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Article | January 21, 2013

Checklist for buying case packing equipment

Six questions to answer before contacting a case-packing machinery manufacturer.

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When you approach case packer manufacturers, it’s best to have a document prepared that answers all of the following questions:

1. Product and package. What is your product? What is the package type (e.g., carton, tub, bottle, can, blister pack, etc.). Does this product have different sizes that you want handled on a single machine?

2. What are the dimensions of the primary package? You’ll want to specify diameter and height, if a round container. Or length, width and depth (LxWxD) if a carton. Most case packer manufacturers will want LxWxD according to how the product will be placed in the container relative to the container opening.

3. How will the product be delivered to the machine? Will the package be standing up? Laying on its side? Entering the machine facing which way? Sometimes drawing a little sketch showing how the package will be oriented on the infeed conveyor will help. Also, what do you want

to see when you open the case? How should the package printing or labels be facing?

4. Line speed. How fast will containers be coming into the case packer, in packages per minute?

5. Case count and pack pattern. How many product packages will go into each size container? What are your desired pack patterns? This can be communicated by indicating the pack count along each dimension. For example, 24-count 3x4x2 (LxWxD) means there are three products along the longest flap (width dimension), 4 products along the shortest flap (width dimension), and 2 layers of product (stacked 2 high) in the depth dimension).

6. Weight/handling issues. Is your product very heavy or very light? Wet, sticky, or slippery? Hard or soft? Hot, cold or frozen? Sturdy or wobbly? Liquid or solid? What is the room temperature and humidity level where the machine will run?