Labelling machines

A quantity sufficient to carry out the required tests, generally in duplicate, are filled into the containers. Most substances for which there are no concerns for either toxicity or stability are filled by weighing the appropriate quantity into antibiotic vials in a horizontal laminar flow work station. These operations are carried out in a self-contained cubicle to avoid cross-contamination. The vials are then closed with butyl rubber stoppers and sealed with an aluminium crimp seal using an automatic crimping and labelling machine. 

SOPs detailing step-by-step operational procedures for specific items of equipment (e.g. autoclaves, homogenizers, freeze-dryers, pH meters, product labelling machines, etc.) ... 

In the dry section of the building, micronization equipment, nutsche-dryer combinations, spray dryers, air classihers, adsorption and absorption units, packaging/labeling machines, and other equipment can be considered. 

To describe the procedure for validation of the labeling machine to ensure that it meets installation, operational, and performance qualihcation requirements... 

Depending on the type of the available labeling machine, the following machine items should be checked to ensure that they fulhll their stated function ... 

Step 7. The accepted vials are labeled using the dedicated labeling machine... 

Labels (made of paper or plastic) are usually applied to the filled package by a labelling machine. If the package has been filled below the dew point, then the package is likely to be wet by the time the label is applied. Special adhesives are therefore used and suitable advice can be provided by adhesive manufacturers. 

Instant tack adhesives. These are usually used on high-speed automatic labeling machines, as the consistency of heat required to achieve adherence of the label effectively to the substrate (along with its cooling rate) is vital to the success of this method. 

Verify that all safety devices of labeling machine are operating as specified in the manual. 

There are a few well-known makes on the British market. They may be applied by hand (hot plate), semi-automatically or automatically. Machinery is similar in price to conventional gluing/labelling machines but those with more sophisticated heating systems can be more expensive. The machines involve far less cleaning time and generally get less gummed up . 

The shape of the container, its material and the closure type to be labelled all have a major influence on the choice of labelling machine. Cylindrical containers are the easiest to label, provided that they are clean and parallel sided with no protrusions anywhere on the plane to be labelled. Any other shape increases the difficulty of label placement and wipedown. If the closure of the container is of the dispensing type, e.g. aerosol valve, holding the container by means of top pressure during labelling will actuate the aerosol. 

The particular labelling machine chosen for any particular job must be capable of easy cleaning so that full reconciliation of the label quantities can be achieved. 

A new labeling machine to allow the possibility for labeling with self-laminating labels to allow labeling of ampoules/vials prior to processing. 

Figure 57 Bottle labelling machine - on the right, glueing roller in the center, a gripper system grip the labels on their back after adhesive application.

Modern automatic high-performance labeling machines are capable of labeling between 500 and 1300 bottles per minute. At lower speeds, starch glues, which do not show such pronounced pick-up properties, are still used because of their lower cost. However, their higher water resistance can cause problems in bottle-washing machines for returnable bottles. 

The owner of the business decides that, in order to inprove the manufacturing operation, she must buy a new packing and labeling machine for 100,000, which has a useful operating life of four years and can be sold for 2000 scrap value at that time. This, she estimates, will increase her sales by 5% per year. The only additional cost is an extra 1000/yr in utilities. The new, before-tax profit is estimated to be... 

Ice water label paste is a very specialized water-based casein adhesive which is used primarily to adhere paper labels to beer bottles. The labels must remain attached if the bottles are chilled in ice or otherwise subjected to wet conditions, but they must wash off reusable bottles easily with hot water. Casein is dispersed with urea at an approximate 50 50 ratio in the presence of ammonium hydroxide as an additional dispersant. The high percent casein solids in this type formulation is possible because of the urea, which acts as a viscosity reducer. The urea, sometimes along with ammonium thiocyanate, functions also as a gel depressant. Zinc oxide and zinc acetate are used to crosslink and provide water resistance. A defoamer and a preservative are always included. Starch is one of several agents incorporated to shorten the thread of the adhesive to improve its performance on high speed labelling machines. 

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