  |  Robotics  |  Pharma  |  Controls

While linerless labels have been successfully commercialized in other parts of the world, notably Europe, they’ve never really caught on in the U.S. Fox IV set out to change this with the PACK EXPO Las Vegas launch of the L3904E all-electric, linerless label print-and-apply system featuring a Sato print engine.

Linerless labels, as the name so clearly suggests, are decidedly unlike pressure-sensitive labels in that they have no release liner. Also setting them apart is that label size need not be fixed. A brand owner could run a batch of 1,000 3-in.-long labels and then switch to a batch of 5-in.-long labels by entering new data at the menu-driven HMI. The idea is to eliminate labeling waste, reduce energy usage, streamline inventory, and make the print-and-apply labeling process more efficient.

The social, cultural, and regulatory landscape of the U.S. has never created all that much demand for this kind of sustainability-driven technology. Another reason that linerless has lagged, suggests Fox IV director of sales Craig Preisendefer, is that there really hasn’t been an off-the-shelf linerless label print engine module readily available to OEMs like Fox IV. “What we’ve done on the L3904E is take a desktop thermal transfer printer and build it into our printer/applicator,” says Preisendefer. The print engine he refers to is the CL4NX Plus from Sato. Though capable of both thermal transfer and direct thermal printing, in this case thermal transfer wouldn’t make much sense from a sustainability standpoint because there’d still be a roll of ink ribbon to dispose of, which wouldn’t be much of an improvement over having to dispose of a release liner. The print engine thermally prints onto continuous, direct thermal, linerless label stock. Then a reciprocating blade cuts the stock to size and automatically applies it using a servo-driven application cylinder and pad. Labels up to 4.65 in. wide can be printed and applied to products, cases, pallets, and other items—eliminating release liners, label matrix waste, and ribbon waste while reducing operating costs.

Also busy on the linerless label front is Switzerland-based Collamat. Its fourth-generation Linerfree print-and-apply direct thermal label printers have been designed to accommodate linerless labels, resulting in both cost and environmental advantages. “Essentially you can have twice as many labels on a roll because we don’t occupy the label roll with the release liner,” explains Collamat’s Torben Zerlang. “That means you can cut down on the number of label rolls you need, and your inventory and transportation costs are less.” This also results in longer uptime per roll due to fewer roll changes.

According to the company, Collamat’s Linerfree contributes to four of the United Nations Global Compact Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including #9, Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure; #12, Responsible Consumption and Production; #13, Climate Action; and #15, Life on Land. Points out Zerlang, the label industry is responsible for 40 billion square meters of backing paper annually, with 50% to 60% of that material going to landfills.

Linerfree is available in a wipe-on and tamp-on version, with the transfer components designed with a surface pattern that resists adherence by the label material. Both models can produce labels of variable length, as cutting is done on-the-fly. This is especially helpful when applying different formats for shipping labels, when the information on each label is different, or when a different length format is needed on the same run.

Specifications of the machine include a 12-in. label roll dia, a 2- to 4-in. label width capability, and a maximum label roll length of 2,460 ft. The stepper motor-driven unit uses a 4-in. Zebra direct thermal printer module and can print in 203-, 300-, and 600-dpi resolution.

Reducing maintenance in glue applied labels

LangguthThe GLU | ECO wetLAN labeling system from Langguth is a recently developed wet glue technology for pre-cut labels that’s attractive in terms of ease of maintenance, cost savings, and sustainability. Featured at PACK EXPO Las Vegas, the system offers up to 50% savings in glue consumption compared to conventional methods, according to Langguth.

The application of this type of label is performed by spreading striped layers of glue onto a glue roller that then transfers the glue onto precut paper labels that are then wiped onto containers. What Langguth is able to do is remove excess glue from the roller, so that a much thinner and more uniform layer of glue winds up on the label. Also important is the use of a gluing reservoir system that pumps glue into the roller applicator rather than having the glue come straight from the pail. Because the reservoir is able to recirculate only the glue inside the reservoir rather than recirculating the entire contents of a full pail, you have less glue wasted.

Perhaps even more innovative is the clean-in-place system Langguth came up with for the glue rollers and other glue system components. It’s the nature of the business that these components need to be cleaned periodically. Historically that meant removing them by hand and placing them in a bath of water overnight or for whatever period of time is deemed appropriate. Then the parts need to be reinstalled once they’re clean. Not only is this removal and replacement process costly from a time and labor perspective, it introduces numerous opportunities for the finely machined and expensive parts to be damaged. No wonder customers asked Langguth to come up with an automated, hands-off approach.

“So what you're seeing here now,” said Langguth sales manager Randy Winslow as he demonstrated the GLU | ECO system at PACK EXPO, “is the entire gluing system being moved into position for cleaning with no more operator intervention than the press of a button at the HMI. Driven by servo motors, the glue delivery components slide into position above a bath of water and are then lowered gently into it. Watch a video of the system in action at PACK EXPO Las Vegas. 

