The design of a modern labeling machine is basically always the same. They achieve very high throughput rates, measured in bottles or packs per hour, and consist of a turntable with turntables mounted on the outside of the table to hold the containers during labeling. They also have an infeed and outfeed conveyor to feed the bottles into and out of the machine using rotary stars. Typically, the turntables of modern labeling machines are equipped with decentralized servo drives such as the VLT® Integrated Servo Drive ISD 510. This technology ensures a very high degree of machine flexibility. To position the labels correctly, the drives must turn the container to the appropriate position. For this purpose, a mechanism or sensor system determines the exact position on the bottle. This can be a seam or an emblem. The sensor system recognizes the marks and then sends the information to the higher-level servo system so that it can move the bottle plate into the correct position.
Why the use of frequency inverters is important in this process
Bottles, cans and containers are being given an increasingly distinctive identity to make them unmistakable. In practice, they are increasingly taking on the role of advertising media that represent the company’s own brand. Manufacturers apply labels to specific positions, where it is no longer just a matter of positioning them on the front or back, but aligning them with certain features such as seams, logos or emblems. The task for automation technology is almost always the same: applying labels precisely, cleanly and perfectly align ed. Today, labels on bottles or cans no longer just provide information about the contents, they also give the products an unmistakable appearance. To do this, it is no longer necessary to simply stick the labels on, but to apply them precisely according to certain features. Machines achieve the required flexibility, for example, with modern servo technology such as the VLT® Integrated Servo Drive ISD 510 from Danfoss.
This is how a labeler works:
- The printed label tape is fed to the dispensing unit by a motorized feed.
- To detach, the carrier tape is guided over an edge. This causes the label to peel off the backing tape, leaving the adhesive surface exposed.
- The label can then be affixed to stationary or moving objects.
