Labels with RFID chips, stiff, thick materials, or sensitive functional layers make high demands on the dispensing process. However, classic labeling/processing systems can damage sensitive materials and RFID chips due to multiple deflections around small rollers. That’s where a new dispensing system with a servo drive from the Schreiner Services competence center comes into play.

The key lies in the web tension: In industrial settings, labels are typically delivered on rolls and must be peeled off the liner for the application. To do so, the label web is mechanically tensioned by slowing down the speed of the material roll and pulling the liner across a dispensing edge. To achieve a uniform web tension, three so-called dancers and several pulleys are used, but the heavy bending around the pulleys can damage a RFID chip or PCS.

 

Easy Does It

The newly developed dispensing system eliminates the need for pulleys. The label web is transported from the material roll directly to the dispensing edge and the surface of the label is not touched. “Instead, the web tension required for the dispensing process is generated via individually controllable servo motors enabling labeling in a reliable process—especially for sophisticated labels,” explains Michael Reineke, Head of the Schreiner Services competence center. That eliminates the risk of bending. In that way, servo-driven dispensing systems create new opportunities to reliably integrate complex functional labels in a stable process even for increasingly challenging designs.

The term “servo” comes from the Latin verb servire (“to serve”) and its first-person singular form servo, meaning “I serve.” In technology, it describes automatically controlled drives or systems that precisely respond to commands. In this case, the servo drive ensures the correct web tension.

All-in-one often sounds enticing: fewer steps, less effort. Yet sometimes it pays to deliberately split processes. That’s exactly what the team of the Schreiner Services competence center did in the case of an ultrasonic welding unit for Pressure Com­pensation Seals (PCS). An approach that noticeably enhances stability and process reliability.

In the case of many applications, the sonotrode must do not just one but two jobs in terms of ultrasonic welding of membranes: It first cuts out the membrane and then welds it onto the component. That means it must have sharp edges, which makes it prone to wear. This results in several potential sources of defects, which poses a risk especially in the case of large volumes.

That’s exactly where the new solution comes into play: It deliberately splits the previous process into two steps by using pre-cut membranes. At Schreiner Group, that step is performed on high-performance cutting machines in regular production. “In that case, the sonotrode can focus on its primary task: precise welding in a reliable process. Without the additional cutting function, its geometry remains stable and its service life clearly longer. The result is a robust, durable process with far less failure potential,” explained Michael Reineke, Head of the Services competence center.

Automatic Precision Dispensing

Another advantage of the new unit is automated handling of the Pressure Compensation Seal. While in other assembly processes involving ultrasonic welding the membranes often need to be positioned manually, a precision dispensing system takes care of that in this case. It guides the pre-cut membranes automatically and precisely underneath the sonotrode. That enhances repeat accuracy, reduces operator effort, and minimizes the risk of positioning errors in the current process.

 

In addition, an airflow measurement unit is directly integrated in the system. Immediately after manufacturing, it checks if the Pressure Compensation Seal reliably performs its job. Together with the sonotrode that needs to do only one job anymore and the automated “travel” of the membranes this has resulted in a solution that constantly guarantees high component quality and process reliability.

When it comes to the utilization of RFID, aspects such as precision, resilience, etc.—and smart solutions—are crucial. Now, what happens when those properties are tested under extreme conditions? Exactly that is what Schreiner Group’s research and development department has found out. With a specially developed demonstrator it impressively shows the resilience of the company’s proprietary Robust RFID technology—unconditionally, reliably, and impressively.

Everything started with a simple but crucial question: How can the resilience and functionality of the Robust RFID chips be demonstrated vividly and understandably? “Our customers expect absolute reliability even under harsh conditions. We wanted to make that tangible in a new way,” said Johannes Becker, Head of the Schreiner LogiData competence center. In contrast to the typical in-house quality inspections, a mobile test setup was to be created this time—specifically developed for use at the LogiMAT logistics trade show.

The first stage of the project was an investigation of physical feasibility: what weight can be dropped on the label from what height to effectively demonstrate the protective effect of the technology? “The next stage was focused on the general conditions: what size may the design have? And how can the test be designed to be reliable and reproducible?” added the director of the Services competence center, Michael Reineke. The solution: a simple setup consisting of a drop tower, base plate, and weight. Designed on a computer, the prototype created by the Schreiner Services competence center ultimately took shape.

