We see many customers switching between wrapping materials without realizing the impact on the machine-ability of the new film. Sometimes the film manufacturer switches production facilities or ingredients and the customer is unaware. Sometimes heat and humidity play with the film or paper’s behavior. Often these are issues that the customer is initially unaware of. They simply know they have a wrapping problem.

Three recent issues we have seen:

• Our customer uses both paper and film on their FA-ST wrapper. Recently they switched from film to a foil-flocked paper successfully. Then they switched back to film and ran into problems.  They were unable to figure out why their knife was cutting raggedly. In this case, the knife needed adjusting after the second switch, although it had not needed it after the first one.
• Another customer called to say that their machine had stopped working effectively and consistantly.  Their film supplier had discontinued the film they had been using and was offering a substitute that the supplier indicated was identical in performance. It was not identical in machine-ability however and the machine’s film feed needed adjusting.
• A third customer has a supplier who routinely buys film from a variety of manufacturers based on price. While the gauge and coatings are the same, the film is not always the same though in behavior. The savings in film by using this vendor is often eaten up by the constant adjustment whenever a roll of film is changed.

When the film changes, the knife and film feed may need adjusting. The heat temps for sealing may vary. The crispness of the folds have a direct relationship to the film. At Package Machinery we test lots of different films based on customers’ current and anticipated needs. We work with all major film suppliers and know many of their films. We work with our customers to help them separate film issues from machine issues, so that they can get back to successful wrapping.

The cool parts was this was a global conversation.

Comments ranged from specific suggestions from providers of products to recommendations of materials that could be used. Then it took an interesting turn.

Here are selcted comments.

From Cedric Sportes. “PLA and Bagasse or other so called ”biodegrable ” need a proper reactor and closd system to accelerate and digest them If they are send to landfill like people do, it is worst for the environnement and not disposable as mentioned on it. The eco plastic and materials produce Methane when under the soil. Most cities do not have facilities to take care of such items. The card and paper is the best solution till everyone will be equiped for that.”

From Josept Mecca. “I agree that most North Americans don’t have access to industrial composting but that’s not the only end-of-life route for the materials that have been mentioned in this discussion.”

From Leslie  Harty. “Cedric is right. PLA is a huge user of water. Plus there is the issue of the diverting of corn from feedstock and food. Let’s not forget most PLA corn are made from GMO seeds that have herbicides and pesticides in them. So rats fed this product developed heart, kidney, and liver damage after 5 months of eating GMO corn. PLA is creating more global warming than gasoline according to the Environmental Defense Org.”

Here are our conclusions.
While it is true that PLA uses more energy to be created than petro-plastics do, that could be a temporary phenomena due to scale. Nothing changes that corn is a food stock. Some of these same issues apply if you use switchgrass or cellulose (trees). Industrial composting/ recycling is another issue that needs to be addressed in some countries, such as the United States.

Measurement of water consumption and energy use in processing materials need to be  standardized, so that information is available to make informed decision by manufacturers  and consumers alike. How to handle post consumer waste is another issue that still needs addressing.

• hot dog bundles
• powdered metal
• tissues
• asparagus
• stacks of hexagonal waxed paper
• telephone cards
• scotch tape bundles
• fruit cake
• brownies
• frozen pies
• stamps
• sliced bread
• reams of paper
• tomatoes
• muffins
• bundles of macaroni and cheese boxes
• stacks of semi-soft pads
• identification with custom bands of individual items
• soap bundles
• ceramic tiles

Not all of these have we done. Sometimes because it is too expensive; sometimes because we point out there are better alternatives. Some of these we are actually working on.

All of these cause to think how to adapt our machines to solve the clients’ needs. Customers inspire us.

If this sparks your imagination, give us a call.

Our customer bought a new FA-ST overwrapper to replace his 1940’s vintage FA overwrapper last year. They bought with the initial intent of using it only to wrap their shrink-wrapped, two-piece  boxes of candy in seasonal gift paper. After some issues around programming the glue guns,  using the appropriate glue and glue viscosity, they were able to get great wraps in seasonal gift paper with their FA-ST.

