Packaging Automation Overview

The automation of any packaging process is dependent on the product’s attributes, production parameters and goals, and how products are delivered to and from packaging equipment. This paper provides a high-level overview of key considerations of packaging automation.

ContentsIntroduction

Primary Feeding of Packaging Lines

Robotic Pick and Place Automation

Secondary Packaging Automation (End of Line Case Packing)

Tertiary and Palletizing Automation

Ancillary Equipment Automation- Checkweigher- Labeling- Vision/Inspection

Summary

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Producers moving from a manual process to automation often are experiencing a mismatch between production speed or volume requirements versus the limitations and costs of manual loading efforts. This paper presents a simple primer regarding the key characteristics involving the automation of a packaging process; from the feeding & loading considerations associated with primary packaging of the product itself; to secondary and tertiary packaging automation factors and ancillary automation commonly used in the packing process. We address conventional packaging automation equipment as well as advancements in robotic automation that are paving the way to new levels of scalability and cost containment for producers of every size and industry.

A critical first step in any automated packing process is the loading of the product to the primary packaging equipment. The feeding/loading strategy will be gated by three primary attributes:

Packaging infeeds and outfeeds are designed to manage sorting, orientating, allocating, positioning and inserting products in a quick and safe manner without damaging the product. In the food industry, sanitary/hygienic design is a critical aspect of the loading process. This can be a multi-step process that not only involves transfer of product, but may require buffering, pre-grouping, inspecting and removal of rejected products or materials.

Conveyor systems are often an integral aspect of packaging infeed or outfeed automation. Conveyors built specifically for packaging operations are often more mobile – they may be caster-mounted for easy transport within a facility. In the context of a packaging feeding system, product delivery preciseness (time/orientation, mode) becomes the critical factor. The product being moved may have to be delivered in batches, or at a controlled, continuous rate in a specific pattern or orientation. Performance-related issues with food-related shrink wrapping or flow wrapping can sometimes be attributed to inadequate conveyor staging for precise infeed registration. This can also impact labeling and date stamping when products may have to be rotated on the conveyor to a precise location to be stamped. “Racetracks” that use multiple conveyors or belting running at different speeds may be used in combination to gate product delivery or buffer infeeds. Keep in mind that conveyors designed for industrial environments may not be well suited to every environment. In medical devices sterility requirements typically demand stainless steel construction. Another example is food producers who must meet sanitation requirements that include wipe-down and wash-down procedures. When it comes to hygienic conveyor design, removable belts are a good option as they are easier to clean. Food producers should beware of conveyors that have been minimally modified to meet food-grade specifications, but rather target food-specific systems that incorporate the latest in smart automation and devices.

Many automation components are available for orientating, separating and infeeding a wide range of products, which are matched to product requirements and upstream processes. For example, medical devices such as needles and syringe plungers are often supplied to a line as bulk products, separated through vibrating units and centrifuges, then transferred

INTRODUCTION

PRIMARY FEEDING OF PACKAGING LINES

Production Requirements

State/Nature of Product Being Packaged

Product Presentation for Packaging Process

Food Products Non-food

Volume

Raw

in Bulk?

Speed and Efficiency

(Throughput)

Cooked

Serially?

Quality Output (Product Damage)

Frozen

in What Orientation?

Available Floor

Space

Requires Sterility or Has Dimensional

Challenges

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(single or rows) to the packaging machine. Individual products are prepared by the infeed system so that they can be precisely positioned for picking up (by a robot for instance) and loading into the pack cavities. The use of vision systems is commonplace in automated infeed applications that are picking chaotically fed products. They can identify numerous attributes, such as orientation and whether the product exceeds min/max tolerances. They also help robots to place or orient one or more products exactly (or reject them). Improper placement during infeed is a common cause of misregistration in food packaging, making product susceptible to handling damage during the wrapper infeed cycle. When shrink coverage does not completely cover a product, it may go unnoticed and result in product spoilage. Poor infeed performance has a bottom-line impact, as it increases defect rates/costs and degrades throughput.

