There doesn’t seem to be much on the topic of automatic labelers, besides a few threads about bottle labelers.
Anyone running an automatic labeler that actually works well? We are trying to label around 5000 units a shift, so nothing huge, but it’s becoming too much to do by hand.
We use a few different types of packaging, including concentrate jars, boxes, tins, mylars, but they all have a flat side. We would really love to find a machine that will work for all of our packaging, with easy/fast change over, but I know that’s asking a lot.
The only one that will guarantee success is the Nita, which is a badass machine, but also over $100k.
Anyone had any luck with an automatic labeler? Aside from Nita, I keep getting what looks like the same 2-3 machines presented by 10 different distributors. There’s gotta be a solution that works for under $50k, right???
So something like this is the closest I have actually gotten to a good solution. At my old job we got the domino ax350 and it is very versatile, but uses a dot system to print, so it’s limited on what it can print. I have found that to be pretty common in these kinds of printers.
Also, these usually have a character limit lower than what we are printing on our labels.
We have to put product ingredients, a few warnings/disclaimers, potency results, and a Bunch of other compliance shit onto this label… maybe 2-3 of these in a line could make it work.
Zebra label printers are good too, but isn’t the question about applicators?
The towa APN series look good as far as manual options, u-line has some sticker dispensers that leave a little bit of the sticky side to grab on to and reduce the need to peel
yeah we have zebra ZT410s now for printing labels (awesome label printer if anyone needs just a printer), but I need an applicator.
One that prints AND applies would be ideal, but something that just applies would work as well.
And it seems like literally EVERY company out there just has some variation of this machine and I am yet to see one of these work reliably in any of the cannabis operations I have worked at or toured.
They seem to work great if you are just doing the same rigid, rectangular, box type of package over and over, but anything outside of that, these seem to have problems.
I’ll be honest man, I REALLY wanted those things to work. They initially work quite well for bag products, but I have gone through 3 of them already. The rollers at the front that allow the label media substrate to roll around are chinsy as fuck. The rollers themselves aren’t bad, but the plastic that hold the rollers in is so thin that it takes minimal force of setting it down too hard to crack them, and once they go, the thing is hooped. It ends up tearing the substrate and refusing to feed. I honestly expected a more robust product being that it is Japanese made.
Also, my landlord bought one of these, and I couldn’t get it to work right at all. I would suggest against it:
I would love to see a label applicator that allows you to feed a mylar bag into a slot with guides and have it apply it, and send it out the back. I am not sure if such a machine exists, but that would be the tits for sure! Bottle label applicators work very well, but I have yet to see something that works well for bags. @Cassin, have you seen anything that functions similar to how I described?
I have seen machines that do this yes. The most advanced machine I saw, forms the pouch, labels the pouch, fills the pouch, and seals the pouch, and dumps the pouch into a tote/box at the end of a conveyor. It was a Green Vault Systems batcher with a lot of extra bells and whistles added to it. I didn’t get to see it operate long enough to know if it was really faster than just doing it by hand with a band sealer.
I’ve found the easiest thing to do is to label things before you fill them and then fill and seal as a second step.
Plastic pieces do break - that’s why I stick with metal (aluminum works just fine) systems. I also have a machine shop I work with to fabricate those tricky pieces that break all the time. That way I get my machine up and running again without having to buy a new one. The cheaper systems on the market don’t have “spare parts” or “change parts” available - they just expect you to buy a new one.
For round stuff - I use the label applicator from Primera. Its foot operated with compressed air, semi-automated, since you still have to place the thing that is being labeled.
For flat stuff - I usually use a Bosch label applicator. I always buy these used whenever I see them. They can apply labels and print right on packages usually. I don’t know how much they would charge if you bought a new one… these are full lines so conveyor, with label, with sealer. Usually around 10-20k.
Looks very similar in function to my Afinia bottle label applicator, but more than twice the cost for effectively the same function. Would be neat to “teach” my bottle labeller this trick! Wonder if any other brands might have something similar at a more competitive price point. Are you aware of anything similar that may be better at a comparable throughput? The website says “up to 1,200 pcs per hour”.
haha we had that same exact machine, but it was for bottles. same one you’re talking about I assume.
This may work for pouches/bags, but I don’t think it would work so well with our concentrate jars/boxes, our vape boxes, or our gummy tins.
I know I’m asking a lot, for a machine to be able to do ALL of these things, but there has gotta be something out there that can do them all, or at least most of them… I mean they’re all flat.
I see! I’ve been trying to tackle this same problem but for bags and misunderstood. I did just try to teach my bottle labeler, and I think with a few modifications it might work. I’d be interested to see what you come up with for the lid labels. I really wanted to believe that the pneumatic operated label stamper style would work, but I’m not sure if it was just a shitty Chinese job or whether they actually work and could be dialed in.
(Well fuck. It’s not letting me upload my 8s 7mb video I took of my bottle labeler, @sidco, any help?)
I have used something like this. I also really like the box building, taping, labeling machines. Depends on the style of the box size, with the tape and size of the label.
That’s really similar to the AP550 from Primera that I have used before, the Primera has a little shelf that raises and lowers as well for the application part. I just found it hard to make sure that the package (which was put on by hand) was always aligned correctly for the label to go in the right spot. Most of my labels are compliance labels - so they just go on one tiny corner or something, not just anywhere. You know?
For the Bosch. There’s a couple different machines - I’ve used their form/fill/seal - label, put into carton machine. I think its an EN102 for the form, fill, seal side. With a standard pickup labeler - here’s a video of a similar machine, it vacuum grabs the piece, and then applies labels.
Most of the “flat” machines I have used were for full scale pharma applications. They do not work at all for pouches that are already filled with stuff (can’t consistently pick things up). But they can 100% label flat stuff (boxes, etc). Most of the time you have to label the pouch/box first, then fill it.
The form/fill/seal was very similar to an Uhlmann. I used a very large blister form - filled them with 1/8ths and then sealed them over. Then labeled the top part of the blister.
I haven’t seen a good used Bosch in about 2 years. I feel like everyone is snagging all the good equipment these days that’s easy to maintain. But I’m probably just not spending as much time watching auction sites.
Any experience doing square 5ml container for dabs? I’ve been eyeing them for it but have concerns it will be accurate enough. I would build a jig to hold the lid in place but figured someone with experience could give me a solid answer.
See I always thought tamp style application, like this machine, would be ideal. But every company I talk to says the “brush on” type applicators would be better for our packaging. To me, a machine like the one in this video looks like it could work.
I’ve had very good experience with CTM products, applying a top, front, and back label. They are “brush on” style, and can apply to a flat or curved surface.
There’s a couple different machines - I’ve used their form/fill/seal - label, put into carton machine. I think its an EN102 for the form, fill, seal side. With a standard pickup labeler - here’s a