Choosing the Best Packaging Equipment for the Job

Each packaging project has unique factors that will set that project apart from others. Some may require a hot product fill, others may use large or uniquely shaped bottles. Some may need to fill to a level while others need to reach an accurate volume. One packaging line may need to prepare ten thousand bottles a day, while another may only have a goal of one thousand. These and many, many other factors will play a part in choosing the packaging machinery that will work best for your own personal project.

First and foremost, determining what speeds will be necessary to reach the desired production levels can quickly narrow down the potential equipment to be used on a packaging line. For example, a packager that needs to prepare 120,000 bottles a week will likely not opt for simple tabletop machinery as the output is simply a little too high for such equipment. Trying to meet high production demands with simple semi-automatic equipment will likely defeat the purpose of acquiring packaging equipment in the first place. While such equipment may add consistency and reliability to the process, keeping a line running for two or even three shifts all week is neither efficient nor cost effective. The same is true of facilities with low production demands, where efficiency may be greatly improved with an automatic packaging system, but it simply may not be cost effective. Of course, there may be exceptions to this rule where quick growth, expansion or upcoming contacts may warrant a little more equipment that seems necessary at first glance.

Similarly, the production space must be able to handle the equipment that is chosen for any given project, making this a crucial factor in finding the right equipment as well. Semi-automatic bottle fillers, rinsing machinery and capping machines will not take up as much space as their fully automatic counterparts, nor will they necessarily require a conveyor for operation. Power conveyors are an integral part of automatic fillers, rinsers and cappers and therefore these machines will take up additional space on a production floor. Quite simply, the machinery chosen must fit in the production space available, and while this may seem like a very limiting factor, there are many different variations of packaging equipment and systems available, even for facilities with limited floor space.

In addition, each project will have challenges and factors that relate to specific equipment. For example, the type of bottle capper used on a project will depend on the type of closure used by the packager. The filling machine chosen will depend in part on the viscosity of the product being filled. The best type of labeling machine will take into account the way the sticker is applied and the bottles being run. The list of factors considered can seem nearly endless, but covering as many factors as possible to reach the ideal packaging solution means peak efficiency, less downtime, better and more reliable production runs and, most importantly, satisfied LPS customers. Contact our offices today for assistance in finding the best packaging equipment for YOUR job.