A Design for Extreme Situations

The demonstrator is somewhat reminiscent of a mini guillotine: The mechanism is activated by pulling a string. Operating a lever activates a mechanism that causes a weight to fall on the RFID chip from a defined height. Subsequently, the chip is read to check the function. Of course, the demonstrator is designed to ensure that no-one is injured by the test setup–which is an important aspect for using it at trade shows or on customers’ premises. The setup is handy, robust, and, above all, safe.

Compact but Effective

With a height of just under one meter and a weight of roughly ten kilograms, the demonstrator is compact but impressive. It stands not only for the robustness of RFID technology but also for the cross-functional collaboration at Schreiner Group. And what about the “free fall”? That’s far more than just a test because it impressively shows that reliability and resilience aren’t mere marketing promises but a commitment to living technology.

Actually, the task sounded quite simple: the application of a seal to the plastic surface of two halves of the case to prevent manipulation. But often it is the supposedly simple things that turn out to be particularly challenging. “In contrast to conventional, flat surfaces, the seal should be applied to a housing in a hard-to-reach and bent area,” explains Michael Reineke, Head of the Schreiner Competence Center Services. The team’s ambition was awakened, especially since the customer wanted to fundamentally optimize the previous, purely manual and process. The goal: improved speed and, above all, significantly higher process reliability.

To achieve this, Schreiner Group’s experts took a two-pronged approach: The development managers took care of the seal, which was equipped with various security features, in a great deal of detailed work and precise coordination, while a few rooms away they had to design an applicating machine for this special case. The material of the ink pad, which presses the seal, played just as much a role as the rotary movement required by the application angle.

It took just under half a year before the tailor-made solution was ready. The result: the fast, precise and reliable application of an individual security seal. The seal, which had to be approved in accordance with the test rules of the Federal Office for Security (BSI), now forms a complete solution in combination with the machine. “For us as a manufacturer,” explains Thomas Anderson, project manager at Stoneridge Electronics, “it is of great importance that our products enable absolutely precise monitoring of driving and rest times—and this solution makes our SE5000 even smarter. What certainly contributed to the successful implementation of the project was the trusting cooperation with all those involved at Schreiner Group and the professional customer relationship.”
The very simple order developed into an interplay of expertise and innovation, with which Stoneridge can not only strengthen its position in the market, but now also set new standards for safety and efficiency in the transport industry.

Schreiner’s solution is based on two components: the so-called Folding Frame and the Folding Frame Processing System. What makes this solution so special?

Folding Frame

Unlike variants using liquid adhesive, where long curing times often slow down the manufacturing process and the flow characteristics of the glue usually prevent one-hundred-percent precision and cleanliness of creating the adhesive bond, this variant using foam-based adhesive tapes is fast, easy, and eco-friendly. Due to the creation of a small, foldable frame version, a full-surface outer frame can be avoided, and in-process material consumption can be significantly reduced. In the case of the Folding Frame, the adhesive material is produced side-by-side in a space-saving way. The adhesive tapes remain connected at the ends to subsequently ensure tightness—a major advantage compared to conventional adhesive tape solutions.

Folding Frame Processing System

The Folding Frame Processing System is like the icing on the cake and makes this angular adhesive bonding solution truly unique: it enables absolutely precise positioning of the adhesive tapes. “At the competence center, we thought about how we could simplify the application of the tapes while ensuring high levels of precision,” says Michael Reineke from the Schreiner Services competence center, summarizing the situation. The result is a semi-automatic application system that picks up the adhesive tapes, unfolds them to create a frame, and joins the components together. That ensures high application accuracy and reproducibility. For the customer, it translates into significant time and cost savings and a reduction of potential mistakes in manual processes.

The processing system can be used whenever shapes with at least four corners exist. The Folding Frame Solution, for which a patent application has been filed, is equally efficient and versatile: “Whether it comes to precise fastening of displays,” explains Product Manager Markus Loris from Schreiner ProTech, “the equalization of irregularities or height differences, damping of vibrations, or sealing to keep out dust and splash water, thanks to its versatility and strength, the Folding Frame Solution can be used in a wide variety of markets and is absolutely in line with industry’s lightweight design trend.”

The splash water- and temperature-resistant Folding Frame Solution is not only a true alternative in the marketplace but also a good example of how Schreiner Group can deliver a product and matching processing system from a one-stop shop thanks to a well-gelled team.