We pointed out to them that they could achieve some significant savings by switching from shrink wrap to overwrap and get a nicer looking package as well. They  agreed in theory and their calculations on film savings supported that  point. Since they planned ahead, they bought an FA-ST wrapper that could wrap with either paper or film.

They spent the first nine months using their new FA-ST to wrap only with paper, while they test marketed their overwrapped boxes. Recently they decided to start using film on their FA-ST.  One thing they shared with us is that overwrapping a previously overwrapped product is much prettier and easier than overwrapping a previously shrink wrapper product. Evidently the ridges in the seams of the shrink wrap  make a very uneven surface to overwrap.

You can see why it would be difficult to overwrap a shrink wrapped box

From seeing some shrink wrapped products and comparing them to overwrapped, we can see the challenge, although the picture on the right is not their product. Ridges in shrink wrap are very firm and offer no accommodation to another wrap.

Our customer is happier because they product now looks even better than they expected with less material used. We understand why they are happier using two layers of overwrap rather than a layer of overwrap over shrink wrap.

We are glad to be a part of their solution.

We will be showcasing how you can save film and energy by using overwrap rather than shrink wrap or flow wrap. We have demonstrated up to 50% reduction in film use through overwrap.

Package Machinery booth at Pack Expo

This year we are favoring our newest machines. They also happen to be lower cost wrapping machines to suit this economy.

For starts we are showing our new TTDF, a semi-automatic table top diefold wrapper for individual candies or small items. This low cost machine will wrap with paper, paper-backedfoil and film. It cycles at 15 per minute, but to date operators are not loading it that quickly. This machine is an economical and productive alternative to hand wrapping for small volume operations.

In an effort to make overwrapping more affordable, we are introducing the Wrapster JR. Just like its sibling the Wrapster and the FA-ST, it provides an economical tuck and fold wrap in paper or film. To make it cost effective, it uses cut sheets to provide the same sustainable, high quality wrap. Consider it a more attractive and less expensive alternative to shrink wrap.

We are also happy to discuss larger machines now in process. Our cost effective 3 axis servo FA-XP uses in-line film to handle larger products or bundles than the FA-ST at a more economical price.

Come see us at Booth S-1251 in the South hall of McCormick Place or email us at sales@packagemachinery.com to discuss more immediate needs.

We are big fans of the Food Bank. It has over 400 emergency food agencies that depend on it for food and basic necessities for local families in the four counties of western Massachusetts. It also serves non-emergency providers with low cost food for programs for indigent seniors, children and shelters. While a lot of the products we test are food or candy, there are many timess when we are testing office supplies which the Food Bank can use to support its own mission or that of its emergency provider clients.

When food is not safe for human consumption, we send to local pig farmers. We think it gets back into the food chain in a different way. We don’t like to scrap anything that has a use.

Sometimes customers want their product back so that they can know it is not in circulation. This is a good way to protect product from getting on the black market.  If so, then it goes back with their new wrapping machine. We like the first one best, but we recognize the value in all three options.

Now you know what your options are when we use your product to test your new machine prior to shipping it to you.

FA-ST wrapper film feed

He says, “I have been in a few textile and oilseeds plants where the fan guard on the motor is covered with product. This increases the temperature of the motor and windings and reduces the life of the winding component by 50 percent or more.”

He asks the following. ”Why don’t we ask more questions when we have equipment failures? Here are a few of the reasons:

• Culture: We have created cultures in many plants that if the equipment components fail, make sure we have spares and get them changed as quickly as possible.
• Reactive: We do most of our repairs in a reactive state, so we must have parts and we must do the repairs quickly and without much precision in the work process.
• Training: There is a lack of training to teach people how components fail and, more importantly, how to keep them from failing. Programs such as root cause analysis (RCA) and Reliability-Centered Maintenance (RCM) can be educational processes for critical plant equipment and lead to longer life cycles of the components.”

