Erhardt+Leimer at Labelexpo Europe 2023

At this year's Labelexpo Europe, which will be held in Brussels from September 11 to 14,  Erhardt+Leimer will exhibit new rotary drives and the new generation of the SMARTSCAN print image inspection system. Also on the E+L stand: systems and equipment for web guiding, web tension control and print monitoring. E+L specializes in automation and inspection technology and has an international sales and service network (booth D45, hall 4).

E+L has recently added rotary actuating drives to its actuator product range. The motors of type AD 11 and AD 12 marketed under the EL.MOTION brand are "intelligent" drives with an integrated controller. The drives can be used for position control, speed control, or torque control and are particularly suitable for applications where very quiet operation and long service life are key. Two external limit switches can be connected directly to the drive. The combination of distributed intelligence with a dedicated interface concept allows a decentralized drive topology to be implemented that greatly reduces wiring and space requirements in the control cabinet. Erhardt+Leimer makes a wide range of communication standards available for these drives. The AD series comes with EL.NET technology, which allows control tasks to be implemented without any need whatsoever for an external controller. E+L has a large number of sensors and input/output modules available for this. All the drives come with web-based management on board as standard. This means that when the motor is connected via Ethernet, it can be addressed from the browser of a PC, allowing you to check and adjust settings or query the current status. But that is not all: E+L also places great value on open connectivity and therefore also offers open access via Ethernet/UDP or certified standard protocols, such as Ethernet/IP, Profinet, and Powerlink.

New generation of SMARTSCAN 200% print image inspection

The new generation of SMARTSCAN can be installed in the familiar way on printing machines and rewinders. SMARTSCAN – or the MIS2 model to be more specific – is now faster and more compact, and it has a new design. On the variant with 2K resolution, we have already been able to achieve speeds of up to 600 m/min. But the 4K variant is catching up, and is now reaching speeds of up to 400 m/min. Faster LEDs and an optimized lighting concept deliver even better image quality. The reflection module for displaying reflective, usually metal-coated materials or finishing foils (e.g. gold, silver) is now included as standard. The same applies to the exchangeable background panel, which is advantageous for transparent materials in particular. With this package, users can trust that they are playing it safe in most areas, e.g. for label or packaging printing. The height of the camera units has been significantly reduced – but no compromises have been made in terms of the standard functions such as the integrated lighting on the rear panel or the roller guidance. A new installation concept makes integration in the printing machine or the rewinder even easier. Previously, SMARTSCAN was available with a maximum width of 560 mm (22 inches), but with the latest generation E+L now also offers 660 mm (26 inches) and 760 mm (30 inches). In addition, the software has been optimized and expanded. New defect detection algorithms spot defects with even greater reliability. The same applies to the defect classification system, which assigns defects to categories such as missing label, unremoved matrix, print error, glue joint, or flag even more reliably than before. Further defect classes such as hole, barcode or incorrect length are also available. With all these options for capturing defects and errors, comprehensive evaluations can be performed in order to understand and optimize production processes. The tried and tested 200% inspection technology will, of course, continue to be used. Improvements have also been made to the detection of hole defects and to the illumination of fluorescent materials. But special applications, such as the production of labels with integrated RFID antennas, will also benefit from the new features.