Associated Packaging Equipment Corporation (Booth S-535) will launch a quick changeover version of its Polystar® inline rollfed labelers at PACK EXPO. Incorporating PacDrive™ servo-driven star wheels, web transfer and worm infeed, the latest Polystar machine combines positive control of containers with touch panel format changes.

Associated Packaging has a history of innovation and was responsible for popularizing the category of rollfed labeling. Their firsts include the invention of the rotary guillotine knife and the Posibelt system for maintaining continuous control of the container and producing tight label wraps.

The star wheel feeds achieve higher speeds by providing better control over containers than a worm feed alone, and permit more labeling stations on the labeling cylinder, while the large cylinder requires fewer revolutions to achieve speeds up to 600 bpm, which also reduces wear and tear.

Faster changeovers are enabled by the new ELAU technology (Booth N-3429) because each of two servo-driven stars can be homed independently, depending on label size. Label registration and transfer are servo-controlled as well, for consistent accuracy at all speeds. Changeover labor time savings alone are estimated to deliver a 3-year payback, before advantages such as increased throughput and supply chain responsiveness are factored in.

Today, Polystar and Polyclad® labelers are installed around the world, from Mexico to New Zealand, where they have a history of long, dependable service lives. In fact, the first software-driven rollfed labeler, produced by Associated Packaging in 1990, is still running strong today.