5 Things to Consider for Select Packaging Equipment.
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You&#;ve crunched the numbers and weighed the pros and cons. You've considered all the alternative options. You know it is time to invest in Capital Equipment and take your business to the next level.
The next step is choosing the machine. K-Flex Packaging Systems is here to make choosing the right equipment as stress-free as possible!
Read below for the 5 key items to ensure a successful packaging machine purchase for your business!
1. SPEED
How quickly and how much product you intend to put out each day, is going to affect what machine you should consider. If this is your first investment in packaging machinery, maybe you don&#;t need to spring for the big guns just yet. So don&#;t be intimidated and think that bigger is always better. Start where you can, and allow yourself time to grow.
Form-Fill-Seal is the fastest available packaging option. However, the flexibility of the Premade Pouch Machine is gaining appeal in the packaging community. Because both machines have their perks, your decision should be based on production speed required, labor and SKU variation.
The PSG LEE is a copackers dream as you can change from one SKU to the other in minutes via the touchscreen. On the other hand, If you plan on running a limited variety and need high volumes, the SN Horizontal Form-Fill-Seal is a better option for those needs.
The style of pouch also plays a crucial role here. Currently trending are shaped and fitment pouches. Considering your desired pouch style can help guide your equipment selection. For more on this, see number five.
2. Waste and Waste Disposal
When working in the manufacturing industry, we have to be hyper aware of waste management. We have entered an era where companies are trying to reduce waste where possible, for both financial and environmental reasons. Because your machine and package options will produce varying amounts of waste, consider your waste goals.
Form-Fill-Seal machine creates some waste during setup, alignment and changeover, as well as any excess film trimmed during production. In contrast, if you are interested in reducing waste and costs associated with it, the Premade Pouch machine may be a better option for you. The PSG LEE has a built in feature to maximize efficiency and minimize waste. If the pouch doesn&#;t open, product will not drop and the seal bars will not seal that specific pouch so it can be reused.
PPi Technologies Group's SECAMP program is a 6 point strategy that relates to using less energy or clean energy, fewer packaging materials, and reduce costs in the manufacturing warehousing and distribution of Stand-Up Pouches.
3. Overhead and Operating Costs
As with any large purchase, you want to consider not only the initial cost of your packaging machine, but the cost of operation and maintenance. While some machines may have a bigger price tag up front, they may run smoother and have better efficiencies. Make sure to focus on your ROI. A more expensive machine, could increase your profitability dramatically.
There are a few more operating costs to consider when choosing your machine. Keep in mind the cost of any other materials needed to run your machine such as rollstock film or premade pouches. Also, consider the materials needed to produce your pouches and products, and the labor required to operate the line.
4. Staff Training
The type of machine you select will greatly impact the amount of training, education level, and employee hours needed to operate the machine. For example, a Form-Fill-Seal machine will require considerably more training than a Premade Pouch Machine.
On a Premade Pouch Machine, someone is needed to keep the infeed conveyor full of empty pouches. However, once the Form-Fill-Seal machine is configured, the operator is free to concentrate on other company tasks. Some options for minimizing downtime and maximizing production include automatic splicing for film and zippers and end-of-line case packing solutions. In order to set you and your team up for success, PPi Technologies Group offers several training options on the equipment you purchase.
5. Variety of Packaging
The diversity of your company's products and goals can help determine which machine is best fit for your packaging operation. If you pack several different SKU&#;s per day, the premade pouch may work for you, as the Form-Fill-Seal machine takes more time for set up and changeover. On the other hand, if you focus on one product line per day, and need high output, the Form-Fill-Seal will better meet your needs. Make sure to discuss all your SKU's with us and provide the output you are looking for.
Bonus Point #6
: Quiz Your Vendor
When talking to machine vendor's here are some questions you should ask. How many machines do they have in the field? Can you speak to current customers and go see their equipment? What does the vendor&#;s service and support look like after the sale? Do they have in-house engineering? How quickly can you get spare parts? What training programs do they have?
We hope the consideration of these 5 key points make your decision making process less stressful and more exciting. You are making a crucial decision to grow your business, and K-Flex Packaging Systems is here to support you along the way!
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There are many different factors you should take into account as you are selecting new packaging machinery for your operation. We dive into the important things you should look for and why.
What Are You Packaging?
Chances are you know what you&#;re packaging. But it&#;s important that you have all the information readily available as you&#;ll need to relay all the information to the person you&#;re discussing the machinery with.
What are you packaging, how much are you looking to produce, etc.? This will be important as you are able to take a look at options that are best for your product and business goals.
How Do You Want It Built?
Do you want the new machinery to be modular-built or more complex? Is it important to you that the machine is built for future growth? Be sure to keep long term goals in mind so that you invest in machinery that can grow with you and your company.
