Double Side Sticker Labelling Machine: The Complete FAQ Guide in 2024

1.A journey from labels and stickers to the invention of first sticker labelling machine.

The first known hand written labels were used on wine bottles and small medical containers around the year 1700 that were handmade and glued to the product using a wooden press. In 1798 advancement in technology lead to two inventions that made label production more efficient i.e. the paper machine and the lithographic principle.

Between 1850 and 1860 colored labels were introduced that increased the likeability of the products increasing their demand and sale.

Pietro Cavagnino and Antonio Gatti are credited with the invention of first labelling machine bearing their name in 1955. After mere six years in 1961 they developed CG 61/D; the first automatic labelling machine one of a kind used for labelling bottles. Sales of this machine rose exponentially, particularly in France and Italy where over 4,000 units were sold.

2.What is a double side sticker labelling machine?

Automatic double side sticker labeling machine is an equipment designed to label a variety of square and oblong bottles used in the food and beverage, pharmaceutical, and other industries. It is entirely finished in stainless steel to meet regulatory demands. One of the best investments for your manufacturing plant, this piece of labeling equipment offers a variety of benefits i.e.

High production capability

This machine can label a huge proportion of product and container packages with little to no downtime. It is efficient and simple to use and durable, especially in an industrial context.

Low running expenses

A double side sticker label applicator typically has a low operating cost. The majority of its operational processes are automated, which eradicate the need for human labor. Furthermore, it is energy-efficient and highly reliable, making it easy to maintain within a particular timeline.

Safety guaranteed

This labeler incorporates various safety systems to protect the technician from harm. Modern variants also include several sensors that detect and automatically stop machine in case of any malfunction.

Customization

This instrument can be customized based on your requirements making it faster and more efficient. As a result, you can easily increase your overall production output because it can label products in the shortest amount of time.

3.Single side sticker labelling machine vs double side sticker labelling machine.

Single side and double side sticker labeling machines are two types of labeling equipment used in labelling process having more or less same working mechanism. However, there are few differences between them:

Single Side Sticker Labeling Machine	Double Side Sticker Labeling Machine
These equipment glue stickers on one side of the containers and are called front side labelers.	These equipment apply stickers or both sides of containers so are known as front/back labelers.
They are equipped with one dispensing or labeling head.	They have two labeling head for dispensing sticker on front and back of containers.
Single side labeling has less labeling area which limits the product information display	These machines offer more area for presenting product information.
The running cost of these instruments is low. These require less glue and sticker materials.	The cost of running these equipment is high in comparison to front side labelers because they need more adhesives and labeling film.
The production capacity of these machines is low compared to double side labelling machine. The machine has a labeling speed of up to 150 bottles per minute (BPM).	The production capacity of these equipment is a bit high than single side labelling machine. This machine can label up to 300 BPM depending on the product and label size

4.What this equipment has to offer? Features of a double side sticker machine.

Double sticker labeling machines are versatile equipment that perform labeling of multiple containers per minute. These equipment are equipped with sophisticated sensors that can easily detect any error in labeling process.

Some features of these high-tech machines are:

• These equipment have aesthetic design made of stainless steel with heavy duty finish and fully comply with GMP, ISO and CE regulations.
• Wide ranges of product sizes and shapes are conveniently labeled by these automations.
• These innovative machines can easily apply stickers at any position on containers due to adjustable height setting of sticker application unit.
• They require little to no daily lubrication and maintenance which saves maintenance expenses and lowers downtime.
• Minimum change over time for different types of products results in reduce batch processing time.
• Single speed variation control provides synchronicity in labeling, camera system, coding, and loading speed that help in easy management of various operational processes.
• UV scanner system detects missing stickers during production and prevents the packaging of unlabeled products.
• These instruments are equipped with vision system for inspecting details on labels such as barcodes, pharma-code, etc.
• Castor wheels assist in portability of these equipment.

5.Specifications of a standard double side sticker labelling machineand its accessories. An overview

When selecting any equipment the first thing which you should consider is the specifications of the machine. Some specifications of standard double side sticker labeling machine are given below; for accuracy check the user manual provided with your machine:

Dimensions (length-width-height)	2006 millimeter x 1016 millimeter x 1041 millimeter
Conveyor Velocity	22 meter per minute
Label Size (length-width)	152 millimeter x 300 millimeter
Object Width	50-120 millimeter
Labeling Speed	60-350 bottles per minute
Label Roller Diameter	ID:76 millimeter, OD 356 millimeter
Net Weight	150-800 kilogram
Label Accuracy	±1-1.5 millimeter
Conveyor Height	806-1060 millimeter
Power Supply	220V 50/60 HZ

Some optional accessories that come with these equipment are:

• Empty roll detection sensor
• Printers
• Missing labels sensor
• Vision systems for checking labeling details
• Acrylic or glass safety hoods
• Online rejection systems
• Tower lights for inspecting machine status

6.What are the main components of double side sticker labelling machine?

Although each version of double side sticker labeling machine has different components based on the degree of automation, its capacity and intended design but some parts are similar in every model. Main components of a standard double side sticker labeling machines are discussed below:

COMPONENTS	PICTURE
Touch screen display An advanced human-machine interface employed for programming labeling parameters. It also facilitates in diagnosis and troubleshooting of machines.
Electronic / electric panel This is the cabinet where electronic switches and wires are located that supply electric power and control various equipment parts.
Label Sensor The function of label sensor is to detect the gap between stickers. This part transmits signal to control system for halting containers labeling process in case of malfunction.
Unwind Reel The labeling film is placed on unwind reel for uncoiling.
Guide Rails These are fixed on the side of conveyors and facilitate the movement of containers in right direction keeping them in place.
Dispensing plate The stickers are attached on bottles by the dispensing plate or labeling head.
Conveyors They carry out transport of bottles to different parts via servo motor that provide necessary mechanical energy for driving conveyors.
Drive rollers These are used for pulling the labeling sticker from unwind reel and keep labeling paper under proper tension.
Label Press It is used for pressing or sticking the labels on containers.

