Troubleshooting
Bottle Labelling Machine Troubleshooting Guide.
Use the symptom to isolate product, label, sensor or handling causes.
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Request specification adviceCall 01494 623015Start with the symptom, then separate container, label and machine variables.
Many labelling faults have more than one possible cause. Change one controlled variable at a time, retain a rejected sample and record the conditions. Stop and involve competent maintenance personnel whenever the check would require entry into a hazardous area, removal of guarding or work beyond the operator's authorised task.
| Symptom | Likely areas to inspect | Safe first checks |
|---|---|---|
| Label gradually drifts high or low | Web tracking, reel alignment, tension, backing take-up, label-head alignment. | Confirm the roll is loaded squarely, the web follows the documented path and guides are not forcing the liner sideways. |
| Label is consistently skewed | Bottle stability, guide alignment, application head angle, wipe or wrap control. | Check that the container reaches the application point upright and is not being twisted by a guide or transfer. |
| Wrinkles, bubbles or lifting edges | Surface contamination, bottle taper, label stiffness, application pressure, speed relationship, condensation. | Compare a clean dry representative bottle, confirm the label matches the approved roll and inspect where the first wrinkle begins. |
| Missing or double labels | Gap or registration sensing, label construction, product sensing, web slip. | Clean the sensing area as authorised, confirm the selected sensor method and test with the production-equivalent roll. |
| Clear label detection is inconsistent | Sensor technology, backing material, transparent gap, registration mark, web position. | Verify the roll construction and that the sensor is reading the intended feature rather than artwork or liner variation. |
| Bottles jam or fall | Upstream spacing, guide pressure, base stability, conveyor transfers, top hold, product accumulation. | Observe the first point of instability and confirm the bottle condition matches the approved sample. |
| Front and rear labels lose their relationship | Product orientation, head timing, separate reel settings, bottle slip or format recipe. | Check the orientation datum, each head independently and the approved front/rear sample. |
Use a controlled diagnostic record
Record product code, container batch, label-roll batch or identity, machine recipe, date, operator, speed setting and the exact symptom. Photograph the labelled pack and the web path before adjusting several parameters. If a fault began after a material, artwork, liner, bottle supplier or adhesive change, compare the previous approved material rather than assuming a mechanical failure.
Container variable
Check shape, dimensions, base, sidewall flexibility, surface cleanliness, fill state and closure. A bottle that appears identical may behave differently when full or when a pump changes its centre of gravity.
Label variable
Check size, pitch, web width, core, unwind direction, liner, adhesive, transparency, stiffness and artwork position. Use the actual production roll whenever possible.
Handling variable
Check separation, guide pressure, belt contact, conveyor transfer, top hold and accumulation. Identify where the product first loses its controlled position.
Control variable
Check the selected recipe, sensor method, product trigger, label delay and coder or inspection recipe. Restore verified settings rather than continuing unrecorded adjustments.
For recurring adhesion faults use the label adhesion and bottle surface guide. For reel or sensor faults use the label-roll worksheet and clear-label sensing guide.
Send evidence of the fault, not only a description.
Include photographs or video of the point where the fault starts, the container, the label roll and the current setup.