February 13, 2024
Congratulations on becoming the happy owner of a shiny new pouch-filling machine! Prepare for exciting perks such as boosted efficiency, fresher products, lower labor costs, and reduced product waste.
We know you're eager to dive into production, but hold on. Here are tips to ensure you make the absolute most of your packaging machine investment.
Embrace the mantra — train, train, train! Operating modern packaging equipment effectively demands technical skill and proper training despite its user-friendly design.
The best training resource is contacting the experts — your packaging machine manufacturer. They can guide you through everything, from setting up the machine to troubleshooting common issues and executing swift changeovers.
Whether your contract includes training or not, view it as a valuable operational investment.
Well-trained premade pouch-filling machine operators and maintenance crews are safer, more confident, more efficient, and capable of independently addressing machine issues. It boosts employee morale and ensures a well-performing automated packaging system.
Highlighting the importance of training and skills management is crucial. Remember to consider the impact of well-trained employees on the potential of your packaging line.
Investing in proper people training ensures that your team maximizes the equipment's capabilities, preventing any limitations arising from insufficient skills.
Your decision for a day can have a lasting impact. When considering the purchase of a new production line, invest time in comprehending various technologies. Leading manufacturers employ approximately five critical filing systems, just the starting point.
Delve into specifics such as the automatic pouch filling and sealing machine’s Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE), filling accuracy, product range, limitations, and quality monitoring. In the long run, these details will determine the significant costs or savings throughout the machine's lifetime.
Make an informed decision, as the consequences will resonate for years.
Prepare to do some math and set benchmarks. Evaluating your new packaging system for production efficiency and return on investment is very important.
If you haven't started yet, figure out how much your packaging machine earns compared to its costs. A helpful way to understand this is by finding the payback period. This step shows how long it will take to return the money you spent on the pouch filler machine.
Here's how it works:
After installing and putting your automated bagging machine into production, you can assess the savings on labor, increased throughput, and improved production efficiency. For payback period calculations, these dollar factors are considered the ‘net benefit of your purchase.’
Divide the machine's total cost by the net benefit and arrive at your payback period. You may be surprised at how short it is.
Following the operational period of your machine, delve into the system's Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE). Although more intricate, this calculation provides a percentage between 0 and hundred, where higher values indicate better performance.
A world-class OEE is typically around 85%, but continuous improvement should be the goal. Establish your baseline pouch-filling packing machine OEE and strategize ways to enhance that number over time. Aim for progress and keep pushing towards even higher levels of efficiency.
The last thing you want is downtime waiting for parts when your packaging machine is out of commission. Our suggestion — always keep high-wear parts in stock.
Additionally, consider stocking parts that may require custom fabrication, as these often involve longer lead times and may need to be special-ordered from the OEM or crafted from scratch.
Regular inspections of your packaging equipment are also a wise move. These pouch-filling machines’ inspections help predict when parts are nearing the end of their lifespan, allowing you to plan and maintain a well-stocked inventory.
Most factory owners advocate for a regular inspection and parts replacement schedule, while only a few prefer waiting until something breaks. Stay proactive to keep your packaging machine running smoothly.
While a top-notch automated bagging machine may require minimal upkeep, that doesn't grant you a free pass to neglect it entirely.
Take the initiative to establish a preventive maintenance plan for the machine, incorporating annual or semi-annual visits from the manufacturer for expert inspections and equipment audits.
Regardless of your workforce's expertise, an external expert's periodic assessment can reveal potential food pouch-filling machine issues you might need to look into. Like a car, bringing in a highly-trained eye for a packaging machine 'tune-up' can prove invaluable.
You can also handle numerous maintenance tasks independently, such as maintaining a clean machine and performing routine maintenance checks. Consistently performing these tasks can significantly impact your packaging machine's longevity and optimal performance.
Your relationship with the equipment manufacturer starts once you set up your packaging machine. You'll work together for the machine's life for many years. It's a good idea to keep in touch regularly.
Staying close to Plan It Packaging helps you stay informed about updates, pouch-filling machine news, and new technologies that could affect your business. Call us today for more information.
