Application Spotlight Automatic Label Height Adjustment

Many consumer products are packaged in a variety of sizes based on customer demand. When it comes to the packaging lines for products with various sizes, end-users are challenged with how to run the multiple sizes in the most efficient manner. Labeling products with differing heights often means there is idle time between sizes run. This downtime decreases efficiency and drives end-users to limit which products can run on each line, making the entire process inflexible. If something happens to the only line a product of a particular size can run on, further downtime and inflexibility cause even greater inefficiency. The simple addition of sensors, however, can assist in automating the size change and can reduce changeover time by as much as 10%. This enables greater flexibility and decreases downtime, thus increasing the efficiency of the line. Benefits: n More flexibility allows users to run various sizes of product down the same line n Less downtime automates the size change and reduces changeover by 10% n Simple to install simple, discrete inductive proximity sensors can be used

Size Changeover on Labler

In this application, there is a difference in position for both the bottom and top labels when running a 28 oz bottle versus an 18 oz bottle of barbeque sauce. After the roll of labels is changed out, the height generally still needs to be adjusted on the labler. The typical approach to moving a labeler is to use a ball screw mechanism. Adding position feedback sensors to the ball screw allows the position change to be automatic and exact. For lines that have only two different products to be run, simple inductive proximity sensors with metal flags are used one for the higher position and one for the lower position. For applications that may require an unlimited number of positions, Balluffs new BIP inductive positioning sensor can be used. With an effective measuring distance of up to 40 mm, most size change applications can be easily solved.

Ordercode
BIP0001 BIP0002 BIP0004 BIP0005

Output Type
0...10 V 0...10 V IO-Link 4...20 mA

Detection Range
0...14 mm 0...40 mm

Teachable Range
7...14 mm 20...40 mm 1 2 1 2

For a two-position solution, see the economical GlobalProx family of inductive sensors at http://www.balluff.com/GlobalProx.

www.balluff.com/Packaging
Balluff, Inc. n 8125 Holton Drive Florence, KY 41042 n 1-800-543-8390 n www.balluff.com

AS_056 Automatic Label Height Adjustment 2011-08