WLS, a ProMach brand, introduced an innovative height-adjustable labeling option for its popular VR-72 labeler. This first-of-its-kind solution automatically adjusts the height of the conveyor, and thus the containers, to effectively change the label height right at the point of application when conditions call for it. The high-speed VR-72 can be programmed for a label height for one entire batch or programmed to dynamically adjust the height of each label applied.

When equipped with the height-adjustable labeling option, the VR-72 primarily runs vials and bottles containing liquid pharmaceuticals, biotech products, nutraceuticals, personal care products, cosmetics, and other consumer goods. According to WLS sales engineer Harry Anderson, there are a couple of scenarios where this height-adjustable capability is useful. One scenario might involve an injectable drug product that must be administered in varying concentrations. For Batch A the health professional or consumer may need to add some other solution to a fill line, preprinted on the label, that is exactly X mm from the bottom of the vial. But for Batch B, that solution must be added to a fill line that is Y mm from the bottom of the vial. Without the adjustable-conveyor feature, two different labels would have to be inventoried, one printed with a fill line for Batch A and one printed with a fill line for Batch B. But with the height-adjustable menu-driven VR-72, the same label can be used for both batches and still the fill line will be exactly where it needs to be for both batches. Not only does that reduce cost, it simplifies inventory and improves production efficiencies.

Another scenario has more to do with how consistent the placement of a pressure-sensitive label is on its release liner. Where the label is positioned on the release liner may be different in the middle of a reel of labels than it is at the beginning or end. The new feature on the VR-72 lets the conveyor dynamically adjust to compensate for these inconsistencies so that every label is applied accurately.

Anderson says the adjustable-height function is suitable for speeds to 200 containers/min. He emphasizes that the only portion of the flex link tabletop chain conveyor that gets adjusted is the section right at the vacuum drum that actually receives the label from the release liner and applies it to the container. “While the label is on that drum we have a vision system detecting where the bottom of the label is on the drum,” says Anderson. “Once we know where the bottom of the label is, that data is sent to a linear motor that determines if any adjustment in conveyor height is needed.” The vision system on the labeler demonstrated at PACK EXPO Las Vegas was from Cognex and the linear motor was provided by Linmot.

Adding color to shipping labels

EpsonEpson released at PACK EXPO Las Vegas its new Label Boost software, designed to give shipping operations a way to easily add color and dynamic content for what would otherwise be black-and-white shipping labels on cases.

Label Boost software can help shipping operations—especially at healthcare brands—create secondary labels, such as regulatory or shipping-and-handling labels. It can also be used to highlight critical information, such as parcel count or expedited shipping for accuracy and timeliness of delivery.

Other applications for the software could be coupons, targeted ads, and secondary labels. Adding such dynamic content to shipping labels helps users create new opportunities for their businesses to leverage shipping labels for marketing, while reducing material and labor costs and streamlining operations, says Epson.

“Booth visitors were excited to learn how Label Boost can help them grow their business and reduce operational costs,” says Tessa Kohl, product manager of DX Solutions, Epson America, Inc. “Label Boost was one of many products at Pack Expo that showed how Epson offers not just excellent standalone hardware, but full solutions to meet current business needs.”

As Epson Label Boost combines compliance labels and shipping labels into a single print-on-demand label, it can help reduce costs, streamline workflows, and improve quality for shipping operations, says Kohl.

“Today, supplemental warning stickers often need to be selected and applied by hand,” says Kohl. “Using Label Boost to automate the label selection and integrate it into the shipping label can help reduce the risk of incorrect labeling caused by human error.”

During the show, Epson also highlighted its new ColorWorks CW-C4000 and C6000 Series, which integrates with Loftware’s NiceLabel Cloud platform, offering businesses convenience and efficiency for printing directly from NiceLabel Cloud to Epson ColorWorks cloud-connected printers.

“Businesses can now harness the benefits of the cloud to streamline their label printing processes – all without the need for a locally connected PC,” said Andy Scherz, product manager at Epson, in a statement released just prior to PACK EXPO Las Vegas. “This one-step cloud-based solution redefines print efficiency and elevates user experiences.”

HERMAHerma US debuted its updated 132M HC wraparound pressure-sensitive labeler 12 for pharmaceuticals featuring a new HMI touchscreen and an output ceiling of 600 products/min, a 50% increase over the previous model’s. "We've had this concept using a starwheel to transport the vials for a number of years. Previously, our top speed was 400 per minute and with this new version we’ve reached 600,” says CEO Peter Goff.

