Which packaging machine is best suited to a production line?
There is no single answer, because the choice does not start with the machine, but with what that machine needs to do.
Several factors come into play in secondary packaging: the product and its primary packaging, the type of pack to be produced, the formats to be handled, the required speed and the available space, as well as how the new machine will need to integrate with the upstream and downstream stages of the process.
For this reason, before comparing different models and configurations, it is useful to change perspective: rather than simply asking which machine to choose, the key question is what requirements it needs to meet in order to operate effectively within the production process.
This is precisely where we start at Vimco che developing our secondary packaging solutions.
What function does the machine need to perform within the packaging line?
The first step is to establish exactly where the machine needs to operate within the process.
Secondary packaging can involve very different operations. A box or tray may need to be erected from a flat blank, one or more products loaded into it, the pack closed, or a wrap-around configuration created. When the process includes several stages, these can also be integrated into a complete line.
This variety is precisely why starting with a generic search for packaging machines is of little use unless the required outcome has first been clearly defined.
A box erector, for example, needs to be designed around the characteristics of the blanks and the formats to be handled. With product loading, on the other hand, the key factors are the already packaged product, its dimensions and weight, the characteristics of the primary packaging and how the product needs to be arranged inside the secondary pack.
In other words, when it comes to secondary packaging, function comes before technology: understanding what needs to happen within the line helps identify the most appropriate solution from the outset.
Product, format and speed: the parameters that determine machine sizing
Once the stage to be automated has been defined, the next step is to consider the production conditions in detail.
What needs to be packaged, in which format, at what speed, and how the product needs to be handled or loaded are all closely interconnected. The characteristics of the product influence how it is handled; the pack format affects machine sizing; and the required speed may call for a different configuration.
The number of product variants is also an important factor. If the same line needs to handle multiple formats, changeovers cannot be treated as a detail to be addressed at a later stage: they need to be considered from the very beginning of the design process.
For our box erectors, for example, we collect the full range of formats to be produced before defining the machine dimensions and can incorporate manual or automatic format changeovers according to the requirements of the process.
The same applies to product loading. There is no single configuration suitable for every product: the solution is defined according to actual operating conditions and the way in which the product needs to enter the secondary pack.
The aim is to find the right balance, avoiding both a solution that is undersized for the required performance and a configuration that is more complex than necessary.
Standard machine or customised solution? It depends on the constraints of the line
Standard or custom? This is one of the most common questions when evaluating a new machine. But here too, the answer depends on the process.
When formats, speeds, layouts and handling methods fall within established operating conditions, the project can start from proven machine architectures. This does not, however, mean choosing an “off-the-shelf” solution without further assessment: even a standard configuration needs to be compatible with the product, the available space and the rest of the line.
In other cases, a higher level of customisation is required. This may be necessary when space is limited, multiple formats need to be handled, the product has specific characteristics, or the new machine needs to be integrated with existing equipment.
At Vimco, we work to achieve precisely this balance: we start from proven solutions when they are suitable for the application and develop dedicated configurations when the process requires them.
Customisation, therefore, does not mean adding complexity. It means designing only what is genuinely needed to ensure that the machine, product and line work effectively together.
From technical analysis to integration: how Vimco develops a secondary packaging solution
If the product, format, speed and layout determine the machine configuration, designing a secondary packaging solution inevitably means considering what happens around the machine as well.
This is where our work begins.
We analyse the application and packaging specifications, define the most suitable solution together with the customer and develop the project in-house. We then oversee manufacturing, assembly and testing through to commissioning at the customer’s site, verifying that the machine operates under the agreed operating conditions.
Our solutions can cover different stages of the process. We design systems for box erectors and closers, product loading solutions for automatic product loading, and complete packaging lines that integrate multiple operations within a single project.
If you are considering a new secondary packaging solution, tell us about your product, formats and line requirements.
We will start from there to develop the most suitable configuration together.