Today’s labeling automation technologies, and industrial labeling systems in general, are designed to meet specific production needs for those companies that have outgrown their current labeling processes. Certainly, automating an industrial process makes the most sense for accomplishing routine tasks like labeling. Many labeling projects dovetail nicely with automation, especially where the expectation of high-volume runs is an ongoing concern. Just as importantly, labeling automation allows companies to meet that ever-increasing demand without expanding their workforce just for labeling.
Labeling automation can help businesses improve production in other meaningful ways, too. Industrial labeling systems allow manufacturers to print their product labels onto a diverse range of objects with speed and efficiency, without intermittent slowdowns and costly errors. In a broader sense, implementing an automation strategy for labeling not only increases workflow and reduces costs for manufacturers, but industrial labeling systems streamline overall production processes, making them easier, increasing throughput, improving quality, and reducing costs.
When companies grow, and their packaging demands increase, labeling automation is an important next step to help product manufacturers increase their efficiency. Here are five reasons why:
1. Eliminates Human Error
Manual label application is time-consuming, relatively expensive, and, above all, prone to errors. It’s no wonder—labeling by hand is repetitive, dull, and labor-intensive. Loss of concentration and fatigue is exceptionally common and happens routinely during shifts. It can cause slowdowns and bottlenecks or result in misaligned labels placed in the wrong position, direction, or orientation. When too little pressure is applied to a label, it can peel off. Ultimately, these types of mistakes drag production and impact productivity adversely. Labeling automation technology removes the human element from the application of labels and, in the process, reduces errors to nil, boosting productivity. Labor can be redirected to where it is more productive and beneficial for the company.
2. Increased Throughput
The rate at which a product is processed or produced is the prime indicator of a manufacturer’s throughput capability. In regards to enhancing operational efficiency and productivity, deploying an automated labeling system will greatly increase the throughput of any manufacturer. Automated labeling is far faster than manual labeling. With the elimination of errors often associated with manual labeling, the production speed is increased, and production can be easily scaled up without a risk of labeling bottlenecks and slowdowns. If necessary, industrial labeling systems can operate 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
3. Speed and Accuracy
Labeling automation improves production speeds exponentially, delivering precise and consistent product labeling at 10 times the speed. Industrial labeling systems incorporate web drives to accommodate high-speed production, can utilize a wide variety of adhesive labels like Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) and anti-theft tags, and are capable of speed compensation for improved tag placement accuracy. Versatile, intuitive touchscreen operation of systems allows for speed adjustment, tagging position and skipping.
4. Consistency
Automated labeling systems provide consistency for labeling processes, reducing, if not eliminating, any of the variables that commonly hurt or curtail production. Labeling automation maintains a steady production rate, tracks and adjusts web applications to reduce flagging and skewing issues, and prevents workstation bottlenecks. Consistency in production also reduces waste, guarantees a set output every time, and, in general, improves the overall appearance of products.
5. Meeting Demand
Meeting production deadlines and keeping pace with demand is vital for every company. As alluded to above, relying on manual processes for such routine tasks as applying labels to your products can and will lead to disruptions and delays in production schedules. Labeling automation helps companies accurately plan, meet production schedules and deadlines, and meet demands.
Contact the Labeling Automation Experts at EAM, Inc.
EAM’s labeling automation technologies serve a broad community of product manufacturers. We offer different industrial labeling systems that efficiently and quickly label products and are designed to place labels on certain shapes and surfaces. Contact us for information on how our automated labeling solutions can help improve your company’s production needs.