Consider versatility - Will the machinery be dedicated to one product line, or a multiple products? There are advanced machines available that can automatically adjust to package different product sizes automatically in the production line but is this important to you? What are you needs?
Goto Kinsun to know more.
Additional reading:
10 Questions You Should Know About Fully Automatic Non Woven Bag Manufacturing Processes
What&#;s Your Available Space?
Top Trends in Powder Filling And Sealing Machine 2024You need to have an understanding of what you can fit in your facility. You might find machinery that you feel would be great for your packaging - but then find out it&#;s too large for your actual available floor space.
You also need to take into account your employee&#;s moving around, and what is an optimal amount of space to have. Is there enough space for panels to open for maintenance? Is there space for aisles next to it?
Can you install a mezzanine to take advantage of limited floor space with the area above the machine?
How Fast Can the Machine Run VS. Your Bandwidth?
It&#;s important that you&#;re not only hitting your production numbers for customers, but exceeding them. The more you&#;re able to produce in a shorter period of time, the bigger the contract opportunities will be and the more customers you can take on, but don&#;t forget about being able to handle the growth.
Will your team be able to keep up with growing demand? You don&#;t want to become overloaded and lose business for missed commitments because you can&#;t keep up.
Be strategic in planning for increased volume. When selecting your packaging machinery, you should have a good understanding of how quickly it can turn around packaged products and your plans for future growth. If you are a contract packager, a faster machine like a VFFS (Vertical Form Fill & Seal) machines can run at up to 300 packages per minute.
Have an understanding of the specific features that make it faster, and how you will handle the increased volume, both feeding the machine and taking it away.
Make a sound investment in new machinery that meets your needs for throughput, capital and fastest ROI with our free Packaging Machinery Pre-Investment Checklist!
Will There Need to Be Additional Assembly and Installation?
Some machines might need additional assembly and installation in order to produce what you&#;re looking for. You should have a good understanding of what the machinery setup is like and what/who is required.
Some machines will need to be integrated into your packaging line to produce what you are looking for. This should be taken into account when planning for going live with your newly enhanced packaging line. Consider the time it may take to work out any bugs prior to full production.
Also consider when you need the machinery to be fully functional and what lead times you should anticipate. If there are options available to enhance the machinery for your production, know what they are and if you are also able to upgrade it as your needs change.
What About Service And Support?
When choosing your next addition to your packaging line it&#;s also good to have an understanding of the service and support that will come with it. Will your machine operators require additional training for the new machinery?
Consider setting up time with a certified technician to train your employees on proper use and maintenance. A quality supplier will have options available for service in your local area or will be able to assist you in maintaining and operating properly.
Downtime means money lost, you want to know that if something goes wrong you can get support quickly. Proper preventative maintenance allows for planned downtime so that you aren&#;t blindsided by issues and you can keep your operation running.
What Are Your Safety Considerations?
Safety is very important as you&#;re designing out your next packaging machine. A trend in machinery is creating Safe Zones, so that when one part of the machine is an a safe state, the rest of the machine is in standby or continues normal operation. Safe zones will increase your up-time and reduce scrap or waste. It&#;s important that you are building in safety components early on and not after the fact.
Consider a lock-out/tag-out process so it is clear when the machine is down and being worked on.
Does the machine need to be Arc-Flash compliant, which is a newer OSHA regulation? According to a report by Convergence Training, electrical wiring methods were in the top 10 citations of , so be sure your on top of training and working within regulation.
Consider a see-through panel outside of your electrical cabinet with a Graceport connector so when making changes to the program, you can see visually that the inputs and outputs are working properly. These types of machinery modifications can be discussed and implemented prior to delivery and installation of your new machines, so be sure to speak with your supplier ahead of time.
Is Multi-Ethernet And Integrated Hardware Important For Your Business?
Many machines have an Ethernet option which allows multiple people to view the machines operation. Additionally, it allows for the capability to send information for generating reports based on the specific metrics you are targeting.
Having software and hardware that is integrated is ideal for the smoothest system functionality and allows you to access information of the production, maintenance. You should have one program per project for each of your machines.
Even if you don&#;t allow outside support technicians to view machinery functions due to firewall security purposes, integrated hardware will help accessing the reports you need. Integrated hardware allows for predictive maintenance, letting you know when work needs to be done and on which parts need it.
Your machines are what gets products packaged, keeps customers happy and what generates new business. It&#;s important that not only are you selecting machinery that is going to work for your current business goals, but that you are building out a packaging line that will support your future growth as well.
If you follow these pointers and questions you should be set up for success in building out your new packaging line.
Want to be certain that a new piece of machinery is the right solution for your business? Download your copy of the Packaging Machinery Pre-Investment Checklist here!
If you want to learn more, please visit our website packaging machinery supplier.
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