Vibratory bowls may be favored for randomly sorted bulk products that must be fed into another machine one-by-one, oriented in a particular direction. Products are gently shaken down a conveyor chute shaped to the part, and gradually aligned. Hoppers are used to help buffer packaging processes by accumulating and conveying products to maintain a continuous, even flow. Sensors measure key attributes such as measuring product depth and controlling bin filling and emptying motions. Linear feeders enable both linear sorting and product orientation. They can accommodate irregular upstream supply by creating a buffer store that smooths flow for further processing or supply product to hoppers that store and feed bulk products. Some linear feeder systems rely on gravity to feed parts rather than mechanical motion. Slug loading is another form of infeed loading where stacks or slugs of individual products are automatically measured and loaded from a continuous supply into the lugs of a wrapping machine. It is used primarily for measuring and loading of baked goods, from single or multiple lanes. Gravity feeds, in which products are placed in a staging area before being dropped into the packaging process, are highly product-dependent. As a result, gravity infeeds are a preferred loading method for products that need to be weighed and portioned prior to loading. This purely mechanical infeed option may be appealing to producers that are concerned with availability of technical staff trained in robotics.

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Feeding processes often utilize additional feeder automations such as:

Vibratory Bowls

Hopper Systems

Centrifugal Feeders

Linear Feeders

Step-feeders

Infeed Conveyors Description

PivotingFast feed system to fill bars, flow wrap products and bags directly into a continuous motion running carton

Star WheelUsed when in-line product reorientation is required

Vertical Cascade‘Bomb-bay’ style infeed system to fill bags and pouches in the bucket of a continuous motion cartoner

IndexStraightens and readjusts product alignment and orientation for further production

OverheadFast feed system to fill incoming flow-wrapped products direct in the bucket of a continuous motion cartoner

Bull Nose One entry and one exit; the nose is retracted to deposit or eject product

ScrewSimple, high-speed in-line infeed system for smoothly spacing regular shaped products using a screw system

UpendersUsed to reorient or assist packages in the “stand-up” or “lay down” position

PusherUsed to control (indexing, braking) or maneuver (lifting, orienting and pattern forming) ... Transfer products between conveyors

Carton Stacker Simple, flexible system to stack cartons in different formations

Carton Formation Table

System with sideward movements to create different carton formations on a table

Packaging automation comes in many forms, but one of the most noteworthy advancements has involved robotics for pick and place applications. While unfavorable trends for labor (both cost and availability) plague producers, the

rapidly declining costs and technical advancements of robotics are increasing industry-wide rates. It’s an accepted fact that packaging processes which require multiple people are prime candidates for automation, as are repetitive motion tasks. Advancements in robotics are making it easier to replicate the dexterity and vision once only available through human labor. While two of the most common automated tasks are primary and secondary loading, advances in this fi eld are changing the packaging landscape regarding the number and nature of packaging tasks subject to cost-effective automation. Today vision-assisted robots that can pick and place products precisely using improved grippers for delicate products (without damage) have changed producers’ automation options.

When considering this automation, it’s important to remember that a solution is more than robotics itself, but involves integration with material-handling systems, sensors and other technology needed to ensure the safety and effectiveness of the operation. A key factor for any packaging partner utilized in the design and deployment phases should be signifi cant integration experience among primary packaging equipment and these other components.

However, an important consideration of note for food producers is hygienic design. Food producers may worry that these newer automation options introduce bacteria-harboring areas that are impossible to clean and inspect. When considering robotic automation, it is important to validate that the selected solution meets industry hygienic design standards that protect sanitation by decreasing contamination risks. Today’s available market options for IP69k-compliant (washdown) robotics are expanding rapidly.

Robotic automation offers greater product handling fl exibility and versatility when compared to traditional automation machinery designed with a fi xed footprint, including product infeed and outfeeds. Robots can be designed to the specifi c application, rather than fi tting a standard designed machine onto a process. Using infeed robotics allows a product to be picked and/or placed in almost any confi guration:

It also simplifi es mixtures of products created from multiple infeeds.

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ROBOTIC PICK AND PLACE AUTOMATION

Robotics Packaging Applications:

DepalletizingDe-Casing

Infeed HandlingRaw Food HandlingPrimary Packaging

Secondary PackagingMixing (Combo/Rainbow Packs)

PalletizingGeneral Material Handling

Full-line & Integrated Solutions

Random(using vision)

Collated in One or More Lanes

Radically-oriented(using sensors)

Simple Single Lane

Multiple Locations and Heights

Robotic automation removes or reduces the human element when it’s used to load products into a packaging machine, creating labor savings and productivity gains that justify the associated expense.

Robotic automation removes or reduces the human element

machine, creating labor savings and productivity gains

associated expense.

