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Sunday, June 23, 2019

Filling, Capping, & Labeling-In Color


Recently, I had the opportunity to see my first integration of an on-demand color label printer with an applicator integrated into a filling line; and this experience was both interesting and exciting.

C7500 With Color Printer Loose Loop Integration Kit
C7500 With Color Printer Loose Loop Integration Kit 


Let me tell you more about our partners and what they are doing with the C7500.

First ID Technology, https://www.idtechnology.com/integrated the C7500 into a label applicator.  ID Technology designs, manufactures and integrates custom identification systems and is recognized as a leading single-source provider for labeling, coding and marking equipment.  It is a division of ProMach, www.promachbuilt.com.   Headquartered near Cincinnati, Ohio, with facilities worldwide, ProMach is a family of product brands that operate across the entire packaging spectrum in distinct business lines: filling and capping, flexibles, pharma, product handling, labeling and coding, and end of line.

I first contacted Jack Roe, Vice President and General Manager of ID Technology, years ago when this project started.  At the time, Jack said, “we have integrated already a Kiaro printer using a serial connection.  Therefore, integrating a printer with an I/O port should be easier”.  Prior to restarting this project, I sent Jack the information on the I/O port. Contact me if you want to integrate the C7500 using the GPIO port.

Jack Roe with Model 9140 Applicator
One issue, however, exists with integrating the C7500 with an applicator.  The printer backs up about 12” every time it starts to print.  At the time, I sent Jack two video’s of an early attempt to integrate an applicator with a C7500:




Moving to the current integration, Jack showed me what they have built; a loose-loop system that uses sensors to monitor the status of the printer and labels:

Sensors Monitor Loose-Loop System
Sensors Monitor Loose-Loop System
 According to Jack, “We built 3 sensors into the loose-loop system.  The lowest sensor monitors the loose loop; to stop the printer when enough labels have been printed.  The middle sensor tells the printer to produce more labels.  The top sensor (shown above), signals out-of-labels and stops the applicator until more are available.  This loose-loop system enables the integration of the C7500 printer with the label applicator.”


For the applicator, Jack says, “Our color printer loose loop integration kit is designed to add color printing to any of our applicators. For this application we chose our Model 9140 three point wrap labeler to wrap labels around gallon bottles. The Model 9140 is designed to align the label with a feature on the product. In this case we’re aligning the label position with the bottle handle.

Second,  Cozzoli Machine Company, https://www.cozzoli.com/integrated the applicator into their filling and capping system. 

Cozzoli Filling/Capping System
Cozzoli Filling/Capping System
For over a century, Cozzoli has provided technologically advanced machinery for the bottling and packaging industry. Quality craftsmanship has always been the cornerstone of our foundation and we are dedicated to continuing that tradition of excellence.

According to Dennis Martin, Regional Sales Manager for Cozzoli, “we’re building a filling, capping and labeling line for our mutual customer.  This complete line features a 10-Head, In-line fill to level, machine that feeds directly into the Versacapping machine.  The combination of machines for this specific application can fill and cap gallon sized containers at speeds of 20 per minute.

Due to the nature of the product being filled, both the filling and capping machines are manufactured to be explosion proof, meeting Nema 7 standards. After being filled, the bottles will then pass through into another room, via conveyer, where they will be labeled and packaged.”

Cozzoli's Dennis Martin With C7500

By integrating the C7500 with the filling, capping and labeling line, our customer can print on-demand labels and immediately apply them to their containers.  It’s a great solution that many companies, especially chemical firms can use in their production facilities.


Color Label Solutions along with our partners ID Technology and Cozzoli can build a custom filling, capping and labeling lines using on-demand color label printers.  Contact me if we can help you move forward with this exciting, new capability.

Guy Mikel
855-962-7670

Sunday, June 16, 2019

Get Your Preprinted Labels


Color Label Solutions has been about print on-demand color labels since the beginning:
  • Print the labels you need, when you need them.
  • Update the artwork as needed. 
  • Eliminate the inventory of preprinted labels.
  • Reduce or eliminate obsolete label inventory.
  • Make adding variable data easy to do


But sometimes, preprinted labels make sense; and now Color Label Solutions offers the expertise to support your requirements for preprinted labels.  Troy Nettles has joined our team as our expert in Preprinted and Prime Labels.

Troy Nettles
Troy Nettles
Troy Nettles is an accomplished Business Development Manager with 23 years of experience working in the label manufacturing industry. His extensive knowledge in the flexographic/rotary letterpress printing has made Troy a leader in sales and account management. Troy possesses an in-depth knowledge of pressure sensitive material/adhesives that provides the best possible solution and economic value for our customers.


Troy has worked with many different organizations in the labeling and printing industries such as, Diverse Label Printing (DLP), Copac, ITW Labels and JIT Manufacturing. His major key accomplishments have been with DLP where he helped to assemble the “core” team to launch the company and acted as the National Sales Manager.  With Color Label Solutions, Troy will work with our customers to meet their requirements with prime and preprinted labels as well as sales in the Eastern United States.

In his role, Troy will work with our parent, General Data, who has the equipment to produce preprinted/Prime labels in both large and relatively small quantities:

Preprinted Label Plant
Label Plant

  • 15 Flexographic presses from 10” to 23” wide.  And soon, General Data will add a new Nilpeter 13” press
  • 2 Digital Memjet-based Hybrid printers for printing shorter production runs


Recently, I was in our facility, watching them rewind/slit a label order for one of our customers:



When asked about when to use Preprinted labels, Troy says, “Volume is the key question in determining which type of label to use.  If you are using 40,000 to 50,000 labels per month with less than 10 SKU’s, preprinted labels will save you money. We use both digital and flexographic presses to provide the best possible preprinted labels for our customers. Which press to use depends on the volume and materials required.”

