Labeling bottles manually takes a good chunk of time and effort. Addressing this, the YouTube channel Easy Home Made Projects has developed a DIY automatic labeling machine using an Arduino Nano, a smart solution to speed up labeling on cylindrical bottles.
The project includes 3D-printed parts, wooden supports, and a repurposed mini conveyor belt. The working combines stepper motors, IR sensors, and a 16x2 LCD. A NEMA17 stepper motor is used to rotate the label roller, and the small micro gear motor drives the conveyor belt. Both are controlled using motor drivers and relays, with Arduino directing their actions based on sensor inputs. Using a potentiometer, we are able to adjust the dispensing speed and timing for different label and product sizes. An IR sensor is used to implement a label counter. The label count and operation status are displayed in real-time on the LCD.
The whole mechanism runs on a custom PCB that handles all power and signal connections. Relays switch the motor’s direction, helping the machine handle different labeling tasks. Open-source hardware and DIY creativity meet in this project to solve a real-world problem, streamlining the bottle labeling workflow without the need for expensive industrial machines.