Faster and more aligned with the needs of evolving pharma production lines, the 132M HC is designed for vials from 2-mL and up, and any cylindrical container up to 90 mm in diameter. The HMI was redesigned to include a sophisticated yet simple interface and high-quality machine graphic, a far cry from the “Windows 95”-style graphics often seen on HMIs.

Existing capabilities of the machine include label rejection and fast, toolless changeover. Goff notes of some systems on the market, “If a system rejects a label that’s applied to the product, it then rejects the product. We can actually reject the label, so you never get a bad label on a product.” With some drugs in the thousands of dollars each, limiting waste before it happens can really cut costs. “Apart from rejecting bad labels, the system does a final check for label presence, and if the vial is missing a label, it’s sent down a separate lane to the main production line.”

New in shrink sleeve labeling

Debuting at PACK EXPO Las Vegas from BW Labeling (formerly Accraply) is the new Graham + Sleevit Shrink Sleeve Model VF650 shrink-sleeve label applicator, which the company says was designed to address their customers’ growing need for labeling solutions that can run sustainable, low-gauge films. The new system also features a small footprint and a new safe-guard system that has been ergonomically designed for ease of use.

Among the materials accommodated by the Model VF60 vertical-feed (VF) applicator are polyvinyl chloride (PVC), rPET (recycled PET), PETG, oriented polystyrene (OPS), and polylactic acid (PLA). The system operates at speeds to 650 products/min and can handle sleeve lengths ranging from 30 to 300 mm in dia and lengths from 28 to 170 mm.

The machine features a state-of-the-art servo film feed that is said to facilitate easy setup and provide accurate sleeve placement, a design philosophy that BW Labeling explains has been used on its full range of full- and part-body sleeve applicators. The company adds that an HMI interface simplifies operation. The new shrink-sleeve applicator is designed for markets that include food, beverage, pharma, automotive and industrial, and contract packaging.

Also introduced at the show is the Graham + Sleevit DF Series direct-feed (DF) tamper-evident labeler. This system shares the bulk of the features of the shrink-sleeve applicator, including the types of materials it can handle, its small footprint, and its new safe-guard system. The TE labeler can run product sleeves ranging from 20 to 195 mm in dia and from 20 to 50 mm long at speeds to 300 products/min.

TripackShrink-sleeve labeling was also a highlight at Tripack, where the new HSA-250 shrink sleeve system 13 was in operation. It can be used for application of primary labels or tamper-evident seals, and labels can be up to 6 in. in length. But being demonstrated at PACK EXPO was the continuous-motion application of a shrink sleeve for twin packing. Also on display was a steam tunnel for shrink, though Tripack’s Matt Linz indicates that dry heat can be used as well. A Videojet inkjet printer was integrated for demo purposes at the booth.

According to Linz, the HSA-250 is capable of running a wide range of shapes and sizes up to 400 products/min. “This machine design uses proven components from our higher speed machines,” he points out, “including a mandrel in combination with servo motion control on the feed wheels and knife assembly for precise feeding and cutting of the film. Changeover has been improved and simplified using a combination of digital counters and scales to get you back in production sooner. The machine’s design features provide a great solution that can be used for flexible packaging in several industries: including food, beverage, pharmaceutical, home care, cosmetics, and many more.” Shrink label materials can be PET, PETG, OPS, PLA, or PVC.

Watch the HSA-250 operating at PACK EXPO.

Speaking of, Videojet, its new Videojet 3350 and Videojet 3350 Smart Focus 30-watt CO₂ laser marking systems have been added to the company’s range of CO₂ lasers in response to customers’ demands for high-performance laser marking solutions. That’s according to Videojet, which adds that both systems offer “unlimited font, code, and graphic options.”Videojet Technologies

Among the features of the new laser marking systems, the 3350’s flexible marking head includes 32 standard beam delivery options, while the 3350 Smart Focus laser’s marking head provides zero to 90-deg rotation without the need for additional parts. In addition, the 3350 Smart Focus is equipped with automatic focusing and marking capabilities for easy product changeovers without moving the laser. The Smart Focus option enables multi-level marking with the benefit of an auto-adjustable focal distance, uniform flat field correction, a pilot beam focus finder, and a flexible range/size mode. According to Videojet, these features help reduce operator touches, improve mark quality, and increase uptime.

Both new lasers print text, barcodes, graphics, and other information at speeds up to 2,000 characters/sec to support product traceability and anti-counterfeiting. The systems can print on a range of substrates, including PET, glass, high-density polyethylene, flexible film, foils, and labels, rubber, and wood and lumber.

According to Videojet, the laser systems have been engineered to help users meet their Industry 4.0 goals with built-in Wi-Fi and cellular connections that help to minimize IT workload and reduce the cost of connecting equipment to a network. Advises the company, “Housed in an access box, these Wi-Fi and cellular connections enable easy software updates and fewer service interactions while improving overall equipment efficiency with the availability of more production information.”