New Technology Challenges the Traditional Packaging Line Concept

The traditional packaging line concept focuses on creating a purpose-built line that runs high volumes for extended periods of time (multiple shifts or days between changeovers).

14/03/07 Food packagers are having a hard time responding to these changing products and sizes using dedicated packaging lines. Flexibility and cost control are essential, and many of them are finding that traditional equipment just isn’t cut out for this new environment.

The traditional packaging line concept focuses on creating a purpose-built line that runs high volumes for extended periods of time (multiple shifts or days between changeovers).

For example, the traditional bag-in-box (BIB) setup for dry products features two intermittent-motion VFFS machines running at 40-60/min. The machines deliver bags to a continuous-motion horizontal cartoner. A high-output line might feature three or four VFFS machines. A frozen-product setup typically consists of a tri-seal cartoning line with manual bag loading.

New Technology

This growing need for flexibility and labor-cost control is challenging tried-and-true configurations. The new packaging cell concept is to create a system built around the ability to change a smaller line more quickly (a single shift or multiple changes within a shift). This approach was not profitable with traditional lines due to excessive changeover/setup times.

Packaging cells offer the flexibility to run a range of sizes or styles of packaging while making one product out of the processing equipment. Features include:

• A versatile computer scale capable of running weights for package sizes ranging from small retail to large wholesale.
• A continuous-motion VFFS machine capable of pillow bags, gusseted bags, and 4-corner seal bags, (with or without zipper-reclosure features).
• A horizontal cartoner able to run single-pack and multipack cartons without parts changes.
• An automatic case packer able to handle bag-only and cartoned products.

Today’s continuous-motion VFFS machines have doubled previous-generation equipment output to 80-120/min per tube. Plus, new cartoning solutions can match continuous-motion VFFS machine output in very small footprints. Combining these developments with a new paradigm can maximize returns.

Benefits

The equipment and components of the flexible packaging cell are similar in function to those of traditional BIB lines. The difference is in the packaging cell’s ability to change quickly between package styles, sizes, or fill weights. Packagers can meet their customers’ ever-changing demands and react quickly to their own marketing departments’ ideas on new package style,  size, weight, or features.

By having the equipment in place that can run a wide range of packaging styles, the flexible packaging cell provides several benefits over traditional bag-in-box packaging:

• Flexibility—the ability to run virtually any package with minimal setup time.
• Adaptability—the ability to quickly change to meet market and/or customer demands.
• Productivity—rapid, no-tool changeovers equal more time making product.
• Redundancy—Reduced risk of entire line shutdown as production is spread over multiple lines.