Pharmaceutical and Medical Packaging News Magazine
PMPN Article Index

Originally Published February 1998

CASE HISTORY

Labeler Increases Productivity

A customized unit reduces processing time for material handling, conveying, and applying primary product labels.

Gluma Desensitizer, a tooth desensitizer manufactured by Heraeus Kulzer's Dental Products Div. in Dormaegen, Germany, travels a long way just for a label. Heraeus Kulzer ships the liquid dental product in small individual plastic bottles to its South Bend, IN, plant for labeling and packaging. In the past, operators manually applied wraparound labels to the bottles and then packaged them in small individual cartons with a material safety data sheet. The bottles were then shipped to dental product distributors worldwide.

A rotary descrambler sends bottles of Gluma Desensitizer to Diagraph's label applicator. Photo courtesy Diagraph Corp.

When demand for the desensitizer increased threefold, Heraeus Kulzer didn't want the stop in Indiana to become an extended layover. The company needed to find a way to meet the growing demand without increasing processing time or labor costs. The solution was to install an automated system.

Such a system needed to perform several steps in one process, including material handling, conveying, orienting, and labeling. The system also had to handle a range of bottle sizes to accommodate future labeling needs. Other system requirements included portability and separate controls for each mechanism.

CUSTOM-BUILT SOLUTION

Diagraph Corp. (Earth City, MO) designed and built a labeling system specifically for Heraeus Kulzer that applies labels directly to the bottles. Such primary product labeling was a change for Diagraph's designers, who were accustomed to developing systems for labeling boxes or other types of packages.

The customized system performs material handling, conveying, and labeling. Heraeus Kulzer operators can empty up to 1000 plastic bottles onto the system's 24-in.-diam rotary descrambling table, which carries the bottles to the beginning of the conveyor. A 5-in. spacing wheel, turning in the same direction as the descrambler, maintains equal spacing between the bottles as they enter a tabletop conveyor. Aligned in a single file, the bottles travel on the conveyor past Diagraph's Model 110 label applicator. There, each bottle receives a 3Ž4 x 3-in. label that includes lot number and expiration date. These three-color, glossy labels, also custom manufactured by Diagraph, are imprinted, rewound, and then loaded onto the labeler prior to labeling.

As the labels are applied, a variable-speed wrapping station spins the bottles to ensure complete label adhesion. After the bottles exit the station, they are packaged manually into small, individually marked boxes.

IMPROVED PRODUCTIVITY

According to Brent Stiles, Heraeus Kulzer's technical production supervisor at the Indiana plant, use of the new system has improved productivity. "It reduced the processing time of a batch of 500 units from 21Ž2 days to 1 day," explains Stiles. Processing time includes labeling the bottles, prepping the cartons, and placing the inserts into each box. The system can operate at speeds of up to 84 ft/min.

The portable and easily programmable system also makes the operator's job easier. The Model 110 label applicator is mounted to the conveyor frame, allowing operators to move the entire system easily. Adjustable guide rails ensure consistent orientation of the bottle to the applicator, eliminating bottle vibration. Operators can control the speed of the system's individual components, including speed of the descrambler, spacing wheel, conveyor, and wrapping station.

Currently labeling bottles 0.81 in. in diam, the system is equipped to label bottles with diameters up to 4 in. According to Stiles, the system will be able to accommodate Heraeus Kulzer's future plans, which may include adding larger bottle sizes to its product line.