Packaging Equipment and Machines
May. 27, 2024
Packaging Equipment and Machines
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Packaging Equipment and Machines
With all of the packaging equipment available, how do you know which machine is the best for your packaging process? The professionals at Pro Pac have been helping businesses determine the right packaging equipment for decades. We provide shrink, blister, clamshell, flow wrapping, bagging, and pouching systems to package your product efficiently and effectively. We will help you securely box, tape, strap, and palletize your packages with the best equipment for shipping.
Please contact Pro Pac or call 888-318- for your packaging equipment.
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Everything to Know About Packaging Equipment and Machinery
February 03rd
Everything to Know About Packaging Equipment and Machinery
This comprehensive article delves into the world of packaging equipment and provides detailed information on various aspects of the subject.
The article covers:
- The fundamental principles of packaging equipment
- Different types of packaging machinery and equipment
- Key factors to consider when purchasing packaging equipment, their applications, and benefits
- And much more
Principle of Packaging Equipment
This chapter delves into the workings of packaging equipment and machinery and explains what it is.
What is Packaging Equipment?
Packaging equipment is an essential part of all packaging processes, from primary packaging to distribution packaging. The various packaging operations that are carried out include cleaning, fabrication, filling, sealing, labeling, combining, overwrapping, and palletizing.
In some industries, the efficiency of heat seals is critical to product safety, and as a result, the heat sealing process must be closely monitored with validated protocols. For instance, in the drug, food, and medical industries, reliable seals on packages are required, and proper packaging equipment is essential.
Packaging processes can be designed for handling different package forms and sizes or for handling uniform packages only, with the packaging line or equipment being adjustable between production runs. While manual processes can be flexible to accommodate package differences, fully automated packaging processes can offer benefits such as improved quality control and increased throughput.
The trend towards automation in packaging operations is increasingly making use of robotics and programmable logic controllers. Large, fully automated packaging operations can involve multiple machinery components from different manufacturers, as well as conveyors and ancillary machinery. Integrating such systems can be a challenge and often requires the services of engineering or consulting firms.
Differences Between Packaging Equipment and Packaging Machines
The terms "machinery" and "equipment" are often used interchangeably in the packaging industry. In this article, "machinery" refers to machines that carry out the actual packaging, while "equipment" refers to machines or materials that are part of the packaging line.
Costs Associated with Using Packaging Machinery
The cost of packing machines is highly dependent on specific requirements, the type of machinery needed, and the additional selections required for the specific applications.
A preventative maintenance plan or access to a dedicated technician to arrange downtime on the customer's terms should also be considered when estimating the cost of packaging machinery.
The cost of a packaging line varies greatly depending on competitors, as each line is unique with its own set of materials, machinery, energy requirements, geographical location, and operators.
To understand the cost of packing machines, it is important to consider the following steps:
First step
Questions to Ask:
- What is the primary consideration when thinking of cost?
- Purchase price?
- Cost of ownership?
- Money?
- Is the purchase price more important than the machine's performance?
- Will this still be the case in 3-5 years?
- How frequently will the machine be used?
- Twice a week?
- Daily?
- How efficient are the company's maintenance technicians?
- Is sophisticated equipment needed or are basic controls sufficient?
- Will the equipment operators be stationary or mobile?
- Is it important to be at the forefront of technology, or is it better to let others test it first?
Second step
Determining Film Usage for Packaging Material Cost-Efficiency
In the packaging industry, it is important to have a solid understanding of the math involved in materials such as shrink film. The cost per roll is crucial, but the cost per package is even more crucial, as it directly affects budgeting and cost savings. The calculation of film usage starts by dividing the film length by the film cut-off and subtracting the rewrap percentage.
For example, a standard roll of 60-gauge center-folded film has a length of 4,375 ft or 52,500 inches. With a film cut-off point of 11 inches, each roll can yield approximately 4,772 packages. By subtracting the rewrap percentage of 3%, the film can produce 4,629 packages per roll.
Get a Quotation
You can contact us to get a fast and free quotation or read more about how to get efficient quotations for case packing equipment here.
Reducing Package Price
To reduce the package price, several tips should be considered:
- Negotiate equipment costs by asking sales reps about rebates, special offers, and other cost-saving opportunities.
