Automating the Printing Process for High Temperature ID Tags

Overview

The Restek Corporation uses high-temperature-resistant ID tags to label their gas chromatography products. Currently, each ID tag is manually fed into and retrieved from the printer. Restek estimates that $17,000 in labor is spent on printing about 150,000 tags each year. Our task is to reduce the labor associated with tag printing by automating the tag feeding process into and out of the printer.

Objectives

We defined two objectives for our project :
• Research alternative high-temperature tag printing systems and modifications that could be made to the current printers.
• Develop an automatic single-tag feeding device to work without modification to the current printing setup.

Approach

• Researched online for high-temperature tag printing devices sold commercially.
• Analyzed supplier samples of perforated tags on a roll for edge sharpness. Sharp tag edges may damage the delicate gas chromatography columns.
• Visited Restek’s production facilities to experiment with tag printing and printer configurations.
• Developed a low-fidelity prototype of a plunger-based tag dispenser.
• Modeled a full tag feeding mechanism in SolidWorks with provisions for electrical hardware to later automate the process.
• Developed a Python script and breadboard to integrate the linear actuator for the plunger, gear motor for the feed rollers, and photo interrupter for device sequencing.
• Tested alpha and beta prototypes on site at Restek. Modifications to the feeding speed and alignment were made after each visit.
• Prepared the final prototype with an electrical enclosure, updated user interface, and improved cable management.

Outcomes

• An operator is no longer required to manually feed tags into the printer for the duration of the printing batch (~16 tags).
• The prototype is easily replicable to later automate the printing on Restek’s two additional tag printers.