Registration marks identify packaging material and are used for position control and to coordinate the separation and cutting of webs of packaging material. The webs are processed at high speeds and product changeovers can be frequent. The size and location of a registration mark, as well as the color, sheen and translucence of the material, can significantly affect mark detection. Registration mark detection solutions from Banner Engineering are designed to be easy to deploy and easy to use, simplifying product changeover. Known as registration mark, color mark or contrast sensors, these highly sensitive solutions are capable of detecting slight differences in contrast on packaging material, including shiny and transparent material, at very high speeds.
Hamer, LLC is a Minnesota-based manufacturer of automated packaging equipment for a wide variety of applications and world-wide customers. From pet food to pellet fuels, Hamer machinery packages products in a variety of weights and sizes at speeds up to 60 bags per minute. A vital component of Hamer’s equipment is registration mark sensing—the ability to detect marks on packaging as it passes at high speeds. When a mark is detected, the equipment cuts the packaging at the designated location, eliminating waste and ensuring each bag is consistent.
Banner Engineering’s Q3X versatile, rugged laser contrast sensor is ideal for detecting registration marks. With a range up to 300 mm, the Q3X has a tight laser spot able to detect a small white registration mark reliably.
During product packaging, labels are printed on a continuous web. The web must be precisely cut to ensure correct placement on containers. This is a high speed process and misplaced labels will result in costly delays and waste.
Banner’s R58 Expert registration mark high color resolution sensor is a high-performing sensor with an ultra fast 10 kHz switching frequency that quickly detects splices and other defects that are otherwise hard to detect. The high sensitivity of the R58 Expert detects the inconspicuous splice in a roll of paper to ensure the printer skips over the splice during the press process.
As empty tubes go down the manufacturing line, a visible light sensor can verify a toothpaste tube’s registration mark before being filled and sealed. Banner’s high-speed R58 visible light color contrast sensor is an extremely powerful sensor for registration mark applications and can easily read marks on high-gloss and low-contrast surfaces, detecting contrasts as low as two percent over a wide range of colors.
Banner’s R58 Expert registration mark color contrast sensor is a high-performing sensor with an ultra fast 10 kHz switching frequency that quickly detects registration marks, which is ideal for tube positioning applications. Even with a high-gloss surface or a low-contrast situation, the R58 Expert can easily detect the registration mark on a filled tube to determine how it should be oriented.
Banner Engineering’s R58B Expert registration mark sensor confirms the registration mark’s position on the web. This allows the machine to make minor infeed adjustments to ensure the cut is properly placed and all labels are consistent and complete. If the labels are incorrectly cut they need to be removed from the bottling line creating costly downtime and waste. A quick and easy-to-use sensor is needed to dramatically improve throughput.
