Bizerba has developed a new high-performance price labelling machine for the food industry.
The GLM-Ievo weighs and labels at a speed up to 200 packages a minute. It has a camera checking system for package quality control and it can configure itself automatically when the product is changed via a coded label roll.
Due to the modular design principle, the system can be assembled individually for different requirements.
In the food industry, production plants are frequently made up of systems from different manufacturers, including inspection systems, packaging machines and price labellers. The technology of each is developing rapidly and brings about the need for continuous adaptation among manufacturers.
Director Industry Solutions at Bizerba Dieter Conzelmann says: “The performance of the entire plant is thus only ever as strong as its weakest part. If a manufacturer invests in a new device, this should at least be able to keep up with the technological development of adjacent plants.”
GLM-Ievo achieves a flow-rate of up to 200 packages a minute
The new fully automatic price labelling machine GLM-Ievo 200 offers high-performance weighing and labelling at a flow-rate of up to 200 packages a minute.
Conzelmann said: “This speed is possible due to the use of an electromagnet compensation balance, among other things. The speed achieved by this has so far not been achieved before on the market. The labeller will therefore be able to keep up with all current packaging machines for the next few years, which implies investment security for the customer.”
Camera system checks information texts, barcodes and product quality
Food manufacturers cannot afford to risk losses in product quality which unnerve customers and in the worst cases lead to expensive product recalls.
Conzelmann says: “We have therefore integrated the Bizerba-Vision-System (BVS) camera system into the new GLM-Ievo. Using automatic text recognition, it checks whether the right texts and the correct shelf life has been printed on the labels and also checks the position of the label and the barcode.”
A laser also carries out a sealing check and detects leaking packaging areas and contamination.
Conzelmann adds: “Manufacturers can increase product quality with the BVS and thus strengthen the brand image indirectly.”
Price labeller detects label rolls by the data matrix code
To increase production efficiency, the GLM-levo can configure itself automatically when products are changed.
Conzelmann said: “This works via the plug-in-label function. The Bizerba printing plant in Bochum produces labels with a data matrix code on the carrier paper. This contains all the information regarding the product and labelling. The labeller reads the respective information with a scanner while the roll is being inserted and configures itself automatically – for example, it sets the applicators to the correct product height. The use, therefore,e saves a lot of time in day-to-day production.”
Modularity and toolless replacement of belt bodies
Since systems are almost always in motion and components need to be replaced or extended at regular intervals, it is more important than ever that the systems can be quickly adapted to new spatial configurations.
When designing the GLM-Ievo, the developers paid particular attention to flexibility. A wide range of different weighing belts between 300mm and 700mm long is available. The system is designed modularly so that feed, separator and weighing belts can be replaced by qualified service personnel and the plant can be adapted to new package sizes.
In the case of wear and tear, all belts and belt bodies can be replaced without tools and thus with ease.
Conzelmann says: “The customer has a flexible system that it can adapt at any time to new spatial requirements.”