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Best practices for specifying flexible packaging equipment

There are numerous best practices for specifying flexible packaging equipment. Here are 10 you should know.

1. Test until failure. Remember, you don’t test for the first sign of success; you test until you see the first sign of failure, in order to understand machine and process limitations. Check out different conditions such as varying temperatures and humidity levels during Factory Acceptance Testing. This is especially important when incorporating combination weighers, which demand precise, accurate, reliable product flow and package positioning, especially at bag openings.

2. Match the material to the product and machine. If these aren’t in alignment, you’re in for trouble. If they are aligned, you’ll avoid waste, delays, and chaos. You can’t have a 10-pound bag with nine pounds of product; you also have to harmonize the bag opening with the machine. Understand film rigidity, coefficients of friction, and fitments before you select equipment. Don’t underestimate the number of variables to consider.

3. Understand the unique requirements of your product. There are scores of suppliers whose offerings look fairly similar at first pass. Before you start contacting vendors, however, understand your requirements. Are you subject to USDA or FDA regulations?
Are you a dairy that must comply with 3-A Sanitary Standards? Different standards and regulations require compliance with specific engineering design and construction requirements.

4. Pay attention to the details of the machine. A focus on cost often clouds the details. How a machine works may be more important, in the long term, than what it costs today. There are hundreds of reasons some machines cost less or more than others. Is the entire machine servo-controlled? Are adjustments totally mechanical? That could cause a three-hour changeover. How does the machine adjust? Be a stickler in understanding the construction of the machine. How do you feed in product and control the flow?

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