The customer had specified a clear set of objectives for the team of the Schreiner Services competence center: reliable sealing of sample parts with an opening seal. The challenge: the manual processing system was to function with equal precision on diverse designs and be able to apply seals around edges. The new seal applicator developed by the team is a customized solution delivering compelling results.

It is the mix of manual and automatic elements that makes this seal applicator unique. Whereas the label is automatically dispensed off the roll underneath the stamp, a worker operates the stamp manually to position the label, assisted by a guide rail ensuring that the seal always sits precisely in the same spot.

“Our subconscious mind subjectively judges the quality of a product,” explains Michael Reineke, head of the Schreiner Services competence center. “If the seal somehow sits in a different place every time and everything looks messy, we automatically have doubts about the product’s quality. However, emphasizing the outstanding properties of a product by means of the repeatably precise application of our label enhances the product’s value.” The manual and easy to use application solution was selected for cost reasons because it will initially be utilized only in low-volume production.

The development of the seal applicator took only a few weeks because Schreiner Group’s experts were able to build on previously existing versions and to create a new, customized solution quickly based on their specialized know-how. Due to the requirement that the machine accommodate designs of varying sizes, the team placed component holders on top of quick-change fixtures that are individually adapted to each component and guarantee that the closure seal always sticks to the component in the right place. This makes it possible for different components to be labeled consecutively with a flick of the wrist—quickly, easily, and very precisely.

The special characteristic of this machine is that a functional label is applied with maximum precision to a three-dimensional object at an angle of nearly 360 degrees—including functional checks using trilateral image inspection and resistance measurement.

“Rollers, dispensers, and applicators are part of our standard portfolio. But this type of processing is really rare and extremely difficult to implement,” explains Andreas Litzlbeck, project leader for automation solutions. In spite of this major challenge the machine delivers reliable, reproducible, and highly precise results in a matter of seconds—criteria to which not only customers in the automotive industry attach great importance.

About one year passed between the initial idea and the final product. The heart and soul that was put into this entire project becomes apparent when Michael Reineke, head of the Schreiner Services competence center, passionately describes it as a “technical gem”: “I’m delighted that, thanks to our know-how, we’ve been able to supply not only the specialty label but also the complex processing machine for it. Implementing even the smallest modification loop in an innovation project and shaping it creatively and constructively always poses a challenge—but one that we’re pleased to take on.

Flat, cylindrical, or square. Applying labels to products with such a diversity of shapes on the same line seems to be impossible—but is feasible! The experts from Schreiner Services have developed a suitable precision dispensing application system for this purpose. It enables processing of different label versions with a changeable, tailored applicator—at very high levels of accuracy:

Maximum precision is achieved by a floating bearing arrangement and centering above the workpiece. In addition, the punch is aligned with the product. The dispenser automatically adjusts to changes in label dimensions that are sent to it by a programmable logic controller (PLC).

A quick-change applicator head with encoding ensures that the right punch is used for the label. An encoded quick-change set for the applicator punch and the PLC-controlled electrical adjustment of the dispensing system to the desired label size serve this purpose, allowing for 120 versions and change sets to be used.

The dispensing device enables automated labeling of vials and infusion bottles. It can be adjusted to varying vial sizes, bottle shapes, and container diameters individually and flexibly. The settings of the system, which is easy to operate, can be changed quickly and without any effort for the next labeling job.

Any glass container, from very small vials with narrow radii to large bottles, can be processed on the dispensing system. Container diameters from a minimum of 15 millimeters to a maximum of 170 millimeters are possible. The height of the bottles to be processed ranges between 35 and 250 millimeters, depending on their shape.

The semi-automatic label dispensing system is suitable for labeling pharmaceuticals in clinical research settings, for very small quantities, for handling special requirements, and for very expensive pharmaceutical products produced in small volumes.

Step 1
Insert and position vial.

Step 2
Activate dispensing. The label will automatically wrap around the vial.

Step 3
The label is applied to the vial neatly and precisely.

Many of us may still remember this from our childhood days: We’ve made something truly beautiful and creative from a collection of LEGO bricks and, just before we’re finished, we notice that one particular brick is missing. All the others are too big, too small or have the wrong shape. Users of special-purpose machinery are familiar with similar problems because such machines are always custom developments. Many of their components have to be individually modified and manufactured. This is often complex, time-consuming and nearly always costly. However, Schreiner Services has a simple and cost-effective solution not only for such requirements. Even subsequent component modifications and spare parts for older machines can be produced in rapid and robust ways: the necessary part is manufactured in a 3D printer and immediately delivered.