Frequently asked questions

Etima (Etiproces S.L.) is a Spanish manufacturer of industrial labelling machinery with more than forty years of history, a production site in Castellar del Vallès (Barcelona) and a presence in nearly thirty countries.

We design and manufacture labelling stations for the pharmaceutical, cosmetics, food and beverage, canning and chemical sectors, both standard and bespoke. We do one thing and we do all of it: engineering, manufacturing, commissioning and after-sales service.

The range is organised by sector and by application technology.

For pharmaceuticals: AUTOLINE Pharma, SATURN Pharma, S-SATURN Pharma, SPIN Pharma, S-SPIN Pharma, ROLLER Pharma, ETIFLEX Pharma, T-EVIDENT Pharma, BFS Pharma and BFS STRIPS Pharma. For cosmetics: AUTOLINE Beauty, SATURN Beauty, ETIFLEX Beauty, ROLLER Beauty, B-STAR Beauty and T-EVIDENT Beauty. For cans and rigid cylindrical containers with hot melt: Etima CANFLEX. Linear machines for other sectors: Etima AUTOLINE, SATURN, S-SATURN and ROLLER.

On top of that there is the rotary range under the Auxiemba brand, and bespoke machines.

Auxiemba is the rotary labelling brand integrated into Etima. It applies exclusively to rotary machines and to sectors outside Pharma and Beauty, that is, food and beverage, canning and chemicals. Its models are ETIFLEX, IMPACTA, GACELA, OPENTECH, PREMAT and MONOBLOC.

Everything pharmaceutical and everything cosmetic is always sold under the Etima brand, as are the linear solutions for any sector. Both brands share engineering, manufacturing and after-sales service.

It is our way of summing up how we see this trade: improving the performance of a line without forcing it to be reinvented. Evolution rather than replacement.

In practice it means three things. Integrating into what already exists instead of demanding a new line. Adapting the machine to the container instead of asking the container to adapt to the machine. And supporting the equipment throughout its service life, not just until commissioning.

For its ability to adapt. A multinational manufactures in series and has everything optimised (design, software and logistics), which gives it an advantage in lead time and price when the container fits its standard. When it does not, adapting means breaking its model, which is why it is often not interested.

Our size allows us to design around the customer’s specific container and to keep the same point of contact throughout the project. We do not compete on volume, we compete on solutions. When the container is standard and the volume is high, we say openly that a catalogue machine may be the better option.

Six stages. First, analysis of the containers, the number of formats, the label, the customer’s line and the target production rate. Second, analysis of the URS requirements, if the customer and the sector require it. Third, a technical and commercial proposal based on that data. Fourth, design and manufacturing. Fifth, FAT at our facilities with the customer’s real product. Sixth, installation, SAT, qualification and on-site training.

The duration depends mainly on two variables: whether the machine is a standard or a bespoke model, and its complexity.

Ideally, real samples of containers and labels; otherwise, drawings or dimensions with tolerances. Also the target production rate, the number and position of the labels, and what the customer’s line looks like before and after the labelling machine.

It is also worth knowing from the outset whether the project requires variable data marking, inspections, rejection of units or 21 CFR Part 11 compliance. The sooner all of that is on the table, the fewer surprises there are in the quotation.

The URS is the user requirements specification: the document in which the customer defines what the machine must do and under what conditions. It is the reference against which OQ and PQ are later checked.

A well-written URS saves time and discussion. A vague URS almost always leads to late modifications, which are the expensive ones.

Yes, and we recommend it. Seeing a machine running, talking to the people who assembled it and seeing how we work gives more insight than any catalogue. Visits are arranged with the sales team.

The FAT (Factory Acceptance Test) is the acceptance test carried out at our facilities before the machine is delivered. During this test, its operation, performance, format changes and compliance with the requirements agreed with the customer are verified. Carrying out the FAT makes it possible to detect and correct any issues before installation, reducing commissioning times and avoiding later costs or delays.

The FAT is carried out at our facilities before the machine is delivered. During this phase, the operation, the agreed performance and the correct labelling of the defined formats are verified.

The SAT (Site Acceptance Test) is carried out at the customer’s facilities once the machine has been installed. Its purpose is to verify that everything works correctly under real production conditions and to make final adjustments if needed.

The consumables and product samples that will be used in production. This validates the machine’s operation under real conditions and checks the labelling, format changes and required performance.

Yes. The FAT can be carried out in person or remotely by videoconference. During the test, the machine’s operation, format changes, agreed performance and any point previously defined with the customer are reviewed. This makes it possible to validate the equipment before shipment without travelling.

By default, OPC UA. We are committed to global standardisation and to the most open protocol possible, because it allows the machine to be connected to the customer’s system quickly and transparently. Customers who were not using it have adopted it with little effort, and that change has opened up integration possibilities they did not have before.

When the project calls for it, we implement others. Ethernet/IP in plants with Rockwell systems, or specific protocols such as Uhlmann’s VisioRead when the machine has to be integrated with serialisation and track and trace systems. Our criterion is to adapt to the line the customer already has, not to impose ours.

Our first choice is Siemens for control (PLC) and Copadata’s Zenon for the display (HMI). Focusing on a few platforms is what allows us to deliver reliable, accurate equipment: that is where our years of experience lie.

That is why we are cautious about changing platform at the customer’s request. Not because ours is better, but because it is the platform with which we guarantee that level of reliability. When the plant standard requires it, we also work with Allen Bradley (Rockwell) in the Americas and with Beckhoff on some rotary machines.

Yes, and it is standard practice when there is variable data or serialisation. Around 80% of the information exchanged is common to almost any plant: consumption, running times, counters, batch numbers, expiry dates and references. That block is standardised.