Label Press
Label Press
Continuing, Troy says “Flexographic presses will save money in longer press runs.  In addition, these types of analog presses enable foil materials, embossing and other options that are important for certain customers.  But press set up and plate changes take time; up to 1.5 hours per job.  If the job takes only 6 hours, then setup time is a major portion of the costs.  Digital presses take very little time to setup, and work well for shorter runs. Costs per label, however, do not really decrease with increases in volume.”


Label Press
Label Press
In addition to when to use preprinted labels, I asked Troy “what information is required to quote preprinted labels”.  Troy says, “Quantities and even annual quantities are the most important questions to ask.  Using annual quantities enables me to lower the costs of labels for larger runs.  Also, I ask about material type, hand or automatic application, unwind direction and other questions from our list to ensure the labels work the first time for our customers.”

Unwind Position Chart
Unwind Position Chart

After discussing the requirements, I asked Troy about what type of artwork files do you need to produce high quality preprinted labels.  Troy says “Adobe Illustrator and/or high-resolution PDF’s ensure the artwork prints correctly.  Other file types may work, but these 2 types seem to work the best.”

No matter what, Color Label Solutions will sell print on-demand color labels. But now we have expertise in Troy to help you with preprinted labels as well; and thus offer you the best “tool” required for your situation.  Contact us if we can help you with any type of color label requirements.

Guy Mikel
855-962-7670
info@colorlabelsolutions.com 

Sunday, June 2, 2019

Delta 9

I’m pleased to announce the launch of Delta 9 Systems,  www.delta9systems.coman industry leader and innovator in the areas of identification, labeling, data capture, and workflow efficiencies; helping cannabis companies improve productivity and enhance profitability.  As a division of our parent company, General Data, www.general-data.com, the Delta 9 team brings a deep understanding of the cannabis industry to work for today’s industry pros. Their cannabis experience goes back to the very beginnings of the Industry on the West Coast; including operating Collective Gardens, Recreational production and Retail operations. They speak the language, know the workflow and understand the challenges of the cannabis industry.


As discussed in the post about the merger of Color Label Solutions, General Data wanted our company given our position in the cannabis market: https://colorlabelsondemand.blogspot.com/2019/02/color-label-solutions-merger.html.   Delta 9 is a continuation of this effort to help growers and manufacturers integrate time and cost saving technologies required by today’s cannabis industry.  They help companies streamline work in process and finish good inventory, trace assets, and improve shipping and receiving operations.

Chris Guthrie, the General Manager of Delta 9, describes the current market as Cannabis 2.0.  According to Chris, “Cannabis 2.0 is about the data. The consistent production of great flower and oil is now the minimum requirement of a cannabis business. The numbers a garden produces and the way that data is collected, stored and acted on will determine the success of an operation. In a heavily regulated, highly competitive market like cannabis, operators will live and die by the data they can see and act upon.”  To learn more about Cannabis 2.0, read this post from Chris:  https://www.delta9systems.com/index.php?route=extension/d_blog_module/post&post_id=12

Chris Guthrie
 
When asked what solution is the most important for a cannabis operation, Chris replied, “I believe the Mobile Traceability Cart will help the majority of companies.  Currently, many cultivators have their traceability system set up in the office, far away from their growing operation.  With a mobile system, operators can move their traceability system to growth rooms, or to packaging; where ever it is needed. With the current state requirements, cultivators need to track and identify every in-process batch and all waste.  Our Mobile Traceability Cart solution makes this required tracking easy to do, and will improve the operation as well.”


The Mobility Traceability Cart System include 5 components. First, the Newcastle QC510 Mobile Powered Workstation.


Cannabis Mobility Cart
Mobility Cart
With built in power source and strip, this cart saves labor, reduces errors and improves data collection.

In addition to the cart, the Mobility Traceability Cart includes an Elo TouchSystems ESY22i2 All In One Touch Screen Computer. 


Elo Touchscreen for Cannabis
Elo Touchscreen for Cannabis

The 22-inch I-Series for Windows is a multi-purpose fixed tablet, and delivers commercial-grade computing for the cannabis workflow. 

Also, the Mobility Traceability Cart includes a Datalogic Gryphon Scanner.


Datalogic Gryphon Scanner for Cannabis
Datalogic Gryphon Scanner
The Gryphon Scanner is designed to capture barcode data for in-process and finish good inventory as well as asset tracking.

The Traceability Cart also includes the Star Micronics Scale:


Star Micronics Scale for cannabis
Star Micronics Scale
perfect for the precision measurements of cannabis processing. 

And finally, the Citizen CL-E321 label printer to add barcodes to plants, waste and/or inventory.


Citizen CL-E321 Barcode Printer for cannabis
Citizen CL-E321 Barcode Printer
Discussing the Mobility Traceability Cart, Chris says “Traceability infrastructure is important with Cannabis 2.0.  Both Mom & Pop as well as Multi-State operations have the same requirements for track and trace.  And both type of operations will benefit from improvements derived from the information gleaned from this type of traceability system.”

Depending on your requirements, Chris and his team at Delta 9 Systems can built a system to meet your individual needs and budget.  Contact Delta 9 at delta9@general-data.comor call 877-303-8957.  If you prefer, contact us at Color Label Solutions.  We’ll work with the experts at Delta 9 to install the traceability system that meets your needs.

And if you work outside of the cannabis market, but still need traceability, contact us.  We'll help with your trace and trace requirements. 

Guy Mikel
855-962-7670