The issue is not just training, of which there is not enough, nor often enough. Many maintenance issues can be avoided with proper discussion of product impact prior to machine design and build. Everyone knows that salt is corrosive, but how many think about the corrosive impact of flying sugar? or of flour or crumbs building up and impeding air flow? At Package, we have  had to replace bearings and gears for customers because we were not told prior to delivery about how much sugar flew around the plant where our machine was installed.

• What have you learned after you took delivery of a machine that you would change if you could?
• What could have been done differently?
• What is your recommendation for training?
• Would preventive maintenance training help?

Please share your thoughts.

One critical point Green Your Supply Chain makes is that more durable and reliable equipment usually costs more.  We do NOT agree, although upfront cost may be higher. If you look at the total cost of ownership, we think you will be agreeably surprised by how inexpensive our FA-ST overwrappers are.

Total cost of ownership includes upfront cost plus energy, maintenance, downtime and wrapping material over the expected life of the machine.

For energy, our machines run on 30 amp service. If you buy a shrink wrapper, you need 60 amp service for the heat tunnel alone.

What makes for durable and reliable? Package Machinery supports overwrappers that are 90 years old. (Yes, they are still running in real production outside a museum!) We think that means durable. Clearly they must be reliable, since they are still in use. That’s the model for how we build them and rebuild them.

Reliable also means that your machine has good uptime and minimal downtime. Downtime is created by wear, maintenance and changeover. So minimizing the time spent on these activities is important. Our servo machines have 65% fewer moving parts than mechanical machines. That is 65% fewer things to break or need repair. We have customers who do 10 minute changeovers, so changeover can be minimal too.

What about scrap? Our overwrappers use the least amount of material to wrap of any type of wrapping machine . There is no film waste, as there is with a shrink wrapper. Our material conforms to the package, so there is not loose film as in a flowwrapper. We have demonstrated up to 50% less film use for overwrapping rather than flow wrapping.

What about flexibility? Do you want to be able to run a different gauge or film tomorrow? or next year? Our FA-ST machine can handle thinner gauges than other overwrappers. In fact it does handle gauges ranging from 80 to 220 and beyond. We try cellulose films, PLA films and all sorts of polypropylene films. We constantly test films to see how they perform on our machines and work with most film suppliers.

Lastly, we can rebuild old machines and give them another lease on life. We have rebuilt machines adding new, modern guards, new electrics and controls to 60+ year old machines. They should be good for another 60+ years.

We think our  wrapping machines are both green and sustainable by most definitions.

FA-ST overwrapper from Package Machinery

• Package pioneered the use of servo technology for wrapping machinery
  • Servos offer more accuracy and repeatability in making film meet and fit package
  • Servo technology reduces 65% of moving parts and reduces aftermarket parts needs commensurately
  • Servo technology offers ability to collate and bundle wrap within the machine
  • Ability to do quick (less than 10 minutes possible) changeover between different product sizes
  • Second generation software permits recipe storage for up to 25 different package sizes, change film cut off on the fly
• Speeds up to 200 packages per minute
• Leader in overwrapping since 1937
• Great service and support including unlimited telephone support, with hands on training in our facility and yours included in the basic price
• Can easily wrap boxes, trays or bundles
• Offers ability to run widest range of film gauges of any overwrapper
• Sustainability: Tuck and fold wrapping uses less film than shrink wrap or flow wrap plus ability to use registered film
• Tuck and fold wrapping looks better than shrink or flow wrap for a more expensive feel with less film usage

Talk to us about our great overwrappers at +1.413.732.4000 or sales@packagemachinery.com

We love to talk about how well our machines perform for our customers and how they can be customized to help you.

candy wrap on Package Machinery's TTDF

Other benefits include

• The wrap is consistently good.
• Worker fatigue is reduced and
• Lower skilled workers can do the wrapping.

We are thrilled that our customer can devote more time and attention to other parts of his company, now that wrapping his product is under control.