7.What is the working principle of double side sticker labelling machine?

Every part of double side labeling machine works in complete synchronization for efficient labeling of containers. Some steps involved in working of these equipment include:

Sticker Film Loading

The sticker roll is put on supply plate or unwind reel. Afterwards, the film is unwind and moved across tension rollers for controlling the rotational speed of film roll. The sticking film is placed between the forks of sensors for dispensing labels.

Feeding of Containers

The containers are placed on conveyors and are transported to labeling area. Space correcting device is used for maintaining certain distance between containers.

Labeling

Optical sensor detects bottles and transmits signal to PLC unit. The PLC unit conveys message to stepper motor for labeling. Dispensing head place stickers one by one on the bottles. Brushes are used for removing wrinkles from labels.

The correct positioning of labels is determined by label sensors. The labels are applied to both sides of bottles by labeling head.

Discharging

Immediately after gluing of labels, the containers are removed by discharge chute. Machine automatically reject inaccurately labeled products by means of sensors which are collected in rejection bin.

8.How to operate double side sticker labelling machine?

Double side sticker machine packs latest technology, advanced electronics, aesthetics together with ease of operations and does not require intensive training. To start the machine the basic points are given below; keep in mind that some steps may differ between various models.

Connect the machine to an appropriate voltage supply. Disengage the emergency stop button. Using the touch screen go to appropriate window; Guide Mode displays operational instructions; enter machine speed and access printing options using Setting Mode; save the parameter by pressing Memory Mode. Adjust the label length in Labeling Mode; set required label length by pressing length set button. Switch on conveyer and labelling after adjusting length. Enter desired speed of conveyer and printer and value of missing label set.
If the label is not in appropriate position increase or decrease Label peel delay to adjust the position.
Engage Missing Label, enabling sensors to detect any missing labels.
Switch ON printer and adjust speed by pressing Hot Stamp Printer.
Store the parameters by assigning a valid memory slot from 0-30. Initiate the operations by selecting the assigned slot, pressing recall and read. Data will be automatically loaded to PLC.

9.General points of safety to consider while operating this double side sticker labelling machine.

Before and during operations certain points should always be considered to ensure personnel and machine’s safety. Proper SOPs should be followed taking into account both operating manuals and local or international regulatory guidelines. Given below are some points that should be part of a machine operating SOPs.

BEFORE OPERATING THE MACHINE
	Check electrical connections of the machine. Make sure that hands are completely dried. Ensure machine is set according to product specification. Never place hands around the inner column of the foot stand. For adjusting height always grab the base or the outer column. Check height of applicator and guide rails. Conveyer should at all times be cleared of any object other than the intended containers.
DURING OPERATIONS
	Keep hands off of moving parts of machine; these include roller, conveyer and axis. Do not wear loose clothing, expose hair, jewelry etc. while operating machine as most accidents occur due to entanglement of loose objects in unguarded moving parts.

10.How to insert label applicator?

Some steps for inserting label inserters are as follows:

First place the labeling roll on the supply reel. The film is then moved around tension rollers to generate tension in the film. This is done to prevent slipping of labels.

If machine is equipped with printers then put the labeling paper between print head and printing pad.

Labels must be slipped amid bifurcations of label sensors for controlling the dispensing of labels.

The driver roller and aluminum roller should be in close contact with each other to effectively pull the sticker paper.

11.How to adjust label sensors and other parts?

Some tips of adjusting various parts of double side sticker labeling machines are discussed below:

Label sensors The positioning of sensor must be precise for proper dispensing of stickers on the apex of containers. If sensors are at far right position then stickers will get delayed and will not be glued to containers. If positioning of sensors is at the extreme left then labels will appear quickly from roll and be wrinkled.
Conveyors For maintaining proper tension of conveyor belt, undo the screw nut located at the back of conveyor. Tighten the belt and afterwards redo the screw nuts. For reduced nose level conveyor belt should always be in middle.
Conveyor Height For conveyor height adjustment simply loose the fixed screws present at the lower end of conveyor. Bring the conveyor at proper level and fasten the screws again.

12.What not to miss? Commonly occurring problems during operations and their solutions.

Problem	Reason	Solution
Cannot adjust label length	Unadjusted label sensor. Nonfunctional stepping motor	Properly adjust the label sensor or replace the sensor. Check electrical connections.
Multi-labels at a time	Weak sensitivity of label sensor. Long label length.	Reset the sensitivity. Rest label length.
No display	Check electrical connections and power supply.	Tighten electrical connections and restore power supply.
Non responsive conveyer	Gear belt is loose or damaged. Check electrical connections	Tighten belt or replace it if damaged. Tighten loose connections.
Labels do not stick properly	Early release of labels. Label position is not aligned. Uneven container surface. Increased back pressure.	Adjust the label sensor or increase the value of label peel delay. Adjust label position. Use container of recommended material. Reduce back pressure.

Conclusion

Double side sticker labelling machine is state of the art equipment that is easy to operate and maintain, ideal for small to large production requirement.Aipak is China’s no: 1 pharma solution provider having more than a decade of expertise in manufacturing complete production line for solid, semi-solid and liquid packaging. We have a range of different production units, contact our 24/7 services for assistance or quote. Happy hunting!