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A major automobile parts supplier was hand placing approx. 2-1/8” wide x 10-3/8” long, thin plastic film labels onto plastic radiator shrouds of four different designs. The slow production rate and errors in placement was costly and lacked the quality appeal demanded by the manufacturer. CTM Integration provided a Model 360 merge style labeler mounted on a 2-axis pneumatic and servo motor driven slide table and a unique locating fixture with 4 axes of adjustment with dial indicators for repeatable set-ups at design change-over.

In operation, the labeler is parked in its home position away from the product area to facilitate loading. With a product placed in position on locating pins, the operator initiates the apply cycle which

moves the labeler to the start location. It then traverses in line with the labeling area while synchronously dispensing and wiping down the film label without bubbles or wrinkles until finished; at this time the labeler traverses back to its home position allowing for product removal.

The 4 axes of product location tooling and the coordinated movements of the labeler traverse provided for accurate and repeatable label placement and appearance at up to 14 cycles per minute.

A video of the system is available upon request.

A major prepared fruit packager required variable date printing on the top label of their top and bottom labeled bowls and trays of assorted melons, pineapples and grapes. Due to the product shape and demanding specifications required of the film label application, direct print and apply for this wipe-on process was dismissed in favor of a loose loop approach, but how to combine ease of access, minimal support structure and yet provide for versatility of labeler movement without secondary adjustments to the label web and a stand-alone printer. The Model 360 Merge style applicator was provided with an attached structure that mounted a standard Sato print engine with a loose loop web path and control that allowed the entire applicator to be mounted on a single u-arm. This provided a number of benefits including easy web path threading, same side access to the 360 labeler and printer, multi-axis labeler position and attitude adjustment within a common unit while retaining the adjustable dispense speed, velocity compensation and superior film label attachment control of the 360 labeler.

The unique design of the 360 labeler easily provides the “integrated loose loop” as an important adjunct to the merge, tamp blow and air blow configurations, and in either right or left hand versions for prime or secondary labeling requirements, the benefits are exceptional