Packaging Automation: Boosting Productivity and Cutting Expenses

 Packaging Automation: Boosting Productivity and Cutting Expenses

"at the future, there will only be a man and a dog working at the industry. The man who feeds the dog will be present. To prevent the man from handling the equipment, the dog will be there.Warren G. Bennis
Not exactly, though. Not yet, at least. However, with today's manufacturers dealing with razor-thin profit margins, Just-In-Time (JIT) manufacturing, and ISO-9002/QS-1000 quality standards, automation is unquestionably the word of the day. Actually, businesses need to automate in order to provide the modern consumer with what they want, when they want it, and at the price they want to pay.

Let us begin by examining the initial motivations behind manufacturers' automation of their packaging processes. Next, we will look at a few of the resources they use to accomplish it.

Labor: In any company, one of the most crucial business drivers is the quantity and caliber of a dependable talent pool. Thus, management needs to make the most of the employees that they do have. Businesses can reallocate their human resources to more productive departments like product design, customer service, or quality control thanks to automation. Employees may worry that machines will "replace" them, but this is rarely the case. Instead, automated solutions allow businesses to let employee attrition happen naturally without compromising productivity.

Throughput Demands: Plant managers have a proverb that goes, "Machines do not take coffee breaks." Even if planned maintenance and sporadic rebuilds and renovations cause downtime, automated systems may consistently generate a certain quantity of throughput in a given amount of time. And for businesses that have to compete in a market with picky consumers, exacting requirements for quality, and just-in-time (JIT) inventory, that means everything.

Consistency: A skilled and driven employee is a valuable resource for any business. However, every human worker experiences the occasional "bad day." Furthermore, "bad day" can be mistaken for "massive product recall" with ease. When automated systems are configured and maintained correctly, they will always place the correct label on the correct box.

Real estate is a costly endeavor. Success and expansion have two drawbacks. Yes, that translates into more sales and, ideally, profits. However, it also entails fresh investments in personnel, assets, and machinery. It used to be the standard in manufacturing that if you increased business by 20%, you would need to hire 20% additional workers to finish the project. Frequently, the expanding business discovers that it can no longer accommodate additional personnel or equipment in the same structure. An expensive call to the real estate agent can be avoided with the use of automation.

The requirements are intricate. Thankfully, there is no lack of automated packaging tools available to fulfill their needs. These are a few that we believe offer significant value and are accessible to even moderately sized businesses.

Automated Case Sealers/Erectors: An apparatus such as the Combi Ergopack® arranges a flat container, closes the bottom, and prepares it for filling. There are three key benefits to this. Initially, fewer workers are required to complete this low-skilled work. Secondly, it gets rid of a process that is not ergonomic. Thirdly, instead of paying for a worker to create a shift's worth of boxes ahead of time and the wasted plant capacity utilized to keep empty boxes, it presents each box just moments before it is needed.

Automatic Stretch Wrappers: The secret to stretch wrap's strength is to maximize "material memory" by stretching the material to within a few foot-pounds of its breaking strength, rather than relying solely on volume. Stretch wrappers always use precisely the right quantity and wrap at the same tension. Automated stretch wrapping systems from businesses like Wulftec are generally cost-beneficial for any operation that requires to wrap 15 or more pallets per day.

Automatic Strapping/Unitizing: Automated strapping equipment is beneficial for a lot of manufacturing and distribution companies' UPS shipping processes. Based on a basic idea, these systems are self-sufficient. Shipping a single 20-pound box to the same location will cost far less than shipping four 5-pound packages. These devices automatically compile and strap related packages that are traveling to the same locations.

A Word About Leasing — Leasing is becoming a more popular option for businesses looking to save money and keep ahead of the curve in light of the constantly emerging technologies. By eliminating complex depreciation plans, monthly or other periodic payments with a duration ranging from six to 72 months enable more straightforward planning. In addition to the purchase price, payments can cover additional expenses for freight, installation, training, and maintenance support. When technology develops or your needs change, many leases also permit equipment upgrades during the term of the lease.

Any process automation decision is based on a cost-benefit analysis, ergonomics, safety, and quality evaluation. However, even the tiniest enterprises find new technologies and designs appealing. Automation was once the domain of only very large corporations. Check it out, then, because it might affect your profit margin.

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