Label-Making Presses Sync with Continuous Compacting PLC-HMI RotoPac

ID Label Inc. is the industry leader in custom barcode label solutions.  They provide design engineering, production, signage and nationwide installation services of custom, variable-information barcode labels and asset tags for organizations in the warehousing, supply chain, manufacturing, electronics, calibration, medical, laboratory, and library markets.

Less Waste to LandFills

ID Label’s commitment to sending less than 1% of their waste to landfills demonstrates their concern for a clean environment. To this end, ID Label teamed with Convergen Energy to have them manufacture alternative fuels from the waste ID Label produces.

Where the RotoPac Comes In

To further streamline this cost-savings initiative, ID Label installed a KenBay RotoPac industrial waste compactor and Converter Accessory Corporation’s trim systems. Both trim and waste from four flexographic presses are conveyed from trim systems and pneumatically sent directly into the RotoPac compactor.  The waste is continuously compacted into polyethylene bags by the RotoPac prior to shipping to Convergen Energy.

The RotoPac Cutting-Edge Technology

ID Label

ID Label recently added a second RotoPac. The new RotoPac industrial trash compactor has numerous additional enhancements that build upon and improve its already revolutionary rotary drum design. The most significant is that of the PLC-HMI technology, which allows the RotoPac to sync with the flexographic presses and trim systems. Now, when the presses are idle, so are the RotoPacs. When the presses run, the waste is automatically being compacted into 950 lb. cubes that make it easier for ID Label to meet their environmental commitment to sustainable business. With the high compaction rate of the RotoPac, the waste filled bag forms a metric cube for ease of transport.

Gary Bailey, Production Manager at ID Label, summarized the benefits realized from the use of the RotoPacs as:

1. The RotoPacs free up needed space in their warehouse aisles and racking. This allows their production personnel to move efficiently throughout their facilities using either a hand truck or forklift. Storage space in their racking is needed for raw materials and finished goods. Less waste means more storage space for revenue-generating operations.
2. Employees spend less time and effort dealing with production waste, so personnel and operations are more efficient and productive.
3. Compacted bundles make it much easier for ID Label to meet their environmental commitment to recycling waste into fuel pellets.

The videos below show 1) a production worker dumping waste into the RotoPac while it is also compacting waste streaming from a flexographic press and 2) just the waste trim being compacted as it drops into the RotoPac.