Bell and Howell unveils Raptor labelers
Bell and Howell unveiled its Raptor series labeling solution at the MODEX 2016 show in Atlanta this week. According to Bell and Howell, the system’s high throughput and easy label roll changeover can help to overcome the bottlenecks that can occur when variable-sized packages and parcels are moving through high-volume distribution centres. The system can reduce the number of labelers needed and increase the performance of a production line currently limited by traditional labelers.
“The Raptor series improves upon the throughput, reliability and ease of use of Bell and Howell’s Signature series labeling solution which, itself, was one of the fastest solutions in the industry when it was introduced three years ago,” the company added.
Bell and Howell CEO Ramesh Ratan commented: “One of the primary goals of any distribution center operator is to move product through the facility as quickly, flexibly and efficiently as possible. Bell and Howell’s Raptor labelers help operators eliminate an important bottleneck in achieving that.
“With the exceptional throughput of this system, operators can often reduce production cost while delivering the increased speed and integrity demanded by their customers.”
The technical features of the Raptor labellers include:
- 6” labels can be applied to cartons that vary 36” in height at a rate of up to 70 packages per minute
- Liner-free label technology delivers 80% more labels per roll compared to traditional labelers
- Variable-length labels are produced dynamically by a single unit, eliminating the need for dedicated systems for each label size
- a label-on-label mode allows standard label stock to be used to apply return label, packing slip and shipping labels in a stack
- a print speed of 14 inches per second with ANSI grade A/B barcodes for typical labels
- a high-speed label cutter that is self-sharpening and auto-lubricating
- modular components can be replaced in minutes, and label supply rolls can be changed in under one minute
- a pivoting design allows the print-and-apply mechanism to be easily adjusted and serviced
- integration with external systems to retrieve label data, perform high-speed tracking and perform intelligent exception handling.