B & H Labeling Systems introduces the Marathon® + GES 2.0 series of roll-fed labelers, exclusively equipped with the new patent-pending B & H Glue Extrusion System. As the world’s only fully automatic extrusion-based, recipe-driven hot melt glue applicator for roll-fed labeling, the B & H GES 2.0 minimizes downtime, requires no operator set-up or adjustment during production and improves labeling quality. Now commercially available as part of the Marathon series of labelers, the GES 2.0 is the first high-performance glue application alternative to traditional glue wheel systems. It is a breakthrough innovation that is changing the way adhesives are applied to roll-fed labels. The B & H GES 2.0 applies a precisely extruded film of hot melt adhesive to preprogramed locations on a label through a vertical pattern nozzle. Using proprietary algorithms developed by B & H, the fully automatic system uses a controlled combination of pressure and temperature to accurately and consistently extrude and apply hot melt adhesive to labels regardless of production speed. GES 2.0-applied glue patterns are void-free, which improves the bonding performance of any adhesive. The system offers precise, consistent control over the amount of adhesive applied to a label, the position of the adhesive pattern on a label and the size of the leading and trailing edge glue patterns. The fully automatic GES 2.0 virtually eliminates the need for labeler operators to set-up and adjust the system during operation. This reduces downtime related to glue application and reduces the need to train operators to troubleshoot and then adjust the glue application system.
“We installed the first Marathon XLUA + GES labeler at a large carbonated soft drink bottling plant in February 2014. Since then, this GES-equipped Marathon labeler has labeled full bottles 24 hours a day, six or seven days a week on a line that handles 14 different bottles at very high speeds. In all that time, the labeler operators never made an adjustment to the glue application system. There is simply nothing to adjust on the GES – it’s fully automatic,” said Rory Kelly, Director of Engineering at B & H. “The Marathon XLUA + GES labeler increased the bottler’s operating efficiencies on this line by 10 percent at the same time their speed increased 30 to 40 percent. The customer is as happy as we are,” said Kelly. “Now we’ve incorporated what we learned during the beta site evaluation to create Marathon + GES 2.0, the commercially available version of this new technology.” Marathon + GES 2.0 replaces the dedicated PLC and HMI (human machine interface) and electrical cabinet of the original GES with a single Allen-Bradley platform that controls both labeler and glue system operation.
- applies a precisely extruded film of hot melt adhesive