A Look at the Innovations in Fast Label Printers and Applicators

The demand for faster and more efficient label printing and application continues to drive innovation in the industry. Manufacturers require ever-more agile labelling solutions as production line speeds increase and consumer expectations around customisation and responsiveness grow. Recent technological developments are enabling label printers and applicators to keep pace with these needs.

Faster Print Engines

At the heart of high-speed printing and fast, automatic label applicators lie the print engine itself. Various advancements in print head technology now allow for rapid on-demand label runs without sacrificing print quality. One notable example is thermal inkjet, which uses precise nozzles to jet ink onto substrates. With print resolutions reaching 1600 dots per inch, thermal inkjet enables sharp barcodes, logos and variable text at speeds exceeding 50 metres per minute.

Another print technology seeing faster print speeds is UV inkjet. UK ink cures instantly under ultraviolet light, allowing the next label to print virtually right away. This supports a nonstop printing process that outpaces traditional inkjet. With the right UV inkjet printer, producers can achieve up to thirty meters per minute across multiple print heads.

Intelligent Software

Hardware advancements in printers and automatic label applicators tell only part of the story around speed innovations in labelling. Clever software optimisations also play a key role. Printer firmware that efficiently handles image processing, data communication, memory allocation and print synchronisation helps unlock the true potential of the entire print engine.

Elsewhere, management software gives operators better control over print jobs, resources and priorities. Built-in tools provide insights into press performance, enabling a streamlined production schedule. Users can also create templates, select printer settings and reroute jobs between devices for improved printing workflows.

Automatic Applicators

High throughput on the print side must be matched on the application side. New self-adhering label applicators now automatically adjust adhesion force, label positions and line speeds to correctly place labels at rates exceeding 1000 per minute. This keeps the labelling operation harmonised with faster packaging machinery.

Advanced applicators also utilise rapid alternating motions to pick, place and stamp labels onto products swiftly. Servo motor systems allow the precision and speed necessary to handle uneven product surfaces. Points of oversight monitor for faults, instantly stopping the process if labels are incorrectly applied. This prevents waste and avoids downtime mid-production.

Modular Printing Systems

For maximum production line flexibility, some leading printing companies offer modular systems that leverage multiple print engine units. These units can print and apply labels independently while sharing common data and power sources. This allows producers to scale print capacity by adding units as needed. It also creates redundancy should one unit require maintenance.

With each print engine housing its controls and interface, modular systems enable printers across the line to handle different label sizes, materials and print technologies. This supports applications requiring multiple label types. Users can also rotate and replace units to meet changing requirements over time. And in mission-critical operations, keeping backup units on standby ensures near-zero downtime.

With customer demand for mass customisation and responsiveness reaching new heights, manufacturers require label printing and application solutions that are fast enough to keep pace.