- Consider factors such as buying used or new equipment, contracting versus hiring technical service, and working with distributors versus purchasing directly.
- Implement a preventative maintenance strategy to reduce downtime, keep machinery operating efficiently, and avoid costly repairs.
- Experiment with different material formulations to potentially reduce costs on the machinery used to run it.
- Obtain a machinery analysis to find ways to improve current packaging procedures before transitioning to new machinery.
Here at Enoline, we help you find the perfect machine that fits your needs and budget. Contact us for a free of charge quotation.
How Packaging Equipment Works
Understanding the Importance of Packaging Machinery
In the modern world, packaging is crucial to preserve and protect products. To achieve this, companies rely on packaging machinery to perform a variety of tasks. The use of machinery in packaging has numerous benefits, including:
- Improving labor efficiency: Some packaging equipment, such as candy packing machines, can greatly increase production speed compared to manual packaging.
- Ensuring packaging quality: The use of machinery is particularly important for exports to guarantee reliable packaging.
- Handling specialized packaging needs: Machinery can accommodate specialized forms of packaging, such as inflatable packaging, skin packaging, vacuum packaging, and pressure packaging.
- Reducing labor and improving working conditions for heavy or bulky goods.
- Protecting employees from health risks and environmental contamination: Machinery can eliminate hand contact with hazardous or toxic products, dust, etc.
- Reducing packaging and storage expenses: The use of compression packaging can save costs for loose goods, such as tobacco, cotton, linen, and silk.
- Ensuring good hygiene: Machinery can eliminate hand contact with food and medicine to improve hygiene standards.
Types of Packaging Machinery and Equipment
In this section, we will discuss the various types of packaging machinery used in the industry.
All-in-one Sequential Monoblock Packaging Solution
Combines overwrapping/packing/case forming and sealing in one single machine, ideal for high-speed and volume production.
Blister Packaging Machines
These machines are available in both semi-automatic and automatic models. They feature rotating sections that hold the plastic part of the blister pack in place. The machine fills empty plastic shells with the product, either automatically or manually, and then adds blister board backers to the back of the plastic shell, either by machine or hand with glue, to complete the blister pack.
Carded Packaging Machines
These machines package products into a plastic shell that is backed by a blister board or plastic piece. Carded packaging includes skin packs, blister packs, and clamshells. Skin packs and blister packs have plastic shells with built-in blister board backers, while clamshells are entirely made of plastic shells that close like a clam. Carded packaging provides safety and visual appeal for various products, such as fishing lures (blister packs) and tools (skin packs).
Automatic Cartoning Machines
These machines, also known as cartoners, are packaging machinery that produce close, folded, erect, sealed, and side-seamed cartons. They can fill cartons with products or bags of products, seal the cartons by tucking the end flaps or applying adhesive, and can be either horizontal or vertical. Cartoning machines are commonly used for packaging confectionery, foodstuffs, medicine, sundries, cosmetics, and more.
Case Erectors for Cardboard Box Filling
These machines are used for erecting or unfolding cardboard boxes for product filling purposes. There are three types of case erectors available: manual, automatic, and semi-automatic. The manual case erectors require human intervention to unfold, fold, and tape the box flaps into shape, either with a taping machine or by hand. The box then gets handed to the next worker or gets sent through a conveyor.
Semi-Automatic Case Erectors for Conveyor Processing
These machines carry out the second and third stages of the process automatically via a conveyor machine, which conveys the box through areas that force it into the desired shape. Once the box is erected, it is then conveyed to a pile, either by conveyor machine or by hand.
Kinsun contains other products and information you need, so please check it out.
Automatic Case Erectors with Robotic Arm Technology
These utilize mechanical components, such as a robotic arm, to take a box from the pile, unfold it, and place it onto an automatic conveyor machine. The box then moves through the conveyor machine and gets filled with products, which are sealed either through easy human interaction or mechanical means.
Clamshell Machines for Plastic Packaging
Clamshells are a one-piece molded plastic with a hinge, which are different from blister packs. Clamshells can be sealed in various ways, including staples, pressed-fit closures, buttons, RF, heat, etc. Clamshell machines have an automatically closing lid, although they require a large amount of space.