Automation can be deployed across primary, secondary, and tertiary packaging functions. Primary packaging is that which is in immediate contact with the

product – essentially the container in which the product is stored. Primary packaging automations are dependent on both the product and secondary layers of packaging that will be used. Secondary packaging protects the product’s primary packaging in-transit and may be the fi rst thing a customer sees as a retail shelf presentation. End-of-line packaging automation, such as sealing boxes or applying labels, is justifi ed through better packaging line throughput and (signifi cant) cost savings. When existing packaging production rates don’t keep up with demand, end-of-line automation should be a consideration. Case formers, sealers and label applicators offer a faster, more accurate and reliable approach to manual efforts, which often result in sloppy/poorly placed tape or labels and are impacted by even simple things like employee absences. Also, manual labor at this stage often requires substantial space for workstations and materials storage, whereas automated equipment at the end of your packaging line can actually reduce required warehouse space.

Optimizing your secondary packaging automation investment should emphasize equipment fl exibility and strong product control. This helps ensure your ability to accommodate future packaging materials, products, or pack pattern changes. For example, ordering patterns for larger chain stores and club stores often dictates smaller product runs by producers, which increases the frequency of line changeovers. One of the key features of modern secondary packaging automation is also the ability to allow for quick and easy size changeovers of the packaging machinery.

Automation advancements such as

have paved the way for better and faster automation across all three aspects of packaging automation today.

Vertical/Top Load Case PackingTop load is the most common form of case packing: products are simply placed into the container from the top. Typical top-loaded products

can include glass bottles, cartons, fl exible pouches, fl owpacks, bags and sachets. Automating this process for rigid or stable products (e.g. bottles or cartons) is typically quite easy, however fl exible products require some upfront assessment. A detailed review of the case dimension, number of products per case, and how to place them (vertically, fl at, on edge, etc.) is needed. This needs to be modeled on speed and transport load requirements while accounting for product integrity preservation.

Top load robotic automation case packers may employ industrial or delta robots, an X-Y gantry system, or mechanical axial movement. The right choice of movement depends on product, speed and packing format. Delta robots are relatively new to case packing – and can be used for top loading, low weight payloads due to their fl exibility, speed (as much as 100 cycles per minute), and ability to perform repetitive tasks quickly and consistently. They excel where high output speeds are needed, the product is not stable, and fl exible case packing options are required (think pouches, trays, fl owpacks, bags and sachets). They can handle incoming products in a variety of orientations and employ the required vision/artifi cial hand-eye coordination to pick and place the product accurately.

Horizontal/Side Load Case Packing Side load case packing tends to be employed for handling cartons or structured products and can be used for either low- or high-speed lines. This is a

monoblock solution, meaning that the machine can erect, pack and seal a case in a compact footprint. The product collation (arrangement) is moved to an intermediate station then pushed into an erected case, then subjected to the fl ap closure and sealing process (tape or hot-melt adhesives). While side load case packers are a great solution for small footprints, they can only handle a small product array.Smart Control

TechnologiesRobotic Packing

PalletizingSystems

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SECONDARY PACKAGING AUTOMATION (END-OF-LINE CASE PACKING)

Wrap-around Case Packing Wrap-around case packing uses pre-cut flat sheets of corrugated blanks, instead of the typical American case format. In a wrap-around case,

major and minor flaps are sealed on the side, instead of the top (American). This offers less cardboard surface – which is typically cheaper than an American case (depending on case dimensions). Using a flat case blank versus the folded American case improves inventory efficiency. An identical packing machine magazine can store double the quantity of wrap required by American cases, reducing operator refills by 50%. Also, wrap-around case packing can reach far higher speeds than American case packing. Wrap-around case packing is typically applied for canned foods or beverages, since the savings in corrugated material offers a faster ROI and reduces the solution’s carbon footprint. Blanks are simply formed around the pre-collated product, then sealed with hot-melt adhesives.

Bottom Loading Case PackersA Bottom Loading Case Packer (Everest) is a gentler alternative to a “pick-and-place” system or product not pickable by vacuums. Packages

that lend themselves to bottom loading include food applications with rectangular or lay flat cartons, delicate/sensitive products, dairy applications with gable-top cartons or gallon jugs, products with shrink wrap or transparent film on top, and industrial cans or bottles.

Robots and EOL Automation ConsiderationsWhen it comes to end-of-line packaging, loading product into cases or cartons is a common automation. The use of more standardized robotic automation instead of custom-built packaging automation offers some important advantages:

Advancements in robotic end-of-arm tooling (EOAT) equipment creates a more modular component approach, enabling producers to cost effectively build automation tooling systems to fit their specific applications. The items can be used to handle fragile products and materials or produce fine design details. Packaging producers can choose from a full, flexible assortment of EOAT components to quickly put together an automated handling/gripping system configured for a particular packaging or palletizing job.

