Gone are the days of applying labels to packages on the production line by having hot glue slapped on the paper label, then pressing the label and its glue to the product package. That was a mess, it caused a lot of rework and increased production cost! Thankfully this cantankerous process has been replaced by automated labeling that is high speed and creates zero product rework. You have several excellent options for automated labeling that you can add to your production line that will yield optimum results and not add costs to your production expenses.
You will need to answer some basic questions about your production process that pertain to the products that you are interested in labeling. Getting concise answers to these questions will give you an accurate guide to the type of automated labeling you can successfully implement on your production line. You will look at the packages that need labeling to find out where the label needs to be placed. Is the placement on the corner of the package or is it to be put around the corner of a package? Are there any special considerations for the location of the label on the package? What are the specific tolerances for the placement of the label on the product? The type of surface on which the label is to be placed is also a determinant. Is the surface soft, hard, flat, slanted, concave, or convex? Different labeling devices can perform more effectively in some particular environments while other devices work better in other environments. Does the label have to be applied in cold, hot, damp or other irregular conditions?
The exact size and shape of the label that is to be applied can have an impact on the type of automated labeling that can be employed. Labeling devices have varied abilities when it comes to the type of label material, like plastic, paper, film or other materials. Your analysis of your labeling needs will need to determine what the label application rate will need to be. This consideration is important to make sure that the automated labeling will be able to synchronize with the production rate of the manufacturing line. Your consideration should also include thoughts concerning the kind of other automation devices with which the automated labeling will need to coordinate. The labeling will need to effectively receive products that need labels from some device and then effectively pass the product to another device after the label is successfully applied. You might want to consider making a checklist of the questions that you consider to be important for adding automated labeling to your production process before you look at actual devices. This will help you decide in your selection of a labeling device which will yield optimum results in your production.
