Manual product labeling is common practice for simple applications and small production volumes. Labels are either supplied pre-printed or printed on-site with a label printer before being applied by hand to the product or packaging. But as volumes and labeling requirements increase, companies are beginning to consider using an automatic labeling system. Here are the top 5 reasons to choose automatic labeling!
- Save time
Have you ever tried to peel off a label and stick it as precisely as possible? A man cannot label as quickly and accurately as a machine. A high-speed label applicator such as the Legi-Air 6000 prints up to 2,250 labels per hour on continuous cartons. The Legi-Air 6000 only applies pre-printed labels and can reach speeds of up to 120,000 labels per hour!
- A clean and precise application
When labeling manually, the labels are never applied in exactly the same position. A label glued at an angle is visually unattractive and the customer or end consumer may not accept the product. If the labels are not applied properly the information may be illegible. An automatic labeling system allows labeling with an accuracy of +/- 0.3 mm. But that’s not all: The labels adhere to the product over its entire surface, without creases or air bubbles.
- Less error
To err is human: It’s easy to put a label on the wrong product. A label maker prints label with the right content and always applies them to the right product. This avoids labeling errors and the resulting unnecessary returns.
- Well equipped for future needs
There is nothing better than being successful and seeing the demand for your products increase. An increase in orders usually means a greater variety of products, often associated with more packaging types and increased customer demands.
More and more products must be produced in a shorter time.
This also concerns the labeling area of the production line. This will mean seconding staff to other tasks, redistributing tasks, or hiring more staff to keep pace. Thanks to a modern and efficient labeling system, you are ready to meet the new requirements. A labeling system can easily be adapted to new production rates. It can also continue to tag reliably when teams rotate.
- More time for other tasks
When you switch from manual labeling to automatic labeling, employees can perform other important business tasks.
Automatic labeling – Label applicator or label is printing?
Companies that want to label their products automatically rather than manually have the choice between a label dispenser and a label applicator.
Label applicators apply pre-printed labels (decorative labels or primary labels) to products. From bottles of wine to pet food, jars of jam to bottles of shampoo or cleaning products – every product needs a label.
The Alpha Compact Label Applicator is a compact label maker. It can label products as a stand-alone solution or perhaps integrated into a packaging line. The system applies the labels using the so-called “wipe-on” process. The labeler wipes the label on the passing product. A pressure roller then attaches it to the product.
A semi-automatic labeling system is an introduction to automatic bottle labeling machine. The operator places the product manually and initiates the labeling process by pressing a button.
If you need to print variable data on a label prior to the labeling process, the Label Printing and Applying System is used. The Legi-Air series labeling system prints information 1: 1 on the label. Then use the applicator to apply the label to the package. Different applicators can be used for different applications. There are linear, rotating, or angular applicators.
The most common applications for label printing systems are logistics labels and shipping labels. In the food sector, companies use these systems to label their products, for example, with information about content and nutritional value. In the chemical industry, these can be warning labels. Or, in many other industries, barcode labels contain product information and batch data.
- Optimized processes thanks to automatic labeling systems
- Two companies have switched to automatic labeling: Apetito AG and Continental.
jndwater.com Reduces Customer Returns and Costs with Automated Labeling Process
Jndwater.com, a frozen food and catering labels supplier, supplies all cartons of a customer order with a color label. Some time ago the company invested in two labeling systems, each with three label applicators. Previously, employees used pens to mark boxes. But this method was prone to errors. This resulted in a relatively high rate of complaints due to incorrect deliveries. Label dispensers now label cartons much more reliably and quickly. Since the introduction of the labeling systems, the number of returns has decreased considerably. The company was also able to reduce costs by using new labeling technology.
