The addition of robotics to packaging line automation is relatively new. Most of the robots you will find are in palletizing where they have completely changed the game, providing flexibility to an everchanging product line. But robots, specifically cobots, are changing the game in other ways too. Today robots are automating very particular labeling situations that are often the last part of the line to automate because they are so difficult.
Large Labels
Large labels are notoriously hard to apply on unit loads. There is a high rate of dropped and unreadable labels due to creases and wrinkles from traditional tamp style labeling. As we know, this can create a lot of downtime as these issues are resolved.
Typical tamp style labeling moves in one direction. The arm comes out and applies the label to the load. Robotic arms allow for more freedom of movement. It allows engineers to find a motion that will apply the label and smooth out all the wrinkles (imagine a wiping or squeegee type motion).
Hard-to-Reach Locations
It is no secret that automation seeks to provide safer work environments by moving workers to jobs away from the production line, where they could potentially be injured. However, many products have hard to reach labeling locations or delicate surfaces that still require a human touch. Robotic arms are changing that.
Robot arms and associated vision systems can guide labels into a hard-to-reach location. Think of a person trying to label inside a core, on top of a large stack, or underneath a load. These are all tricky, potentially dangerous locations. The robot can not only apply the label, but it can do it with more precision and accuracy than the operator. Additionally, cobots are equipped with force limiting sensors. While this feature has been developed for safety, it can also ensure that your product is treated gently.
Round Surfaces
Round surfaces are tricky for multiple reasons. The label and the product surface are different shapes. Transitioning to a curved surface whether it is done on the application arm or the load can result in wrinkles due to bunching and incomplete adherence. Wrinkles make a label unreadable and ultimately results in downtime to fix the issue.
Products with a round surface often do not have a smooth surface. There are ridges on kegs and drums, and rolls of material are soft and never completely uniform. This presents a challenge to traditional tamp style labeling because the application arm only moves in one direction. There is also an issue with consistency. It is very difficult to find the center or edge of a load with traditional photoelectric sensors (especially with unevenly sized material rolls). As the use of robotic arms has increased, companies have created many types of new vision systems specifically designed to work with the robotic arms. This newly available technology is making precision possible.
Precision Labeling on Diverse Sizes
The packaging ecosystems is changing. Retailers require more specific labeling to accommodate their own automation, and end user buying habits are demanding more options. This puts a lot of strain on manufacturers’ finite space and budgets. Packaging lines are transforming to be adaptable and accommodate many types of products. The machinery that manufacturers buy needs to be flexible yet still accurate and consistent.
A robotic arm is the ultimate in flexibility. With the ability to move on all axis, it can label virtually anywhere. Thanks to newly available vision technology, the robot can acquire spatial data and label precisely and accurately according to the specifications. All of these features allow one machine to label multiple types of products that are of varying sizes and even potentially different shapes. The inherent flexibility means it is reprogrammable and repurpose-able to adapt with a changing packaging line.
Reach out to our team at Kolinahr Systems today to see what labeling pain points we can eliminate for your production.