Herbold Meckesheim Introduces Label Remover for Plastic Bottles

The Herbold Meckesheim USA, based in Smithfield, R.I., has introduced the Herbold Meckesheim Label Remover, which the company says is effective in the removing wraparound polyvinyl chloride (PVC) labels from PET bottles.

Herbold Meckesheim claims that with the new product tightly clinging labels can be removed in a single step, early in the process and without the expense of generating extra steam. Before the label remover, removing and separating wraparound labels was not possible at the prewash stages of bottle recycling and difficult and costly at subsequent stages. The new machine also separates bottles that are stuck together, reducing the need for manual separation.

By removing almost all wraparound labels early in the recycling process, Herbold Meckesheim says the label remover can save money at the size-reduction stage as cutting blades stay sharp longer because they won’t be dulled by many label remnants stuck to bottles.

The label remover is available in 4,500 or 8,000 kilograms-per-hour capacities. Inside each machine, the removal of labels and adhesives from bottles is accomplished through friction between exchangeable rip-off elements bolted to the rotor and exchangeable pins fitted to stator elements. All rip-off elements and pins are made of wear-resistant steel. The chamber is designed to ensure even loads and dwell times as bottles are advanced by the rotor, the company says. The chamber has no spaces where bottles might pass through the machine without undergoing full frictional contact, and likewise there are no surfaces to constrict the bottle flow, reducing the possibility of damage to the bottle, adds the company.

In the fracture-proof, welded-steel housing of the label remover are a hinged cover and additional service openings to ensure access when worn parts need replacement. The rotor’s dual self-aligning roller bearings are mounted outside the housing to minimize contamination. Anti-vibration mounting pads are standard.

For more information, visit www.herboldusa.net.