In today’s age of automation, manufacturers can no longer depend on manual labeling processes, which are laborious and time-consuming. Automated industrial labeling systems are gradually replacing manual labeling across industries.
Automated labeling is also the right fit for growing enterprises thanks to their increase in label volumes and requirements. How does an automated labeling system benefit any enterprise? Let’s discuss them in this blog.
Advantages or Benefits of Automated Industrial Labeling System
Manufacturing companies must adopt automation for a variety of long-term benefits. Implementing a new labeling technology can be intimidating, as it often means cutting down on manual labor.
Here are 8 benefits or advantages of an automated industrial labeling system for your manufacturing business:
1. Faster labeling speed
An automated labeling system can complete the job much faster than 100 manual laborers (or employees). Even when businesses do not reduce their headcount, they can obtain a good return on investment (ROI) with faster labeling. Besides speed, manufacturers can also scale up their production without making any additional investment in the automated labeling process.
2. Accurate labeling
With the emphasis on quality products, misplaced or inaccurate labels can result in the entire batch of products being rejected by customers. Human or manual labeling can cause a variety of errors including:
- Misplaced labels
- Low application pressure that can use labels to peel off from the product
- Incorrect label orientation
Human mistakes result in production waste – thus adding to the costs. As the market demand for labels increases, there are high chances of more human errors during the labeling process. On the other hand, automated labeling systems can maintain accuracy even with high production volumes.
3. Increased volume
When compared to manual labeling, automatic labeling can deliver more volume in the same amount of time. Automated labeling can grow production output, thus ensuring more revenues for the manufacturer. With the increased volume, automatic labeling can improve production volumes, thus meeting customer demands and expectations.
4. Reduced costs
Any automated system in a manufacturing facility helps in reducing overall production costs. For instance, it eliminates the business costs of human errors that can lead to wastage or order rejection. Additionally, with an automated labeling system, manufacturers can cut down the costs of hiring and training with opportunities for great throughput and productivity.
For example, automated labeling systems can free up workers to perform higher value tasks, also ensuring that business enterprises only need human labor to load the labels and occasionally check for labeling errors.
5. Workforce safety
Manual labeling is known to cause injuries such as repetitive motion injuries and musculoskeletal problems in workers. Workplace injuries are also caused by:
- Localized pressure
- Improper posture – or maintaining the same posture for long working hours.
- Exposure to cold temperatures
- Performing repetitive tasks
Also Read- The Role of Labeling Equipment in Packaging Industry
By taking over laborious tasks, automatic labeling systems can prevent workplace injuries or occupational hazards. This can help create safer working environments in which automating certain processes reduces the number of hazards or types of exposures, diminishing the risk of injury to human workers.
6. Flexibility
Companies require industrial labeling for a variety of labels including barcode labels, product information, safety instructions, and more. The demand is for flexible labeling systems that can fit a variety of label sizes and designs. Automatic labeling systems are built for a variety of labels. The same machine can be used to print labels on different product types and sizes.
Besides the flexibility, automatic label systems can also store labeling configuration for a particular label – and easily retrieve the settings when printing the label again.
7. Custom labeling
Manual and semi-automatic labeling systems are built for common labeling applications like standard bottle sizes and wrap-around labeling. They cannot handle custom labeling requirements that are more complex and difficult. For example, labeling bulk pails.
Automated labeling systems are better equipped for customized labeling – or applying multiple labels to the same container or bottle. This enables manufacturers to impart their custom label design to their products, thus differentiating them from competitor products.
8. Consistency
Manufacturers often fail to achieve a higher and more consistent production output when applying labels manually. Inconsistent product packaging can reflect poorly on your business’s brand and reputation. With automatic labeling, brands are assured of precise and consistent labeling across the entire spectrum of products.
When correctly implemented, automatic labeling systems can be programmed to fit the exact label specifications (with zero tolerance for any deviation). Manufacturers can reach and maintain their production output without incurring any additional costs or resources.
Also Read- Investing in a Bottle Labeling Machine: Key Factors to Consider for Your Business
Conclusion
The benefits of automated labeling can far outweigh the initial costs of investing in this system. Along with consistent quality, automated labeling can build the brand’s reputation and streamline your operational costs. At the same time, you need the expertise of a professional labeling company to meet your labeling requirements.
At LabelMill, we have been providing custom labeling solutions for over 30 years. Depending on your requirements, we can offer a variety of automatic labeling solutions, including automatic apply, automatic print and apply, and semi-automatic systems. Do you want to know more? Contact us today.