Founded in 1991, Produlab Pharma in Ramsdonksveer near Breda (the Netherlands) develops, manufactures, and packages veterinary pharmaceuticals for a wide range of renowned European companies. During made-to-order production and packaging of products, time and precision are decisive factors. The inline labelling machine used to be a bottleneck in this process since changeovers and fine adjustment took too long. This bottleneck has been removed by installing the 132M HC labelling machine from HERMA: “We have gained considerable speed and versatility thanks to the HERMA labelling system. Moreover, we are now well-prepared for switching to two-shift operation”, says Joost Kool, project manager at Produlab.
Quick format changes
The wrap-around labelling machine 132M HC was integrated into the Produlab production line after a cleaning system, a sterilizing tunnel, and a filling machine. So far, it has proven highly successful: fine adjustments during operation are no longer required, and a format change now only takes approximately 15 minutes. Even though Produlab currently processes 14 different bottle formats, quick batch changes are therefore no longer a problem. The labelling system features a special integrated control feature: a DataMatrix code printed in invisible ink is read by an OCR camera and serves to check whether the right label is being applied. Subsequently, a batch number is printed on the label and also checked for correctness by a camera. All misprints are sorted out.
Versatility thanks to modular design
Despite its wide performance range, this HERMA system is not custom-made, but rather a standard model with all typical advantages such as cost-efficiency and reliability. Thanks to its modular design, the wrap-around labelling machine 132M HC ensures excellent versatility while offering users many options for implementing individual equipment requests, e.g. regarding the choice of printing systems for variable data and camera systems for printing and code inspection. Another advantage of the modular design: users can adapt the wrap-around labeller 132M HC to all required cylindrical product formats in just a few steps. Thanks to its continuously rotating star wheel, the machine can label up to 200 bottles per minute.
