Detecting Clear Bottles to Trigger Shrink Sleeve Labeler

To meet production demands in the beverage industry, automated equipment is often used to ensure products have proper labeling. A sensing solution is needed to trigger label sleeves to drop down on bottles at the correct intervals and in a timely way.

Our new Q4X laser clear object detection sensor works very well in an application such as this.  The Q4X is completely sealed and made of robust IP69K-rated FDA-grade stainless steel making it resilient to even the most harsh environments and it also was created with a simple “point, teach, and go” setup.  It has an intuitive interface and an easy-to-read angled display.  This ease of use makes it ideal for a variety of factory floors, including the beverage industry.

The Q4X laser clear object detection sensor provides greater precision and more reliable bottle detection than LED-based laser sensors.  It can dependably respond within microseconds in order to match the high-speeds of the bottling line.  As the bottles pass by the Q4X, the quick response time triggers the shrink sleeve labels at a high rate to allow for greater throughput.  At this point the bottles, now encased in heat-reactive shrink sleeve labels, will travel through a heat tunnel in order for the labels to conform to the bottles.

A single Q4XCOD sensor is able to detect a wider range of transparent objects without the need to reteach the sensor, allowing for faster line changes and less interference from personnel.  No reflector is needed for use.