From Four Operators to One: Automating Your Packaging Process

A manual packaging process often requires a considerable number of employees. One operator prepares the empty containers, a second fills them, a third handles the sealing process and a fourth applies the lids. This may work perfectly well at low production volumes. As production increases, however, labour costs, physical strain and differences in working methods become increasingly important considerations.

By automating and connecting individual process steps, it may be possible for a single operator to manage an entire packaging line. But how do you make that transition?

Start with the Current Process

Automation begins by identifying all manual operations. These may include:

• preparing buckets, cups or containers;
• filling and weighing;
• moving the containers;
• positioning them in the sealing machine;
• applying and pressing down the lids;
• inspecting and discharging the finished product.

Repetitive tasks such as lifting, positioning and transferring containers are particularly suitable for automation. The greatest efficiency gains are generally not achieved by installing one fast machine, but by enabling the different machines to operate together as one continuous process.

Automatic Destacking

At the beginning of the line, empty buckets or cups must be fed individually into the process. When this is done manually, an employee is often required continuously.

An automatic destacker places the containers from a magazine onto the conveyor one at a time. The operator only needs to refill the magazine periodically and monitor the supply.

This changes the employee’s role from continuously performing one repetitive task to supervising the entire process.

Integrating Filling and Weighing

After destacking, the container can be transported automatically to the filling station. The product is dosed into the container, after which the weight can be checked automatically if required.

By linking destacking, conveying, filling and weighing, the operator no longer needs to position every container individually beneath the filling nozzle or move it to the next workstation.

Unilid Solutions can combine various functions within a single production line. The exact configuration is adapted to the product, packaging format and required production capacity.

Automatic Sealing

With a manual or semi-automatic sealing machine, an employee places each container in the machine individually. In an automatic production line, the container is supplied by conveyor, positioned, sealed and discharged automatically.

This not only reduces the amount of manual work required. Because every container is presented to the machine in the same way, the sealing process also becomes more consistent and easier to control.

Automation can be introduced gradually. An existing stand-alone sealing machine, for example, can later be incorporated into a line with a destacker, filling station and automatic lid-feeding system.

Automatic Lid Application

A plastic lid is often applied after sealing. Applying lids manually is a repetitive and physically demanding task.

An automatic lid-feeding system supplies the lids individually. A lidding machine then places and presses the lid onto the container or rolls it firmly into position. This eliminates the need for an employee to continuously pick up, position and inspect the lids.

Unilid Solutions builds production lines in which sealing, lid application and final lid rolling are performed as one continuous process.

How Do You Go from Four Operators to One?

A manual process may require four operators to prepare, fill, seal and close the containers. After automation, these operations are carried out by interconnected machines and conveyors.

The remaining operator can then focus primarily on:

• replenishing containers, lids and sealing film;
• starting and monitoring the production line;
• performing quality checks;
• changing over to different packaging formats;
• resolving minor disruptions.

Whether one operator is actually sufficient varies from one situation to another. This depends on factors such as line capacity, the number of packaging formats, product supply and internal quality procedures. Reducing the number of operators from four to one is therefore not a standard guarantee, but it is a realistic automation objective for many repetitive packaging processes.

Automation Can Be Introduced Gradually

There is no need to invest immediately in a fully automatic line. The level of automation can grow alongside your production requirements.

You might begin with a semi-automatic sealing machine. At a later stage, a destacker, automatic lid-feeding system or conveyor can be added. Filling, weighing and central line control can subsequently be integrated as well.

This phased approach limits the initial investment and makes it possible to begin by automating the processes that deliver the greatest savings in time and labour.

A Customised Packaging Line

An efficient automated process can only be achieved when all components are properly coordinated. The product, the packaging, the available space, the required number of containers per minute and potential future expansions all play an important role.

Unilid Solutions develops both individual machines and complete production lines for destacking, filling, weighing, sealing, lid application and final lid rolling of buckets, cups and containers.