Labelling Light Barriers with the SATO CL 412e

End user: Light Barrier Manufacturer
System: Print and Apply Automated Solution
Benefits: Faster, automated labelling

Overview

A manufacturer of light barriers labelled their products manually, with hand-drawn circuit diagrams. They wanted to automate the labelling process and add barcodes to the labels, identifying the products.

Issues: Manual to Automatic

With only one person responsible for circuit diagrams, every time this person was absent, the final packaging and delivery process would be put on hold. Also, in order to ensure the clear appearance of the fine lines, drawing of the circuit diagrams was done by hand and labels were applied manually. This was a very time intensive process.

Solution

Using their existing graphics software together with the SATO CL 412e printer, the light barrier manufacturer found a solution. Circuit diagrams were produced using the graphic design program, rather than drawn by hand, and the CL 412e prints the circuit and an ID barcode on a label. The CL 412e thermal transfer printer was selected based on its high-resolution print out. With a 300dpi printhead, it can print the small thin lines of the circuit diagrams, clearly and precisely and produces high quality barcodes.

The labels, previously stuck on by hand, are now applied automatically. The SATO CL 412e has been installed in an applicator. When a box is moved along the conveyor belt, a sensor detects the product and sends a signal to the printer to produce a label. The applicator then uses vacuum to apply the label, flatly and securely on to the box.

Benefits

Automated print and apply is much faster than hand application - the manufacturer now labels 28 boxes a minute. The applicator is also much more efficient, always placing the label in the correct position, where it is easy to read and scan. The CL 412e printer is highly reliable, needing very little maintenance so that production can continue uninterrupted. Replacing the hand-drawn diagrams with computer drawn labels also saves time. Previous drawings are now adapted, rather than always starting from scratch. At the same time the diagram drawer is no longer indispensable ø others are now able to print the diagrams, saved in the computer or can adapt themselves. As a result, production is a much more efficient and the whole labelling process quicker, leaving staff time to move on to other high priority tasks.

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