You naturally pick up a soft drink bottle in the supermarket as usual. It sounds so random. But the fact is, the product might have very similar smell, taste and similar customer experience with others. Still you choose the one that looks better and brightens up in the shelf. The secret lies not in the soft drink itself, but in its perfect and high-end looking label. Labeling seems to be a very easy step in production. However, it is a significant role in attracting the market. Various brand positioning, brand values, as well as customer experiences can be seen through different labels. This is just like what the old quote: “A small sign indicates a great trend”. The significance in labeling is worth a reassessment, because it is closely related to the market results. Therefore, we need stable and reliable equipment (for pharmaceutical, chemical and nutraceutical purposes only) to manifest our brand standard.
1. Applications of Labeling
1.1 Pharmaceutical and Nutraceutical Industry
This industry is a “big buyer” regarding fully-automatic labeling machine. Enterprises are very strict in choosing the right machines with high speed, high precision, and high international standards. They have systematic requirements in the labeling consumable materials.
1.2 Cosmetics and Daily Necessities
1.2.1 Flat Cases
Open-shelf cosmetics are often packaged in flat cases, for example, eye shadows, contour powder, eyebrow powder and other pressed powder or paste. There are one-sided or double-sided labels on the cases.
1.2.2 Round Bottles
For products like toner, foundation, or washing powder, round bottles are widely used. Tracking labeling / wraparound labeling is up. A precise labeling can leave consumers with good impression.
1.2.3 Other Bottles
Some brands want to stand out with customized design of their bottles, like a streamlined bottle or a conical bottle. These bottles requires labeling with bubble exclusion or degassing so as to make sure the label adhere well to the product.
Labels on an electronic product is often smaller in size with larger amount of precise information. Every label acts like a corresponding point to a certain product, storing its identity.
In the chemical industry, labels are larger in size, as products like lubricating oil, and chemical raw materials are stored in barrels and drums. The flatness of the labels, and the power take-off of the applicator are factors that needed to be considered.
For logistics and e-commerce, as it has dynamic information in every moment, we need instant printing and instant labeling. Scenarios that require labeling are as listed below.
1.5.1 E-Commerce Packages
1.5.2 Warehouse Sorting
1.5.3 Delivery
There are labels in other industries as well. We can see there are labels in books, folders, notebooks, watercolor cases, pen boxes, and other stationery in the cultural education industry; labels on toolboxes, hardware packages; just name it! Labels are on almost everything.
Cartoning box packing machine and tax corner labeling machine
It’s common to see people holding a manual labeler in a supermarket, a store or a small workshop to stick price tags to certain products. A manual machine is easy to use, light in weight, totally hand-holding, using manual replacing consumable materials, and manual locating.
However, it is low in speed, let alone precision. And when everything is manually operating, there is a physical limit, where a worker reaches and needs to stop and takes a break before continuing with the job. In addition, it cannot be used in parallel working scenarios.
2.1.2 Semi-automatic Labeling Machine
For enterprises with small-to-medium capacity, or with multiple production lines in flat labeling or round-bottle labeling, a semi-automatic label applicator is much more often applied. It combines manual feeding and automatic labeling. Relatively speaking, the machine price is inexpensive. Compared to a manual machine, its accuracy rate is much higher. The machine structure is easy to understand, with user-friendly maintenance. Also the machine covers a small area, which means it can be placed even in a rather small space like an office.
Still, a semi-automatic label applicator has an obvious production bottleneck, as it has a low speed limit which is hard to break through. There is labor cost when it comes to manual feeding, though, and the accuracy rate is easy to be influenced by human factors. With single performance, its expand ability is weak.
2.1.3 Fully-automatic Labeling Machine
RQ-HSTB-200 Labeling Machine
A fully-automatic machine is high in speed as well as precision. It can synchronize the rhythm with the filling lines, counting lines, as well as capping lines. Its working stations, including feeding, positioning and labeling, are all just as its name suggests - fully automatic. Its servo control and sensor locating ensure high accuracy and stability. All you need to do is monitoring. It can truly achieve low cost in a long-term perspective. Moreover, it fits well in parallel working and large-scale pipeline production, being applicable in printing and labeling all-in-one lines, rocker-arm labeling, rolling labeling, temperature-sensitive (heat shrink) labeling, etc. For medium-to-high end machines, we can also adjust and save different parameters.
The initial cost of a fully-automatic label applicator is the highest among these three types. It is bigger in size, with higher maintenance threshold. It requires higher quality in the consumable materials, namely, the backing paper, and the label rolls.
2.2.1 Sticky Label/Pressure-Sensitive Tape Label Applicator
This type of machines use pre-coated adhesive labels. Sticky labels are clean and highly effective, with the widest application in the market. Sticky labels can withstand extreme environments in both high and low temperature, UV exposures, and in different humidity.
For more conventional occasions, like on traditional bottles, some brands prefer the vibe of vintage labeling, so they use paste labeling to present that feeling.
2.2.3 Shrink Sleeve / Heat Shrink Labeler
This machine operates with heat shrink film to label soy sauce bottles, soft drinks and pharmaceutical products, and others (for pharmaceutical, chemical, and nutraceutical purposes only). It is tamper-proof with nice visual effect.