The remaining 20% depends on each customer, because each one has its own needs regarding which product data it wants to manage and in how much detail. That block is defined with the customer during the project. The machine receives the order and the data to be printed, and returns the verification result and the counters, which is what makes it possible to close unit reconciliation without manual work.

Yes. The machines are delivered with CE marking and a declaration of conformity, in accordance with European machinery safety regulations, together with their instruction manual and risk assessment.

For destinations outside the European Union, the documentation and electrical configuration are adapted to local requirements.

A power supply matching the voltage and frequency of the destination, and compressed air when the configuration requires it. Consumption and connections are detailed in the project’s technical documentation, and they are adapted to the destination country from the design stage.

It is the FDA regulation on electronic records and electronic signatures. For a labelling machine it translates into role-based access control, electronic signature of critical actions, a tamper-proof audit trail and assurance that the data generated is attributable, legible and retainable.

Models such as S-SPIN Pharma, ETIFLEX Pharma and AUTOLINE Pharma are ready to work under these requirements.

It is the automatic record of who did what, when and to which parameter, with no possibility of deleting or modifying it. It matters because it is the proof that the process has been kept under control.

Etima prepares the IQ, OQ and PQ qualification protocols that accompany the machine. We carry out the IQ and OQ ourselves. The PQ is carried out at the customer’s plant, with their product and within their quality system, with our technical support.

It is advisable to reflect this split in the contract from the start, because it affects lead times and responsibilities.

Instruction manual, electrical and pneumatic diagrams, list of recommended spare parts, declaration of conformity and CE marking. In regulated projects, the agreed qualification package is added, with protocols and reports, a user rights matrix and material specifications where applicable.

In Spanish and English as standard, and in other languages when the project or the destination country requires it.

Format change time depends on the difference between containers and the machine’s level of automation. In general, the operations are designed to be quick and simple through guided adjustments, minimising downtime and allowing production to resume as soon as possible.

Label waste is reduced through correct machine setup, precise control of the application and automatic detection of print marks or references where necessary. Good management of reel and format changes also makes the most of the material and minimises waste.

Labels are normally supplied by the customer or by their usual printed materials supplier. As for adhesives, it depends on the labelling technology used. With hot melt or cold glue systems, supply can be handled by the customer or follow the recommendations established for each application.

Preventive maintenance mainly consists of periodic inspection of wear parts, checking of mechanical settings and control of the conveying and application systems. Proper maintenance helps maintain labelling accuracy, reduce unplanned stoppages and extend the machine’s service life.

Yes. Operator training is given during commissioning, so that operators understand how the machine works, format changes, basic adjustments and routine maintenance tasks. The goal is for them to work independently from day one.

Technical support, spare parts, on-site interventions and remote assistance. The service does not end with commissioning: it is the longest part of the relationship with a machine that will be producing for years.

Yes. Our remote service module only needs internet access, whether by cable, Wi-Fi or even by sharing a mobile phone’s connection via USB. The module opens an encrypted VPN, so communication is secure.

In demanding corporate environments, such as pharmaceuticals or cosmetics, plant policy often does not allow external VPNs. In those cases the customer already has its own access system for remote service, and we work through it. A large proportion of incidents are resolved remotely, without waiting for a site visit.

Yes. We have spare parts for machines installed years ago and, if a component has become obsolete, we offer equivalent alternatives or upgrade solutions to keep the machine running. The aim is to guarantee production continuity throughout the equipment’s service life.

Yes. Many machines can be modernised by adding new control systems, labelling heads, servo motors, vision systems or updated safety elements. This makes it possible to improve their performance, adapt them to new formats and extend their service life without replacing the entire installation.

Yes. In most cases an existing machine can be adapted to new formats through changes to the change parts, guides, conveying systems or labelling head settings. The solution will depend on the characteristics of the new container and the configuration of the machine.

Yes. We export to nearly thirty countries and carry out installation, commissioning and training at the destination, either directly or through our network of local representatives.

Support combines remote assistance and local support when necessary. Most incidents can be diagnosed and resolved via remote connection, reducing response times and travel. For interventions that require a physical presence, we coordinate assistance with our own technicians or local partners.

Yes. Voltage, frequency, components and documentation are adapted to the destination from the design stage. It is one of the pieces of information we ask for at the start of the project, because it affects the choice of components and cannot be properly resolved at the last minute.

The European framework on packaging and packaging waste is moving towards more recyclable packaging, and that directly affects the label: the material, the adhesive and the ink all influence whether the container can be recycled properly.

On the machine, the consequence is concrete. Thinner or mono-material labels behave differently during unwinding and application, so it is worth testing them before changing material in production. As a general rule, the less material, the more difficult the application.

Yes, with adjustments. A thinner or less rigid material changes the web tension and the behaviour at the dispensing edge, and sometimes requires the application unit to be modified.

The advice is the same as always: test with the real reel before deciding. A change of material that looks minor on paper can alter the performance of the line. The secret is finding the right balance between material and operation.

Three, depending on the sector and production rate. Hot melt, which applies hot adhesive to reel-fed paper labels and is the reference in canning. Cold glue with pre-cut paper labels, common in high-volume beverages because of its very low cost per container. And self-adhesive, the most flexible and accurate, and therefore the standard in pharmaceuticals and cosmetics.

The choice is not a matter of taste: it depends on the surface, the production rate, the cost per container and the precision and traceability requirements.

The choice will mainly depend on the required output, the type of container and the flexibility needed. Linear labelling machines are usually a very versatile solution for working with different formats and frequent production changes. Rotary labelling machines, on the other hand, are particularly suited to high outputs and continuous high-speed processes.