Filling Machines for Beverage and Food Packaging
Filling machines, or fillers, are used for packaging, mostly for beverages and food but also for other products. These machines are used to fill either pouches or bottles, depending on the product. Some of the most popular types of filling machines include:
Auger or Agitator Filler for Dry Mix Packaging: Auger or agitator fillers are designed to fill dry mixes, such as flour and sugar. These fillers have a hopper in a cone shape, which holds the mix and fills the pouch through an auger conveyor, which is controlled by an agitator. The mix is put into a pouch, which is made from poly or paper, and the pouch is sealed by a series of dies and heaters. The interface with the process of applying the powder is of key importance to ensure efficient filling.
Flow Fillers for Liquid and Edible Product Packaging: Flow fillers are designed for oils, liquids, and thin edible products. These fillers work by filling a tub or bottle that enters the machine, emitting the filled bottle back onto another conveyor machine for sealing.
Positive Displacement Pump Filler for Gel, Lotion, and Cream Packaging: Positive displacement pump fillers handle a wide range of container dimensions, fill volumes, and types of product. Originally designed for filling gels, lotions, and creams, these fillers also accommodate heavy and thin paste products, as well as water.
Tablet Fillers for Portion-Counted Product Packaging: Tablet fillers are designed for products that are counted by portions instead of weight. These fillers are designed for small bottles, similar to flow fillers. The filler's hopper is set up to allow for scan counting of candy pieces or tablets. Some of the products that these machines fill include heavy sauces, cosmetic creams, hair conditioners, thick shampoo, honey, paste cleaners, hair gels, and more.
Vertical Form Fill Sealing Machine: It is a highly efficient automated packaging system used in the food industry and beyond. The machine creates stand-up pouches and plastic bags from a flat film roll, while filling the bags with products and sealing them. The film roll can be made of plastic, metalized paper, film/foil, and fabric, among others, and may undergo sterilization before being loaded into the machinery.
Vibratory Weigh Fillers: They offer a combination of speed, versatility, and accuracy for linear feeders, with each weighing hopper designed for precise weights.
Pallet Wrappers or Stretch Wrappers
They are a common sight in many packaging lines globally, offering substantial cost savings for large operations. By exploiting the stretching capabilities of the stretch film, these machines ensure accurate load containment, taking into consideration the number of layers, wrapping force, and the film's thickness or gauge.
Orbital Wrapper
Also known as the "ringer," it wraps pallets by going under and over the load, making it ideal for packaging oddly shaped or flattened products such as rolled carpets, pipes, and windows.
Ring Straddle Wrappers
They are fast machines capable of wrapping 200 loads per hour, and are commonly used in the beverage and toiletry industries. They keep the load in place while the wrap-applying system rotates around the pallet. Straddle Wrappers are ideal for wrapping light and heavy unstable loads, wrapping low to high volumes with a load that stays in place while the wrap-applying system rotates around it.
Turntable Wrappers
A common type of stretch wrapping machinery, place a pallet on a rotating turntable, with the wrap-delivery system distributing the stretch wrap onto the load. The wrap delivery system usually starts at the bottom and works its way up to the top and back to the bottom.
Shrink Tunnel
It is a powerful packaging tool when configured with the correct temperature settings. It conveys a product placed inside a shrink bag made of heat-sensitive film through a hot tunnel, causing the film to shrink evenly around the item inside. The machinery's airflow prevents the product from becoming too hot. If a product is heat-sensitive, heat-sensing tapes may be used to determine its suitability for the tunnel. If the tapes indicate that the tunnel is not appropriate, other packaging options can be recommended by professionals.
Skin Pack Machines
They are different from blister pack machinery, with a platform for the backing substrate or blister board, on which the products to be packaged are placed. The machine then puts a heated soft plastic layer that shapes itself over the products, with vacuum sealing often used for a tight fit. The substrate then binds to the heat-seal layer on the cardboard.
In conclusion, packaging machinery plays a crucial role in protecting and preserving products, reducing costs, and ensuring good hygiene standards. The use of machinery can accommodate specialized packaging needs, increase labor efficiency, and improve working conditions.
It might be difficult to determine which solutions you need, that is why we are here to help you find
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