2.2.4 Hot Melt Adhesive Labeler
Hot melt adhesive is suitable for sticking labels on surfaces with difficult-to-adhere materials. After the hot melt adhesive cools down and becomes solid, it will be high in viscosity.
Seeing the name of the machine, we can think of its function. This machine is applied in flat surfaces or micro-arc surfaces like paper boxes, cases, electronic products, and such so on. It is a basic model in the industry.
2.3.2 Tracking Label/Round Bottle/Wraparound Labeling Machine
A tracking label applicator is used in labeling cylinders and round bottles. With its precise positioning, it can seamlessly label cosmetics, food, and pharmaceutical products.
It is applicable when products are in their upright position. It can apply side labels with delivery information and product introduction.
2.3.4 Printing and Label Applicator
This is often used in logistics warehouses and pipelines, where we need to print instant information, for example, date or bar code or delivery serial numbers, on the label and then stick it to a certain package.
2.4.1 Double-Sided Label Applicator
A double-sided label applicator labels both the front and back sides of the pharmaceutical or nutraceutical products, for annotation purposes.
A rocker arm means flexibility. Hence, this labeler can stick labels on complex positions.
Intelligent Label Feeding and Detection System
This is a crucial problem during production. Even when the filling is accurate, the counting is right, and the bottling is precise, the labeling could go wrong with the wrong machine. In the final step, you definitely don’t want to miss the goal, right? But sometimes the accuracy rate is hard to tell whether it is true or false information. You can always ask those suppliers to provide you with precision testing data. Then you can compare different machines with a clearer idea.
Servo Motor-Driven Label Traction
We shall also take the main parts of the machine into consideration. For instance, if the motors, rail guides, and sensors are international brands, and the machine is made of anti-corrosion materials, it usually means that the machine is more stable. What’s more, within the same day, these parts can be procured and changed out in many countries, saving valuable time for production.
3.3 Adaptability in Production and Pipeline
A manual labeler doesn’t fit in medium-to-large scale production, let alone pipeline production, while a semi-automatic or fully-automatic one does. The latter ones are more widely used and more flexible. In the meantime, we shall think about the consumable materials, to see if they are general in usage.
Regarding cost, it doesn’t only mean the cost of the machine itself. It also includes labor cost when you consider a manual labeler or a semi-automatic labeling machine. Waste rate of the labels is the “invisible cost”. And there are cost considering technical support, staff training, and maintenance fee after you purchase a machine. These are the factors you need to look into when you initialize an investment in the machine.
For long-term return and development, as different machines represent different capacities and accuracy rates, we shall evaluate your label applicator in another way. For example, if you are developing into medium-to-large scale production, the speed and precision of a fully automatic labeling machine match your needs. Though the initial cost is high, the return is higher in the long run.
In other words, a manual or semi-automatic labeler is ideal for starters with low threshold in the budget and space. A fully-automatic labeling machine suits those enterprises who already have a stable production and seek for upgrading their pipeline capacity and return.
3.5 Operation and Maintenance Convenience
For a manual labeler, there’s almost zero threshold in operation, staff training, or maintenance. It is easy to use, easy to clean, and easy to trouble-shoot. However, “zero maintenance” usually means giving up on efficiency, labeling uniformity. A manual label applicator is not born for considerable production, but rather, it is born for instant and simple labeling for small workshop.
For a semi-automatic label applicator, it combines the advantages of both human control and automatic labeling. It has user-friendly guidelines, and easy-to-follow maintenance steps. Its structure is simple, hence the maintenance cycle is relatively short.
For a fully-automatic labeling machine, as it has strong systematic functions, its structure is more complicated than the other ones. The machine requires professional adjustments and it has a powerful control screen that requires staff training. Enterprises often rely on professional engineers to do trouble-shooting when it comes to operation and maintenance. Having said that, we can provide one-stop services both offline and online to make sure even the non-professional staff understand how to operate and maintain the machine.
3.6 Technical Support and After-Sales Services
After-sales services are almost as important as the machine’s functionality. For staff training, only a booklet is far less than enough. We shall ask the labeling machine supplier the following questions: Any local service outlets? Any online training? Any remote diagnosis? Response time? And such so on. Your time and value are always the most important.
3.7 How to choose the right machine?
Firstly, analyze your core needs and budget. Secondly, filter the appropriate supplier. Last but not least, take a full assessment on functionality and international certifications.
Labeling seems like a simple final step of the production line. However, it plays a crucial role in representing brand quality and delivering brand value. To choose a right machine for your core need is not only the guarantee of your efficiency, but also a solid foundation for future growth.
From manual, semi-automatic, to fully-automatic; from flat, round bottle, to customized labeling; different machines correspond to different stages of growth. In order to choose the right machine which fully matches your enterprise development phase, we shall take our capacity, product features, budget planning, accuracy, machine stability and production line into consideration.
If you are encountering the problem like how to select a labeler, or you would like to customize your labeling plan to suit your production line, feel free to contact us. Our professional team is ready to address your problem, and provide you with excellent one-stop services. Let labeling be your highlight and increase your brand value!
E-mel : manager@richpacking.cn
Building D, No. 226, Beishan Qiaotou Street, Haizhu District, Guangzhou City, Guangdong Province, China
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