T he process of picking, packing, and shipping an order consists of a series of steps that occur in a defined sequence. Whether that process
is completed correctly and on time depends on how
well each step is carried out. When automation
is involved, an additional factor comes into play:
Success also depends on how well the various pieces
of equipment used in the process are integrated with
each other. In the case of an automated packaging
line, that means getting each of the machines—
carton erectors, shrink wrappers, void fillers, labelers,
document inserters, carton sealers, conveyors, and
the like—to do its job at the right time and at the
right speed.
What if a packaging line doesn’t achieve that perfect synchronization? At the very least, backlogs and
equipment jams could develop; at worst, the line
might stop altogether. It doesn’t take much for that to
happen; just one mistake or oversight can undermine
productivity and reliability.
To find out what could go wrong and how to prevent it, we talked to a systems integrator, a packaging
engineer, a third-party logistics (3PL) company executive, and a manufacturer of packaging equipment
and systems. Here are their tips for avoiding 10 common packaging line pitfalls.
1 Keep your supplier in the loop. The surest way to bring a packaging line to a halt is to run out of
corrugated cardboard, labels, thermal forms, foam
cushioning, plastic wrap, or other consumable materials purchased from suppliers. That’s generally not a
concern when it’s business as usual. But if, say, you
launch a new product or experience a significant
bump in sales, your suppliers might not be able to
handle the additional demand, cautions Tyler O’Neill,
global packaging engineer for the supply chain services company ModusLink Global Solutions. Regular
communication and sharing forecasts will help both
parties avoid surprises. “If you think something will
Just one mistake on an automated
packaging line can slow the whole
operation down or even bring it to
a halt. Here’s how to keep that from
happening.
BY TOBY GOOLEY
packaging line
pitfalls …
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10
and how to avoid them
