Today’s labelers and printers are up for the job, offering attention to detail, time management and high proficiency to their resumes. Labeling, coding and marking machinery is constantly reinventing itself to produce faster speeds, increased flexibility and upgrades to improve the user experience.
Two heads are better than one
Great speed must come with great accuracy to truly be called efficient. For quick and accurate labeling, Weber Packaging Solutions (weberpackaging.com) introduces the new Model 114, a system capable of applying labels to one or two sides of a product simultaneously.
The Weber 114 is a self-contained unit that features one or two Alpha Compact label applicators mounted on a sturdy, fully-adjustable base. The 114 is perfect for applying pressure-sensitive labels on straight-wall containers and has a label placement accuracy of ±0.03”, making it as precise as similar labeling systems used in larger-scale operations. The system has adjustable guard rails, so that it is capable of applying labels up to 6 inches high and 12 inches long.
Products are delivered to the applicator via a conveyor, which permits item transfers at both the entry and discharge ends. Products are secured by a top hold-down belt right before the label is applied, ensuring that the items do not shift.
During application labels are peeled away from the liner and securely affixed to products through the use of a wipe-on applicator. The Weber 114 is ideal for up to 25 products per minute, making it a cost-effective solution for low-volume two-sided labeling such as square-sided beverage containers that have unique front and back labels.
Time management is a strong suit
For glue-free cut and stack labeling, Weiler Labeling Systems (WLS; weilerls.com) offers minimized downtime paired with a high quality label application. The new RL-840N features NuLabel (nulabeltechnologies.com) activatable adhesive technology thus eliminating the need for glue to apply the label.
“We believe the RL-840N is just the first step towards changing the way the industry approaches cut-and-stack labeling. Customers frequently complain about the daily challenges of using glue, such as changeovers, critical set-ups, and of course frequent cleaning. Integrating NuLabel technology into the RL-840N results in a higher quality label application while increasing OEE through minimized downtime, two advantages usually associated with pressure-sensitive labeling,” says Philippe Maraval, vice-president of sales & marketing at WLS.
Printing machinery delivers sophistication and precision
FoxJet (www.foxjet.com), an ITW company, announces the global launch of its innovative, new Marksman Matrix controller for inkjet printing systems. The Marksman Matrix provides several unique-in-the-industry features at a price point that is competitive with standard inkjet system controllers.
The new technology is ideally suited for use in systems that print alphanumerics, graphics and barcodes onto porous packaging substrates like corrugated boxes for a wide variety of food and beverage applications.
The color 10-inch touchscreen featured on the Marksman Matrix provides enhanced functionality compared to traditional five to seven inch controller screens. Whereas traditional screens require front-office editing, the larger 10-inch size allows for quick, on-floor administrator editing of printed codes. The system is also compatible with front-office editing via Windows Remote Desktop. Additionally, the Marksman Matrix can control as many as four printheads on two production lines.
The graphics driven, intuitive user interface on the Marksman Matrix is driven by the highly flexible and feature-rich Windows environment. Unlike many controllers which feature an omnipresent key board that detracts from valuable screen space, the Marksman Matrix keyboard only appears when necessary. The keyboard can quickly be reprogrammed to a wide variety of languages and thanks to the larger screen size- the keyboard (and hence individual keys, font sizes, etc.) is significantly larger than traditional controller keyboards, reducing costly user error by as much as 25%. The bigger screen size also allows users to quickly view complete spatial relationships in 3-D renderings of their package for enhanced user ease.
Labeling and coding machines are ready for the job at hand with more user friendly features, sophistication and improved efficiencies. These machines know how to get the job done and done well, offering even more than in year’s past, proving to be the best candidates for the position.
