Packaging and labelling are vital
components of a product, whatever that product may be – beer, bread, medical
equipment, flowers, or food. Every product needs good packaging that is fit for
its purpose, and it follows that all packaging needs good labelling. Labelling
is essential to identify the product as well as draw attention to essential
details such as ingredients, use-by date, and safety features. And in order to
efficiently and cheaply attach labels to your packaging, you need a labelling
machine – but it can be difficult to know what to choose when faced with the
wide variety available. Here, then, are some ideas for choosing the right
labelling machine, and what you need to know about the top six features you
should consider when buying a labelling machine.
1.
Self-adhesive labelling
By far, the most essential aspect of the
label is its self-adhesive nature. You cannot have labels that need to be fixed
with glue or other materials; this will take too long, and the results are less
than perfect. All labelling machines should dispense self-adhesive labels in an
efficient manner.
2.
The position of the labels
You need to see what type of product you
are packaging and labelling in order to work out whether you need a machine
that supplies labels for the back, side, bottom, or top of the item. Also, you
may need labels for the entire product. Different labelling machines are
suitable for the different positions of stickers and labels on the product, so
remember this as well.
3.
Manual or automatic?
If you are producing commercial products,
it is likely that you will need some form of automation from the machine. You
can find labelling machines that are fully or semi-automatic. Semi-automatic
machines require some input into the process, such as removing bottles from the
machine once the labels have been fixed. Automatic machines do not require any
input once the parameters have been set and are more suitable for large-scale
production processes.
4.
User-friendly controls
Above all, a labelling machine should be user-friendly. It should be
easy to operate and easy to program. You need the machine to work smoothly, and
you need to be comfortable while operating it. It goes without saying that the
labelling machine should also be safe to use, too.
5.
High-quality materials and operation
A high-quality machine constructed from
excellent quality materials will give you many years of service and will also
be safer and more effective to run. You should also check that the machinery is
constructed to a high standard and comes with the relevant safety checks and
guarantees. You need something hard-wearing and practical when you are working
with labelling, and a good quality machine will eventually and surely pay for
itself.
6.
Adequate alarms and safety features
On automatic machinery, you need the right
safety features such as automatic stop systems, alarms when the label roll is
close to empty, and indications of any fault in the system. Make sure that the
machine is under warranty for the first few years so that any problems in the
operating system can be fixed without any extra cost to you.
