Automation

QUESTIONS and ANSWERS around IN-MOULD LABELS.

1. The difficile NATURE of thin IML-STOCK is the chance.
Iml-film is very slick, flimsy and slippery, tough to control during the whole process
from printing to pick and place in the mould. The label and packaging industry is
in the middle of the wrestle to master iml.
The advantages of IML as INDESTRUCTABLE PRODUCT IDENTIFICATION are so
important, that IML is here to stay. The struggle is still up hill, but IML will be
highly profitable, when the production process is matured and enough know-how
gained. Printing an iml-web requires quite a bit of experience regarding the varnish
or coating to fight static loading. The die-cut plate has to be extremely precise,
in order to avoid jams at the die-cut cylinder. Because of the die cutting of often
round and odd-shape in-mould labels the speed has to be turned down more than
usual for loose labels.
In some cases it is tried to print flimsy iml substrate on sheetfed and to die-cut separately.
Who knows iml-material can imagine, that sheetfed multiplies the problems compared
to web. A web speed of 20 meter per minute can be a respectful output when static is
not well eliminated.
IML can be very sticky by static electricity and requires the most refined STATIC
ELIMINATION as offered, tested and selected by Automation. With static elimination
the output can be up considerably. The same can be said of appropriate anti-static
coating, varnishing and uv-drying in the roll-to-roll pass. This allows for
a positiv web speed in the subsequent processing pass.

2. WHAT CAN BE LEARNED FROM THE CD for STACKING IML LABELS?
The available CD shows a flexo press with an IML-2 Stacker hooked to the die-cut
unit. On IML-2 movie the machine runs 57 mu transparent iml-stock, 70 mm wide,
145 mm long, four streams. It can be noticed, that the top of a finished stack in
the delivery is sometimes slightly twisting.
Explanation: The die-cut plates for this job came from the customer at the acceptance
test of this line. These die-plates did not allow for ample space between the streams,
causing the top of some stacks to be lightly disturbed by the contact to the side
guides. This is one of various items to clearly observe before the average output can be up.

3. SKILL and EXPERIENCE.
At this time, there is not yet equipment on the market to handle iml trouble free and
perfectly. Various types of iml stock, different shapes of iml-labels, more or less static,
compatible inks, holding iml-stacks in bins or cassettes for transportation to the
moulding area, many factors play a role in the end-of-the-day result and satisfaction.

4. QUALITY CONTROL is VITAL.
The stacker itself does not have influence on the product quality of the iml-labels,
but it can drop the waste before it reaches the descending delivery table.
The WASTE SWITCH in the IML-2 Stacker is opened by push button or automatically
with a high-resolution camera. Every wrong label has to be eliminated before the
molding takes place. It is fatal, when lower quality iml-labels come in the packaging.
Static electricity devices are offered for pick-and-place iml labels in the mould and
manual in-mould placing is also practised.

5. IN-LINE or OFF-LINE IML-PRODUCTION?
There are good arguments for and against In-Line and Off-Line.
An advantage of the roll-to-sheet method is the quality control on the delivery,
where single labels, transparent or opaque, are randomly checked or continuously
by camera. Camera inspection can also be done roll-to-roll, but the waste in the
rewound printed roll can not be eliminated. Camera inspection is also feasible
on the Processor with elimination by the waste switch on the Stacker.
With the high cost of iml-material the production method has to be weighed
considering the available web presses on the floor, the web widths, etc.
The pre-printed roll is processed on the roll-to-single label Converter with automatic
control to hold the die-cut cylinder in register to the printed web.
For this purpose Automation offers the die-cut unit of the LABB-2 Processor
WITHOUT BEARERS. The servo-motor for the magnetic cylinder permanently
corrects the die position continuously with the impulses given by the electronic
eye sensing the register mark on the web.

6. RESUMEE.
IML is the exciting new venture in the label- and packaging industry on the threshold
changing the looks of many products and for ultimate security and durability.
IML meets the trend of modern society for reliability, product identification and
enduring image.
IML opens vast new fields in the food industry, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics and others.

This paper describes a number of implications that determine the involvement of
the label pioneers entering the iml-field, contributing to the innovative technique.
As specialist in stackers for many kinds of labels and sheets, Automation has taken
up the challenge to assist to the future of IML. IML fits the Automation-business
direction of stacking and processing labels, cards, tickets and A4-sheets in one
nonstop operation.

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