Line Layouts To Assist With Packaging Line Start-Up and Set-Up

Packaging lines are often thought of as just that, a line including several different machines, from power conveyors to liquid fillers, capping machines and more. However, the design of a packaging line can pretty much take on any shape or form necessary to efficiently get the job done for each packager. The amount of space, the location of loading docks or storage and many other issues can factor in to help identify the best design, and the use of a line layout can help in the identification process.

Packaging line layouts created by Liquid Packaging Solutions will help the packager to visualize the best design or solution for their specific packaging project. Several revisions may be necessary to arrive at the ideal line layout, but this tool is a starting point for moving the packaging system from concept to production floor reality.

Line layouts will show a packager the dimensions of the equipment, including the necessary length of the power conveyors that will move the bottles or other containers from machine to machine. Knowing the space that will be necessary for the equipment, LPS can work with the packager to decide if a straight line system will be best or if some other design may work better. For instance, a horseshoe design may allow bottles to be both loaded and unloaded from the packaging line on one side of a facility, which may be more efficient if only one person will be used for these tasks (assuming the loading and unloading are not automated as well). In other cases, the construction of the building may require a turn or a curve in the power conveyor to get past a column or other piece of the building itself. Each project may have its own unique aspects which require a design away from a straght line packaging system.

In addition, the line layout will allow a packager to identify the ideal locations for utility drops, such as air and electrical lines. The design may be created around existing drops if possible, or the drops may be added with confidence if new ones are necessary. Using the line layout for such tasks not only makes planning easier for the packager, but also promotes safety by ensuring cords and lines will not be scattered around the production floor due to inefficient utility drops.

Finally, for those packagers starting up, working through a line layout can help the packager decide the best way to plan the production process once the equipment arrives. By analyzing the different possible layouts with the space, as mentioned above, a packager can decide how much automation is necessary, which tasks might be handled by manual labor and how much labor they will use at start-up. Brand new companies may actually plan storage and maintenance space around the design of the packaging system, creating these other areas so that they are conveniently located for set-up and service. The line layout helps the system take on a real feel before the equipment actually arrives on the production floor.

To learn more about line layouts, or to discuss the options with a Packaging Specialist, contact Liquid Packaging Solutions to discuss your project today.