A machine for forming a container from a blank of sheet material includes a frame and an identification tag applicator mounted to the frame. The blank includes a first surface that forms an interior surface of the container and a second surface that forms an exterior surface of the container. The identification tag applicator is configured to apply an identification tag to the first surface of the blank. The machine also includes a mandrel assembly mounted to the frame and located operationally downstream from the identification tag applicator. The mandrel assembly includes a mandrel having an external shape complimentary to an internal shape of at least a portion of the container. The machine also includes a lift assembly configured to lift the blank having the identification tag adhered thereto towards the mandrel and wrap the blank about the mandrel.

An improved print and apply device that receives a single data stream containing label printing/encoding data and positioning data. The single data stream may comprise data relating to the skew angle of the package. The print and apply device transmits label data to a printer/encoder portion of the system and positioning data to motors that move the system. Once the printer portion and the applicator portion have indicated they are ready, a signal is sent to apply the label. Supplemental motors can adjust the package in the X, Y, and/or Z directions until the skew angle is determined to be within an acceptable approach to zero. The label can be applied anywhere in the X, Y, and/or Z directions on a package.

The present invention provides an automatic blood-sampling tube preparation device which can detect the presence of the proper or improper blood-sampling tube by selectively taking out a blood-sampling tube and transferring the blood-sampling tube to a label pasting position, printing information of the patient on a label, pasting the printed label on the blood-sampling tube positioned in the label pasting position, and collecting the label pasted blood-sampling tubes in the container for each patient. The device also includes photographing means for photographing an appearance of the blood-sampling tube taken out from the blood-sampling tube containing section and a control means arranged to have a threshold with respect to at least one characteristic information previously extracted from an appearance of a blood-sampling tube, to extract the characteristic information from the appearance image photographed to judge whether the blood-sampling tube corresponds to the instruction information from the doctor.

A radio frequency identification (RFID) tag applicator including a spool system for holding and guiding a tape including a plurality of RFID tags from a first spool to a second spool, an RFID programmer coupled to spool system to send a programming signal to each of the tags passing from the first spool to the second spool, an RFID reader coupled to the spool system for reading a return signal from a programmed RFID tag in order to reject or accept the programmed tag, and an applicator member operatively coupled to the RFID reader to cause an RFID tag to peel away from the tape onto a passing substrate if the RFID tag is accepted by the RFID reader or pass to the second spool if rejected.

A printer system is disclosed comprising: a first print and apply device configured to print or encode a label and apply one or more label to one or more packages, wherein the device has a printer/encoder portion and an applicator portion; a first motor to move the print and apply device in an X-direction; a second motor to move the print and apply device in a Y-direction; third motor to move the print and apply device in a Z-direction; a second print and apply device configured to print or encode a second label and apply the one or more label to the one or more package, wherein the device has a printer/encoder portion and an applicator portion; a first motor to move the print and apply device in an X-direction; a second motor to move the print and apply device in a Y-direction; a third motor to move the print and apply device in a Z-direction; a switching device that delivers the one or more packages to the first or second print and apply device on request; a controller coupled to the printer system and having a single interface configured to receive a single data stream comprising label data and positioning data from a single data stream; and a command parser configured to receive the single data stream and parse label data to the printer/encoder portion and positioning data to the applicator portion, In one embodiment, the switching device is a robotic arm. In one embodiment, the switching device is a conveyor belt system. In one embodiment, the switch device is requested to deliver to the first or second print and apply device when either the first or second print and apply device is low on ink.

A printer system, comprising: a print and apply device configured to print or encode a label and apply the label to a package, wherein the device has a printer/encoder portion and an applicator portion; a first motor to move the print and apply device in an X-direction; a second motor to move the print and apply device in a Y-direction; a third motor to move the print and apply device in a Z-direction; a controller coupled to the print and apply device and having a single interface configured to receive a first single data stream comprising label data from the first single data stream; and a command parser configured to receive the first single data stream and parse the label data to the printer/encoder; the controller is further configured to receive a second single data stream comprising positioning data from the second single data stream; and the command parser configured to receive the second single data stream and parse the positioning data to the applicator portion.

An improved print and apply device that receives a single data stream containing label printing/encoding data and positioning data. The single data stream may comprise data relating to the skew angle of the package. The print and apply device transmits label data to a printer/encoder portion of the system and positioning data to motors that move the system. Once the printer portion and the applicator portion have indicated they are ready, a signal is sent to apply the label. Supplemental motors can adjust the package in the X, Y, and/or Z directions until the skew angle is determined to be within an acceptable approach to zero. The label can be applied anywhere in the X, Y, and/or Z directions on a package.

A method for further processing of a glass tube semi-finished product includes: providing the glass tube semi-finished product, along with tube-specific data for the glass tube semi-finished product; reading the tube-specific data for the glass tube semi-finished product; and further processing of the glass tube semi-finished product including a step of thermal forming carried out at least in sections. At least one process parameter during the further processing of the glass tube semi-finished product including the step of thermal forming carried out at least in sections is controlled as a function of the tube-specific data for the glass tube semi-finished product. In this way, the further processing can be matched more efficiently to the particular characteristics of a glass tube semi-finished product to be processed or a particular subsection thereof, and the relevant characteristics of the particular glass tube semi-finished product do not need to be measured again.

A method for further processing a glass tube semi-finished product includes: providing the glass tube semi-finished product, along with defect data for the glass tube semi-finished product; reading the defect data for the glass tube semi-finished product; and further processing the glass tube semi-finished product, for example by cutting to length or sorting out. The further processing of the glass tube semi-finished product is adapted to the defect data, which were read out for the glass tube semi-finished product. In this way, the further processing can be more efficiently adapted to the respective characteristics of a glass tube semi-finished product to be processed or a specific sub-section thereof, and the relevant defects of the respective glass tube semi-finished product do not need to be determined or measured again.

Apparatuses and methods are provided for labeling a product and reading one or more labels. The apparatus includes an outer housing, a processing unit, wherein the processing unit includes a processor, a digital reader, coupled to the housing, wherein the digital reader is configured to extract information from one or more labels, one or more labels, and a label hatch configured to eject the one or more labels.