In the business for over 49 years, Hally Labels is one of
Australasia's leading label manufacturers, providing its customers with an
unmatched range of labelling solutions. With five manufacturing plants based in
New Zealand and Australia, Hally Labels uses leading edge flexo and digital
offset technology to provide innovative labelling solutions to broad range of
markets. With an unmatched range of materials, inks, coatings and special
finishes that are ever evolving, Hally Labels can create tailored solutions to
solve even the most difficult challenge.
Variable data labels are now a large part of Hally Labels’
product range, with seals and tags used by the food industries throughout the
region for traceability, brand protection and anti-counterfeiting requirements.
This in turn places new demands on the production processes. Typically every label in a traditional print
run is identical, with overall print quality, registration and die cut accuracy
the key inspection criteria. Traceability labels are by their nature, unique.
While the same inspection requirements exist, each label carries a unique
serial number, manufacturing or region code, or other traceability features
using OCR, 2D, QR and linear barcodes. It is imperative that there are no
duplicates; imagine the same product arriving in two different locations with
the same serial number, or an unreadable serial record. The penalties for label
integrity errors are significant, and therefore customer satisfaction,
liability and ultimately the profitability of a print run rely heavily on the
equipment and technology used during the printing process.
Working with both customer requirements and government
regulations, Hally Labels fully understands the expectations for label data
integrity, and has invested heavily in the equipment necessary to meet these
demands.
Initially a series of inkjet heads were mounted on a Gallus
EM280 label press. Driven from a sequential print file, these inkjet heads
provide up to five lanes of serial numbering in an OCR font. Data file
management ensures the same data file is never repeated, however production
errors on the press were harder to capture.
Blocked or failed inkjet heads may not be identified for
some time, leading to high reprint costs, production delays, and increased
wastage. In addition minor drift on the web can lead to missed inkjet “print
go” sensors, and subsequent blank labels. These may be difficult to detect at
the rewind and slitting stage if they are buried within a roll. A simple camera
inspection system was therefore added to the press, however this proved
unreliable. While ensuring ink was present on each label it failed to check the
code was readable, and suffered the same web drift issues as the ink jet heads.
It was clear that a more powerful inspection technology was required. Nick
Keats, Operations Manager at Hally Labels’ Christchurch, New Zealand plant
started to evaluate the options on the market.
It became clear that the traditional web inspection system
suppliers can offer high performance print quality inspections solutions,
comparing each label with an original “golden” image to monitor colour,
registration and general print quality. In these scenarios print faults
typically develop and trend during a print run and a one off “single” error is
unlikely. The issue with any traceability label however is its uniqueness and
the risk and consequences of an individual error. Therefore another approach
was required.
After reviewing a number of potential suppliers Nick
approached Lake Image Systems. Their reputation is built on years of experience
supplying vision solutions to the print and finishing industry for variable
data inspection applications, and they instantly recognised the issues that
were critical with the application.
Using high resolution line scan technology, integrated on to
the Gallus press just after the inkjet heads, the Lake Image Discovery system
can scan the entire web width at full press speeds and perform a series of
inspections on each label. While these can include various print quality
inspections, they also include powerful OCR and code reading tools. Each label
can be read and compared to the print file to identify incorrect, missing or
bad print in each individual label. An audible and visual alarm is then used to
alert the operators. A combination of encoder and trigger sensors can identify
any errors caused by web drift, and ensure the press cannot be run without the
inkjet heads operating correctly.
“I found that Lake Image really understood the issues relevant
to our variable data labelling applications, and were able to deliver a
scalable system that will grow in functionality as our applications change and
become more demanding. Their experience in this field is second to none, and
their skill and expertise through the specifying, installation and
commissioning process was first rate,” explained Nick. “They have continued to
offer regular support and I am confident they will be able to help us with
other similar applications as our business develops. Since installation the system has identified
several errors that could have proved very costly, so our return on investment
has exceeded our expectations. In addition we have added significant capability
and intelligence to our existing press which enables us to take on more
complex, higher value jobs with confidence.”
