LabelStar M - Hot melt Nozzle Application System for Flexible and Efficient Magazine-based Wrap-around Labeling

Labels are part of the product appearance as well as a quality feature. For this reason, they must be glued on precisely and neatly at the designated position. Robatech’s powerful nozzle system for wrap-around labeling of cans, glass, PET, and plastic containers ensures precise labeling and efficient production at reduced costs.

Labeling Requires Flexibility

Labeling machines must be flexible concerning container and label formats as well as different utilization times or speeds while supporting quick changeover times. LabelStar M has been developed for this purpose and more than meets these requirements. The solution is not only ideally suited for new systems, but also for retrofitting existing machines with traditional roller systems.

LabelStar M – All-around an Efficient Solution

The LabelStar M solutions for wrap-around labeling consists of two hot melt gluing stations supplied with adhesives by one melter. First, the pressure-sensitive adhesive is applied vertically on the container in precise curls for the initial gluing using a spray head. The rotating containers remove a label from the magazine using the sprayed-on adhesive curls. At the same time, the adhesive is applied to the end of the label using a surface coating head during the removal. The label wraps around the container and is glued precisely along the overlap.

Powerful and Cost-optimized

The powerful and process-reliable wrap-around labeling solution can label up to 72,000 containers per hour with paper labels, thereby saving costs. The adhesive amount can be dosed precisely and reduced to a minimum using the nozzle system. Compared to a roller system, adhesive savings of up to 60 % can be achieved. The LabelStar M adapts to format and speed changes quickly and flexibly.

Efficient Operation and Quick Format Change

Both gluing stations can be operated via the integrated pattern control on the melter or directly via the host machine. Up to 70 applications and formats can be stored in the pattern control with labeling software and language selection. These can be easily selected and displayed via the touch panel. The specially developed and robust glue station brackets can be changed over without tools, simply and precisely, at the adjusting points with counters.

The spiral spray head switches the nozzles on or off depending on the application and format. However, the adhesive flows through all jetting elements from top to bottom. This prevents adhesive from being charred in non-active elements leading to nozzle blockages. The coating nozzle with innovative adjusting system ensures straightforward and quick changeover to the desired label format. In addition, the coating nozzle is automatically separated from the label magazine when not in use, thus preventing the labels from being scorched or becoming soiled in the magazine. Both application systems feature integrated filters. All of this together guarantees short changeover times as well as quick system availability and ensures the quality of a repeatable, clean adhesive application.

Sustainable System with Reduced Maintenance Effort

The spiral spray head, as well as the coating head are durable thanks to high switching cycles and integrated filter preventing nozzle blockages. In addition, the circulation and adjusting systems reduce maintenance to a minimum. As a result, productivity is increased and unscheduled downtimes prevented. In addition, the LabelStar M nozzle system ensures an optimum adhesive and power consumption.