Machinery is growing quite useful to companies who need to handle large orders for their operations. With manual labor, growing business demands would typically call for a larger labor force, however, this can grow quite costly, especially if these commercial entities would like to see their bottom lines increase.
While taking on more hands can help companies handle increasing workloads, it also can cost a lot of money to pay wages for each individual employee. Also, such packaging methods do not necessarily make the best use of the labor that is already at the company.
Advantages of automation
Two of the biggest benefits that a packaging machine can provide for a business are speed and efficiency. Food and Beverage Packaging Magazine examines the role that robotics have been able to play in improving performance and packaging.
The news source explains that while these kinds of machines require an initial investment, these costs can be made up in improved processes. Rick Tallian is the consumer industry manager at ABB Robotics, a company involved in the industry.
"Our robots are performing more picks per minute, handling multiple products per pick cycle or handling larger products," he told the news source.
Rather than having the manual worker handle these various processes individually, these machines can act upon multiple tasks with relative ease.
A good fit for food packaging
These advantages translate well into the food and beverage industry. Products within this field can come in large amounts of units based on the various orders that suppliers are looking for, meaning that those responsible for packaging, be them people or machines, need to be able to handle many shipments.
Developments when it comes to automated processes have been able to increase the amount of product machines can handle. For example, one solution that the news source examines is able to manage up to 100 picking cycles per minute and handle higher payloads.
Other machines featured have been able to make improvements in stacking and loading processes, improving standard robot productivity by up to 50 percent.
Other growing industries
ThomasNet News explains that the recovering economy is also leading to an increase in automated packaging solutions in other industries like chemicals, pharmaceuticals and personal care products.
Packaging equipment in these industries is expected to grow the fastest as a result of increased disposable incomes. While food will likely remain a large industry, with more people freeing up funds for discretionary spending, the news source explains, the demand for these products is likely to grow.
There are a number of different machines that can take advantage of these trends. From processes that address the physical packaging of products to those responsible for applying labels, these solutions can optimize a number of different processes. In doing so, companies can handle orders that grow in size, while at the same time not needing to greatly expand their payrolls.
