Self-adhesive labelling lends itself to the primary decoration of beer bottles, but also to the addition of supplementary information to already-labelled bottles exported to countries which require this.
A system based on an ALline C in-line labeller, for example (first figure), is designed for the application of the body label (with lot and expiry date printing) and neck label to around 3,000 bottles/hour.
The system is fitted with two ALstep labelling heads. The labels are initially applied overhanging, first to the body then the neck. A counter-belt synchronised with the conveyor keeps the bottles stabilised during this stage, in order to guarantee maximum application precision.
Following this, a rolling device which is also fitted with brushes completes the application by adapting the labels onto the body and the conical neck of the bottle, with the end result that they are correctly aligned with one another. A SATO thermal transfer printer is installed in the applicator head.
In another solution (second figure) created for a major Northern European company, the machine applies labels to beer bottles which require the addition of further information. The machine was positioned directly onto an existing packaging line, fed by rotating tables.
The labelling system spaces and orients the bottles, as well as applying the labels in step with the existing labels so as not to cover them, all at speeds of over 50 bottles per minute.
The labeller is an ALline C linear system, equipped with a dual-belt product spacer and a three-roller product timing system. The sensor which identifies the position of the other labels is a high-speed scanner, which reads the barcode already present on the bottle and sends a signal to the ALritma label applicator head.
The solid mechanism and optimised logic of the three-roller device have allowed us to obtain impressive performance, while maintaining excellent positioning precision and operational reliability.
ALTECH Srl is among the leaders in the production of material labelling and identification systems, which it distributes all over the world.
