Many large well-known manufacturers of commercial and control equipment, among other things, produce devices for gluing a variety of labels. These devices are distinguished by performance, the number of functions performed.
What is the label applicator for?
There is no person who does not come across labels on the goods. Barcodes, product composition, prices, company logo and other information are placed on such labels.
Labels are glued on goods not only at enterprises manufacturing finished products, but also at retail. Especially where food is packaged before selling. And you can imagine how much time it would take in large grocery centers to
label labels manually. To speed up this process, applicators of
self-adhesive labels were invented
.Device classification
Label applicator is a device for applying roll-on self-adhesive labels with information printed on them on the packaging of goods, both industrial and grocery.
According to the principle of action, the applicators are divided into manual, automatic and semi-automatic devices.
Manual or mechanical applicators fire after pulling the trigger. They are used in warehouses of goods and in stores.
Automatic applicators are installed in large enterprises for the production or packaging of food products on the conveyor after packaging devices and can perform several functions.
In semi-automatic devices, the operator delivers the goods for labeling, and the label is separated by the engine.
Hand devices
The manual label applicator is a pistol type device. The principle of its operation is simple: first the label roll is refueled, then each time the trigger is pulled, the label is pulled out, separated from the base and glued onto the packaging in the right place for the operator using a soft rubber roller with spikes. The use of a mechanical device increases the performance of sticking labels several times compared to performing this operation manually.
Conventional hand-held devices are designed to roll self-adhesive tapes of a certain width, but some models have sensors that allow you to configure the applicator for labels of various shapes. It can be not only rectangular and square labels, but also round and oval.
Hand-held devices can be mechanical, such as Japanese TOWA applicators, or electromechanical, like Italian Dynamic.
If in the mechanical applicator the operator needs to press the lever of a considerable size with the whole palm, then in the electromechanical applicator it is enough to press a button with one finger to activate the mechanism for separating the label from the base and gluing it with a soft rubber roller to the surface. Dynamic type devices are much faster, but require recharging after eight hours.
TOWA Label Applicator
The mechanical applicator gun is easy to operate. The tape drive is actuated by pressing a lever, the substrate (waxed base) of the label on the tip of the applicator, which is called the "beak", is bent and peeled off so that a small part of the adhesive remains in the device, preventing it from falling out. The label is finally glued to the surface of the package when a studded rubber roller passes over it.
The length of the broach of one sticker is regulated by a special mechanical sensor, which reacts to the difference in the height of the label with the substrate and only the substrate.
The sensor stops broaching when the edge of the next label abuts against its tip.
Using the TOWA mechanical applicator, labels can be applied with a length of 20 to 60 mm and a width of 20 to 100 mm. True, the device is not adjustable in width, and for rolls of different widths, individual applicators are needed, which are marked TOWA AP 65-30 (roll width 30 mm), TOWA AP 65-60 (60 mm), TOWA AP 65-100 (100 mm) . The diameter of the label roll is the same for all models and is 110 mm.
The design of the applicator provides a strap, which is put on the hand during intensive work. This allows you to protect the device from falls.
Automatic devices
Automatic applicators are divided into groups according to the degree of automation of the process and the number of functions performed. The automatic label applicator can be integrated into the line and only apply ready-made labels to products, such as the Brady dispenser. This device automatically separates the self-adhesive label from the backing and adheres it to the packaging. The design provides a photoelectric label sensor. The dispenser can work with small labels measuring 6.35 × 6.35 mm, which makes it indispensable where compactness is the main factor.
There are also automatic industrial applicators, which are entire complexes for weighing, packaging products, printing and labeling. An example is the automatic line of CAS or DIGI.
Automatic applicator is used in enterprises where it is necessary to label large batches of products.
As a rule, in such a device, the speed of all other parameters is automatically synchronized with a changed indicator, which makes it easy to change marked products. In addition, the automatic label applicator prints in any format, can work with fragile objects, and marks objects of any geometric shape.
The principle of operation of a semi-automatic device
There are more compact devices for quick application of self-adhesive labels on products. Semi-automatic label applicator - a desktop device with power from the household network, used for applying all types of labels. When the packaging is small, such as a bottle of sauce, is placed under the pressure roller, the operator presses the pedal with his foot. At the same time, the bottle (container) starts to rotate, and the label is separated from the substrate. After the gluing operation is completed, the applicator automatically turns off. In this way, one or two labels are glued to the container.
To work with the device does not need special knowledge and serious skills. On the front panel of the applicator there is a fairly clear roll installation scheme, the speed of the sticker is simply adjustable, the sensitivity of the label sensor is high. The roll is loaded into the device, the power turns on - the applicator is ready for work.
Types of semi-automatic applicators
For semi-automatic gluing of finished labels, the American series of applicators PRIMERA AP is designed. These devices are suitable for marking various cylinders and cones (bottles, cans, tubes, cans, etc.). Applicator speeds up to 1,200 self-adhesive labels per hour. The maximum and minimum roll diameters, their width, label sizes are slightly different for different models, but most importantly - the devices are made of durable materials, professionally designed and certified.
You can find and similar on the principle of operation of the device manufacturers of Russia and Lithuania.
When labeling perishable products, a semi-automatic label applicator is used, which not only sticks the label on a round glass or polymer container, but also applies variable data to it, for example, batch number, release date.
The first stage of operation of such a device is no different from gluing finished labels. The dating unit turns on after the automatic stop of the labeling mechanism. While data is being applied to the next sticker, the operator installs a different capacity in the device.
The market of devices and devices for applying self-adhesive labels is quite diverse. Both small trading enterprises and hypermarkets can find equipment for labeling their products with the lowest labor costs and high quality.