Collaborative Robots (Cobots), while relatively new to packaging processes, are gaining fast in popularity for low speed (<10 cycles per minute), low weight (<20lbs) applications. Cobots are designed to work in conjunction with human workers safely without guarding, and employ an increasingly sophisticated array of gripping technologies that make them ideal for tasks that were previously relegated to manual efforts only. Most importantly, the cost of a cobot is now comparable to their human counterparts, while their productivity (unlike humans) remains constant.

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Understanding RSC versus RPC CasesRSC is an acronym for Regular Slotted Container, and is also known as a KD or Knock Down case, or an American Case. An RSC case design has the manufacturer’s flap or 5th panel pre-glued. RSC cases are commonly used for loading product vertically (or top-loaded) through the flaps, which are then closed and sealed manually or automatically, using either tape or glue.

RPC denotes “Reusable Plastic Container”, also known as “totes”. The rising popularity of RPCs are not just attributable to sustainability concerns, but also due to superior product protection and temperature management which are important for many packaged and fresh foods. Other advantages of RPCs are greater modularity, load uniformity and stacking compatibility, all of which improve palletized unit load stability.

Reusability—New product failures are common (statistics show that 60% to 80% fail). Robots can be repurposed more easily than a custom-made solution – for example a filling robot can be repurposed as a case packer just by changing the end of arm tooling.

Speed to Market - Robots in the sizes typically used on a packaging line are commonly available off the shelf for rapid delivery.

Standardization - Available models and sizes cover almost 80% of packaging machinery applications –simplifying design, maintenance and operation.

Cost - As market uptake accelerates robot-only prices are declining considerably and now are commonly in the $8k to $50k price range. Keep in mind that the cost of related ancillary automation, equipment, and integration can increase the solution cost substantially above the cost of the robot itself.

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Unlike primary and/or secondary packaging, producer tertiary packaging is rarely seen by the customer, so visual appeal is not a factor. Palletizing packaging is used to improve the transportation of products in bulk from producers to retail or storage/distribution centers. It provides protection during shipping and storage, offering a convenient way to move inventory with easier handling. This can vary from something as simple as a large box that combines numerous smaller containers, to a full palletization approach with corner board and stretch wrap that bundles multiple products together. Tertiary packaging attempts to optimize both the package’s footprint and in-transit protection as shipping and storage environments can present harsh conditions.

Mechanical palletizers offer a smaller footprint and use fewer movements, decreasing the probability of dropped product. They employ a layering technique to orient packages into a shape and deposit them one layer at a time onto the pallet. The “high-level” version of conventional palletizers forms layers at higher speeds by keeping the case layers stationary and raising/lowering the pallet instead. Mechanical palletizers are typically lower cost than robotic palletizers and deliver different levels of fl exibility, particularly in single product applications. However, their mechanical nature makes them simple to install, repurpose, and maintain. They can perform at very high speeds (up to 100 cases per minute or more) in applications with rigid, cube-based shapes.

Robotic palletizing systems are increasing in popularity due to their decreasing cost, combined with improved reliability, fl exibility and increasingly smaller equipment footprint. Since robotic palletizers rely on electrical versus mechanical-driven motions, keep in mind the nature of the environment in which operations will be conducted, as some environments will be better suited to one or the other. Robotics are better equipped to handle multiple tasks thanks to improvements in grippers and auxiliary equipment. Traditional robots employ an articulated arm or a Cartesian gantry style Linear robot. They have become extremely versatile as fully automated end of arm tool (EOAT) attachments can now handle multiple products.

A palletizing robotic system can perform one task, such as loading the pallet, or many simultaneously: package products, load boxes onto a pallet, and wrap the pallet with shrink wrap. They can assemble multiple pallets simultaneously, provision mixed pallets, or change layer patterns from one product to the next (particularly when a simple layer pattern is used). Robotic palletizers typically handle varying package volumes at speeds of up to 60-70 cases per minute, often with gentler, more consistent treatment then manual palletizing. However, if a robotic palletizer is loading 4 different pallets and the robot goes down, all 4 SKUs will be affected at once, whereas since each mechanical palletizer handles a single product, not all SKUs may be affected. Robotic palletizers are generally limited to approximately 10 cycles per minute, depending on layer patterns and product suitability. Some hybrid robot/conventional palletizers used in beverage applications can operate at speeds of up to 80-120 cartons per minute by dynamically orientating cartons as they move along a pattern-forming conveyor towards the mechanical layer. Keep in mind that most traditional palletizing robots require special safety devices to keep workers out of the danger zone during operation.

