Why Do We Need OPP Labeling Machine?

Sleeve, OPP or sticker: what decides the choice?

A full-body sleeve covers the whole bottle and gives the most design freedom, at the cost of film and a shrink tunnel. An OPP wrap-around label is the cheapest per unit at high speed. A sticker suits short runs and curved surfaces where a wrap is impractical.

OPP labeling machines work by applying pressure to a label that is placed on an OPP product.

What does a shrink sleeve need to look right?

A consistent shrink needs the right film direction, a controlled tunnel temperature profile and a bottle that does not deform. Steam tunnels give a softer shrink than hot air and suit thin-wall bottles. A wrinkle at the shoulder is usually a film or temperature issue, not a speed issue.

Reference unit for this duty: the Rotary Sticker Labeling.

How is the labeller synchronised with the filler?

Through the conveyor and an accumulator, not through a mechanical link. The labeller runs slightly faster than the filler and the accumulator absorbs the difference. A labeller matched exactly to the filler speed will stop the line at the first roll change.

The specification sheet for the Sleeve Labeling carries the figures quoted here.

What does a shrink sleeve need from the bottle design?

A consistent circumference and no sharp undercut where the film cannot follow. Sleeves shrink around the shape, so a bottle with a deep waist needs a film with the right shrink direction. The bottle and the sleeve are designed together.

The same question is worked through from another angle in How Labeling Machines Integrate with High-Speed Lines.

Frequently asked questions