4 Types of Packaging Line Automation for Your Warehouse

Do you see your employees folding cartons, taping the bottom, loading the product, taping the top and placing the carton on a pallet? If so, it’s likely the current process is slow.

Folding cartons is a repetitive motion injury nightmare, as well as corrugate cuts. Tape guns are lost or out of tape, causing another ergonomic disaster. The consistency of taping is lacking, leading to cartons opening during shipment causing lost or damaged products.

Manual palletizing is also inconsistent and requires bending, stooping, reaching, twisting causing more injuries. Manual packing can also present many quality issues that increase your operating costs and slow the overall productivity.

Fortunately, there are semi-automated solutions that solve the issues mentioned above. The costs can be relatively low and the increase in productivity, reduction in injuries and elimination of damaged or lost shipments will quickly provide a positive return on investment.

Are you ready to improve order accuracy and efficiency? Below are 4 types of packaging line automation that can accelerate your productivity:
 

1. Case Erectors – a fully automated packaging system that automatically forms, folds and seals corrugated cartons from flattened boxes – eliminating the need for operators to hold up operations by manually building each box. This system also decreases workplace injuries and reduces the chances of product damage.

2. Semi-Auto Case Erecting – used as a packaging table before going to a case sealer. After opening the flat case, the operator slides the case into the bottom flat folder, where the side flaps are automatically folded and the case is held firm during filling. Once the case is full, the operator pushes it to the sealer and transports it to the next step.

3. Case Sealing – provides top and bottom closure, and automatic height and width adjustments in packing lines where case sizes could vary. This is useful in the dispatch department of warehouses, allowing for two operators to works together on either side of the packing table. The case sealer can operate as a fully automatic top and bottom sealer as long as the tops top flaps of the case are closed by a label or small piece of tape.
 
4. Palletizing – the last step to completing your packing line system, complete with a plug and play solution – equipped with a universal vacuum gripper head and universal pallet positioning.

Schedule a call today with with one of our warehouse consultants.