Process for Identifying and Correcting Defects or Non-Conformities on Self-Adhesive Labels or Patters Made on a Continuous Band

A process for identifying and correcting defects or non-conformities on patterns or products present on a continuous band, including steps of:

• a) providing a continuous band on which there is a plurality of self-adhesive labels, juxtaposed in a forward direction of the continuous band or on which a pattern extended along a longitudinal direction of the continuous band is present;
• b) providing first inspection means capable of detecting a defect or non-conformity in one or more self-adhesive labels or in one or more sections of the pattern;
• c) providing driving means suitable for moving the continuous band along a path that includes a region inspected by the first inspection means;
• d) advancing the continuous band so as to expose the one or more self-adhesive labels or the pattern to the first inspection means;
• e) when the first inspection means detect a defect or non-conformity, continuing to advance the continuous band downstream of the first inspection means and slowing down the advancement of said continuous band until the portion of the continuous band containing the defect or the non-conformity stops at a correction station designed to allow the removal or replacement of a defective label or a portion of the continuous band;
• f) in a stopped condition of the continuous band at said correction station, removing or replacing the defective label or the portion of the continuous band containing the defective label or the non-conforming section of the pattern;
• g) downstream or at the correction station, providing second inspection means suitable for detecting the defect or the non-conformity in the one or more self-adhesive labels or in the one or more sections of the pattern;
• h) downstream of step f), checking by means of the second inspection means for an absence of defects or non-conformities in the portion of the continuous band from which the defective label or the non-conforming section of the pattern has been removed or replaced,
• i) when the second inspection means detect a second defective label or a second non-conformity in the pattern, preventing the continuous band from advancing so as to keep at the correction station a second portion of the continuous band on which the second defective label or the second non-conforming section of the pattern is present, or reversing the motion of the continuous band until the second portion of the continuous band on which the second defective label or the second non-conforming section of the pattern is present stops at the correction station, and removing or replacing the second defective label or the second portion of the continuous band containing the second defective label or the second non-conforming section of the pattern.