What are the machinery Packaging strategies?
This year there was a greater demand for smaller and single-serving containers; Meanwhile, food manufacturers have had to manage more complex and versatile packaging lines that require faster changes and more sophisticated automation. In general, bakery and snack companies now demand more versatility and greater capacity for their packaging systems.
Automation is the heart of innovation at the end of the line. Companies that feel the effects of the workforce gap must complement the low number of employees in the lines and the lack of knowledge and experience of the industry with improved and easy-to-use technology. In many cases, intelligent automation is the vital element for the future.
PMMI recently conducted a survey to investigate the impact of automation on packaged consumer goods companies (C.P.G.). He discovered that as automation increases in importance and usability in the manufacturing sector, collaborative robots (cobots), artificial intelligence and big data provide three different drivers of investment and performance.
Automated companies have a clear competitive advantage over competitors that adopt a "wait and see" approach, the survey revealed. PMMI reported that 44% of C.P.G. producers at least plan to increase investment in big data analysis capabilities in the next 18 to 24 months to improve operational efficiency. Innovations in Industry 4.0 technologies, data management, interconnectivity, robotics and hard automation are filling the gaps left by the competitive workforce environment.
Turnkey Acquisition
Finding, training and retaining workers is a widespread challenge. Jim Campbell, North North regional sales manager, BluePrint Automation (BPA), said the reallocation of labor is driving innovation in packaging.
"The current economic environment is one of the most competitive in a generation," he said. "The acquisition and retention of labor remains a struggle, wreaking havoc on producers' ability to get the product out the door."
One way to increase the performance of an operation is to invest in turnkey and easy-to-use equipment that any worker can understand.
"In the snack industry there have been some common challenges for manufacturers to justify automation, such as consolidation of boxes, the speed of existing assets, space and the use of labor," said Jeff Almond, manager of the industry, packaging of snacks, heat and control.
Ishida and Heat and Control address these challenges by providing a complete system consisting of the Ishida scale, the bag manufacturer, the seal verifier and the air fill regulator, and the automatic case packer. The integrated operation feeds information back and forth and adapts to inherited plants.
"We needed to create an environment in which the operator of a machine could easily handle multiple automated lines and be extremely efficient," Almond said. "Machinery that functions as a single unit is required instead of as several different unit operations, provides little or no waste, is simple to operate and has a very low life cycle cost."
Another element of the control and heat system presented this year includes the Inspira line of bag manufacturers. Stainless steel machines are easy to operate and maintain with an icon-based HMI.
Automated systems for baked goods do not always require robotics, but acceptance of this technology is more widespread. Bakery companies now wonder how to strategically employ robots, instead of asking why.
"We see that people are more selective with where we apply the robot," said Bill Kehrli, vice president of sales and marketing at Cavanna Packaging. "There is a time and a place for everything; a robot does not always answer all your problems."
Cavanna robotics includes a new G41 model to load cardboard boxes. The robot can collect 40 packages per minute and gently handle most products. However, rigid automation, such as belts and other proven equipment, can be faster and more efficient. The new innovations in the handling of products in the Cavanna Slim flow wrapper create ways to gently manipulate products such as biscuits on the edge through the feeding of the wrapper.
Meanwhile, the recent approach of packaging machinery design Technology has focused on the arm end tools for robotics and the fusion of robots with their other technologies to increase efficiency. The company created custom machines to feed cakes, muffins and other delicate products with greater smoothness in horizontal form / fill / seal machines.
The ability of the packaging team to transfer information to the rest of the line improves worker productivity and increases efficiency through collaboration.
Versatility on demand
In addition to creating a constant flow of information, as well as packaged products, the team must be able to switch between products quickly and easily. Recent advances in HMI control mean that companies can do this with the press of a button.