PACK EXPO 2023 will provide opportunities for the packaging industry to see technologies that can address its unique concerns as well as labor challenges. Epson America Inc. today said it plans to showcase its automation and printing systems “designed to boost efficiency, reduce costs, and elevate overall production processes.”
“More businesses are seeing the need to increase packaging and labeling speed,” stated Mark Middendorf, product manager for label printers at Epson America. “Both Epson's robotics and color labeling solutions can be used to help businesses add efficiency and cost savings to operations with innovative, flexible systems.”
“This show provides a unique opportunity to showcase label handling with a robot and on-demand color label printer – printing and applying product, warning and shipping labels from a single printer,” he said in a release.
Systems designed for speed, flexibility
Epson said it has engineered its robotic and color label product line for speed and adaptability. The company plans to show the following systems at its PACK EXPO booth:
High-precision SCARA robot with parts feeding
The GX8 robot offers multiple arm configurations, cleanroom, and IP65 versions, with a reach of up to 650 mm (25.5 in.). It can quickly handle payloads up to 8 kg (17.6 lb.) from a conveniently small form factor, asserted Epson.
The GX8 can be easily integrated with IntelliFlex Parts Feeding System software and Vision Guide, the company said. Users can run an entire pick and place operation with a single 530 feeder, demonstrating the system's flexibility, according to Epson.
The IntelliFlex lineup has four feeder sizes and can handle a variety of parts from 3 to 150 mm (0.1 to 5.9 in.) with optional anti-roll, anti-stick, and medical-grade tray configurations.
Print-and-apply labeling
At the trade show, Epson plans to show two full-color, print-and-apply labeling systems. One will feature a ColorWorks CW-C6000P paired with the VT6L All-in-One 6-Axis robot.
The other will feature a ColorWorks CW-C6000P paired with a General Data PAC5 applicator. “These solutions offer label placement flexibility and precision and are ideal for product ID and package labeling,” said the company.
The VT6L six-axis robot is available in standard, cleanroom, and IP67 (water- and dustproof) versions. It features a controller built into the base and can be mounted on a wall, a ceiling, or a table.
RFID labeling applications
Epson will also demonstrate several products for a variety of labeling applications – including shipping, product, and RFID labels. The ColorWorks CW-C6000A will be paired with an unwinder.
It also features an integrated RFID system for printing high-resolution, full-color RFID product labels in a single pass, said the company.
High-volume label printing
The ColorWorks C7500G is suitable for high-volume production environments printing full-color labels at speeds up to 11.8 in. per second. Printing is in full 1200 x 600 resolution with “Flush-onto-Paper Mode” enabled. With that mode disabled, print speed is up to 10.4 in. per second, noted Epson.
In addition, the company will show label samples from its SurePress digital label press line. They include labels with spot varnish from the SurePress L-6534VW with Digital Varnish and the first in-person showing of samples from the SurePress L-6534VW with Orange ink, as well as samples from the SurePress L-4733AW with White Ink.
See Epson at PACK EXPO
Epson will display its offerings in Booth SL-6664 in the South Lower Hall of the Las Vegas Convention Center. The PACK EXPO show floor will be open from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. PDT on Monday, Sept. 11, and Tuesday, Sept. 12, and from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. PDT on Wednesday, Sept. 13.
Epson Robots said it is a global leader in precision factory automation, with well over 150,000 units sold worldwide, according to internal sales data through 2021. The company claimed that its product line includes hundreds of models of easy-to-use SCARA and six-axis robots based on a common PC-based platform.
Building on four decades of experience, Epson Robots delivers robots for precision assembly and material handling applications in the aerospace, appliance, automotive, biotechnology, consumer product, electronics, food processing, medical device, pharmaceutical, plastics, semiconductor, and telecommunication industries.
Epson Robots is a unit of Epson Group, which is led by Tokyo-based Seiko Epson Corp. and said it generates annual sales of more than JPY 1 trillion ($6.8 billion U.S.). Los Alamitos, Calif.-based Epson America Inc. is the group's regional headquarters for the U.S., Canada, and Latin America.
Editor's note: For more about PACK EXPO, visit Robotics 24/7's special coverage page.
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