High-speed print-and-apply label applicator
A high-speed print-and-apply label applicator includes a conveyor system, a control and monitoring system, a label web feeding assembly, a label printer and encoder system, a tamp pad assembly driven by a linear motor having a shaft that is formed at least partially by a composite material.
1. A high-speed print-and-apply label applicator, comprising:
a control and monitoring system;
a label web feeding assembly;
a conveyor system for conveying one or more packages; and
a tamp pad assembly comprising:
a linear motor;
a shaft formed at least partially from a composite material, the shaft being coupled to the linear motor; and
a tamp pad coupled to the shaft, the tamp pad comprising:
at least one foam pad; and
a layer of ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene material applied to the foam pad.
2. The label applicator according to claim 1 , wherein the composite material is formed at least partially by a carbon fiber material.
3. The label applicator according to claim 1 , wherein the linear motor is configured to actuate the shaft over varying stroke distances at a pre-selected time of travel.
4. The label applicator according to claim 3 , wherein the pre-selected time of travel is about 150 ms.
5. The label applicator according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a label printer and encoder system.
6. The label applicator according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a label rejection system.
7. The label applicator according to claim 1 , further comprising:
one or more compression springs operably associated with the linear motor.
8. The label applicator according to claim 7 , wherein the compression spring is carried by the linear motor.
9. The label applicator according to claim 1 , further comprising:
one or more compression springs operably associated with the shaft.
10. The label applicator according to claim 9 , wherein the compression spring is carried by the shaft.
11. A tamp pad assembly for a high-speed label applicator, the tamp pad assembly comprising:
a linear motor;
a shaft formed at least partially from a composite material, the shaft being coupled to the linear motor; and
a tamp pad coupled to the shaft, the tamp pad comprising:
at least one foam pad; and
a layer of ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene material applied to the foam pad.
12. The tamp pad assembly according to claim 11 , wherein the composite material is formed at least partially by a carbon fiber material.
13. The tamp pad assembly according to claim 11 , wherein the linear motor is configured to actuate the shaft over varying stroke distances at a pre-selected time of travel.
14. The tamp pad assembly according to claim 13 , wherein the pre-selected time of travel is about 150 ms.
15. The tamp pad assembly according to claim 11 , further comprising:
one or more compression springs operably associated with the linear motor.
16. The tamp pad assembly according to claim 11 , further comprising:
one or more compression springs operably associated with the shaft.
17. A method of applying labels to packages, comprising:
providing a linear motor;
coupling a composite shaft to the linear motor;
coupling a tamp pad to the composite shaft;
conveying a plurality of packages past the tamp pad;
for each package, automatically positioning a label on the tamp pad;
for each package, determining the distance from the package to the tamp pad;
determining a pre-selecting amount of time for the tamp pad to travel from a first position to each package; and
actuating the linear motor, such that the tamp pad moves from the first position to the package in the pre-selected amount of time, regardless of the distance from each package to the first position;
wherein the pre-selected amount of time is about 150 ms.