Automated label and print inspection in the food industry

Label and print inspection - an indispensable part of quality assurance

In order to meet statutory requirements for consumer information and traceability, it is absolutely essential that printed information on labels and film is both correct and legible. The constantly rising demands in food labelling inevitably leadto greater complexity in the labels.

In accordance with the EU Food Information Regulation (1169/2011), all mandatory information must be printed in a defined minimum size. In addition to the list of ingredients, these mandatory details include best-before date, allergy information and a consumer-friendly nutritional table in a precisely defined format. In addition to this, there is a wide range of other data such as batch numbers for traceability, various logos and seals of approval, barcodes for scanners as well as QR codes, which enable consumers to call up more product information via their smartphone.

The complexity is further increased by the trend towards an ever greater diversity of product types, as well as the requirement for having information on labels in various languages, which are often difficult to keep apart.

In parallel with the rising complexity of food labelling, there is also growing pressure on food manufacturers, particularly those involved in the export business. Labelling faults such as illegible barcodes, incorrect use-by dates or even an entirely wrong product label can lead to complete deliveries being returned. Manufacturers are then subjected to considerable direct and indirect costs, which can range from significant expense for logistics and disposal, right up to the expense of replacement production and even damage to the company's reputation. In the case of severe infringements, there can often be contractual penalties or even delisting of the affected products. But even small defects in appearance, such as a misaligned label, can also have an adverse effect, because they damage the brand image and suggest to the consumer, that the quality of the product is lower, and that there has been less care taken in processing and packing the product.

The earliest possible inspection in the process is very worthwhile

Even if labelling faults are discovered at the production stage, this can also incur very significant costs and effort internally within the company. Packaging lines are frequently automated from end to end as far as the secondary packaging stage. If, for example, a fault is only discovered during a random check at one of the final process stages, the whole batch may become unusable or require considerable reprocessing and repacking. The rule of thumb is quality inspections must be implemented as early as possible in the process.

In order to ensure only faultless packs actually get into the retail chain, there should be quality control at individual pack level, and this means random inspections in industrial-scale production and packaging processes are today no longer sufficient to guarantee 100% security. Due to the increasing output capability of packaging lines as a result of automation, it is no longer possible to perform comprehensive label inspection with the human eye, while the packaging process is in operation. It is for this reason that today food manufacturers, who operate at high cycle rates, can not avoid implementing quality control with automated inspection systems.

Seamless integration for maximum process efficiency

Depending on the application, there are several possibilities for integrating the inspection solution into the particular packaging line: if the pack is being labelled by a cross web labeller for example, the inspection system is installed on the outfeed of the packaging machine. Visual inspection systems can also be integrated into conveyor belt labellers, or they can operate independently of packaging or labelling systems, for example as a free-standing end-of-line solution downstream of a traysealer. It is also generally possible to retrofit inspection solutions to an existing packaging line without any problems.

In addition to this, integrated line control offers even more benefits. An inline quality inspection system, which is completely integrated into the line, can initiate the ejection of reject packs and even make it easier to adjust modules, while the packaging process is running. If, for example, a creeping deterioration in the print image is detected, or a gradually increasing displacement of a label, counter-measures can be taken to control the situation at an early stage, before the print image or label goes outside the tolerance range. Reject packs can therefore not only be detected quickly but even prevented completely.

As a supplier of complete solutions, MULTIVAC has extensive experience in visual inspection systems and their seamless integration into packaging lines. The wide range of expertise enables MULTIVAC to give its customers the most comprehensive advice and to meet their specific requirements with customised or specially programmed solutions. When viewed overall, an automated visual inspection system offers added value and security in every respect and, depending on the scope of the particular inspection solution, the investment is often amortised very quickly.