The World of Packaging Equipment

With rapid industrialization and urbanization, coupled with globalization, the world is witnessing a momentous change in its consumption patterns too. Almost every industry has undergone a sea change since last few decades to keep up with the changing times. This includes print and packaging solutions industry as well. Changing food habits, new product lines and automation have all led to a big change in the packaging equipment systems. Now achieving efficiencies in print and packaging solutions is also paramount to manufacturers, apart from maintaining quality standards. Keeping up the productivity whilst striving for efficiencies in packaging equipment systems is important to manufacturers.

Packaging equipment is used across the product cycle, from primary packaging all through the distribution stage. The various packaging processes that fall under this cycle include fabrication, cleaning, filling, sealing, combining, labeling, overwrapping, palletizing. Packaging equipment are an intrinsic part of quite many packaging operations, including labor-intensive processes. For some products, a particular packaging operation is absolutely critical to product safety, such as the packaging regulations for food, drug and medical packaging. All this cannot be achieved without a proper packaging equipment system.

Here are some of the advantages of automated packaging equipment systems:

• Packaging quality is streamlined and maintained at all times• Boosts labor productivity, particularly in fast churning products such as in FMCG• Helps in abiding by the stricter packaging guidelines wherever it is paramount, such as food and medicines• Works around any particular type of customized packaging requirements• Helps improve workers’ health • Can help in adapting to different production cycles, from less number to handling a bulk supply• Processes can be optimised and greater efficiencies can be achieved with automated packaging equipment systems by analyzing the data generated through the systemPackaging equipment systems can be both – with standard specifications as well as customized to a manufacturer’s requirements. Apart from the CAPEX involved in acquiring a packaging equipment, there are many other factors that a buyer must make a note of, such as: maintenance cost, labor needed to operate the machine, shop floor area needed, energy consumption, labor safety, productivity and last but most important, does it justify its ROI etc.

There is a large variety of packaging equipment available, such as:

• Cartoning machines• Filling machines for handling products in dry, powdered, solid, liquid or gas state• Blister packs• Skin packs• Vacuum packaging• Bottle caps, over-capping, closing and sealing machines• Box, case, tray, and carrier forming, packing, unpacking, closing, and sealing machines• Converting machines• Label dispensers• Weighing machines• Heat sealers, tape or glue units• Security seals• Package filling and closing• Wrapping machines• Slitters, laser cutters, strapping machines, slitting machines

The most commonly used packaging equipment around the world for food, medical, industrial and retail applications are:Conveyors are very important to help transport products from one location to another. Different types of products and packages need different specifications of conveyer belts.

Filling machines are mostly used in food industry and help to fill liquids and other products in containers. Heat sealers find usage across industrial, pharma, retail and food packaging.

Labeling and coding machines are used almost in every industry to apply product labels and bar codes.

K V Gopalakrishnan is a writer who has very good experience in writing articles & blogs. The writer has a flair for writing and he keeps on writing various articles and blogs related to the industry.