Two packaging industry trends are causing headaches for automated case packing original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and their customers. The first trend involves package light weighting, which makes it difficult to handle more fragile packaging at high speeds. The other trend involves the proliferation of stock keeping units (SKUs) on the same line, lowering throughput due to the changeover time between formats. Solving the light weighting and SKU proliferation issues results in more technically complex machines to build, operate and maintain. OEMs must advance their design strategies to keep the cost of automation affordable so customers continue to receive optimum return on investment (ROI).
Only a few years ago, an OEM could take known package specifications and design and build a case packing machine. With some after-build testing and adjustments, the machine would be ready for shipment to the customer. Light weighting primary, secondary and tertiary packaging has all but ended the build-by-the-numbers practice. Less plastic and fiber in packaging and increasing amounts of recycled content fundamentally change the structural integrity of packages. This affects handling characteristics during case packing.