TERTIARY & PALLETIZING AUTOMATION

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ANCILLARY EQUIPMENT AUTOMATIONThe use of tote systems in tertiary packaging (occasionally in secondary) is being driven by social sustainability concerns. Tote systems essentially offer reusable containers made of plastic or cardboard to transfer products. They can be designed to accommodate a wide range of products and primary packaging types. Reusable plastic totes not only reduce carbon emissions, waste, and natural resource consumption, they offer improved product protection versus cardboard alternatives.

Plastic totes have been shown to reduce product damage by up to 96%, while lowering costs by as much as 27% through more effi cient, reusable distribution processes. A tote management system must be designed as a closed-loop process to realize cost savings, meaning the totes must be delivered and prepared for use in the packaging process, conveyed to the destination, returned, cleaned and set up again for the process to work. While a tote system can leverage traditional material handling equipment, often stacking and de-stacking requires manual intervention.

An automated tote management system increases reliability and throughput, reduces long-term costs, and delivers ergonomic improvements that enhance workplace safety. An automated system will be designed to address tote de-palletizing upon arrival, de-stacking, opening (and unopened tote rejection), distribution, and delivery to the packaging line. Since totes are available in a variety of types and open/stackable confi gurations, tote loading robotics with fl exible, customizable end-of-arm tooling that can be tailored to handle unique tote requirements should be considered.

Checkweigher This automatic or manual machine is used at the end of the packaging process to ensure that the packaged commodities’ weight is within specifi ed limits. Automated checkweighers can weigh in excess of 500 items per minute (depending on carton size and accuracy requirements). They can be used in conjunction with metal detectors and X-ray machines to check other pack attributes. They are also known as belt weighers, in-motion scales, conveyor scales, dynamic scales, in-line scales, and check scales. Typically, they incorporate three belts or chain beds:

• Infeed belts are used to change the speed to that required for weighing, and can index products to set the gap between them to the optimal distance for weighing.

• The weigh belt is typically mounted on a weight transducer. Older machines may have to pause the weigh bed belt before taking the measurement, limiting line speed and throughput.

• A reject belt is used to remove an out-of-tolerance package from the line.

LabelingLabels have many uses in packaging from identifi cation and branding to traceability and regulatory compliance. The method of label application affects packaging line speed and therefore output over any given time period. While manual label application may be appropriate for low volume and low-speed applications, automated labeling offers signifi cantly improved accuracy, reliability, and quality in higher speed and volume environments. Automated roll-on label application is one the most widespread methods for high volume and high-speed applications. However, when label application requires exact placement, automated tamp-on labeling is a better option for perfect positioning. Another, less common automated method of label application uses air to blow the label onto the surface of the package, which avoids direct contact between the equipment and the package. Another option to consider are machines that both print and apply the label. Print and apply systems are often utilized in tertiary packaging processes, but they are also favored for time stamped or serialized products, or when every label requires variation. Some industry-specifi c applications require compliance labeling, which sets requirements for label size, placement, resolution, ANSI-

totes are available in a variety of types and open/stackable confi gurations, tote loading robotics with fl exible, customizable end-of-arm tooling that can be tailored to handle unique tote requirements should

Plastic totes have been shown to reduce product

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readable bar codes, and even how boxes are stacked onto a pallet to facilitate easy scanning.

Vision/Inspection Producers rely on product inspection equipment to perform quality checks and detect physical contaminants in retail packaged products. Vision systems can determine product presence (is it in the pocket or package?), ensure label accuracy, and validate part orientation and specific attributes. Such automated inspection makes it possible to detect, reject and sort faulty packages. Compared to manual inspection, it is more accurate and can be validated against 100% of produced packages versus a sample. The risks of automated inspection systems are typically low and remain constant. Automated inspection systems monitor many attributes from label errors and cosmetic defects, to the physical product in the package. When packages deviate from acceptable parameters, the product is identified and removed from the line. Automation creates a feedback loop that ensures accuracy.

X-ray inspection systems are often employed in food packaging. They can detect glass shards, metal fragments, mineral stone, calcified bone, and some high-density plastic (Nylon, PVC and Teflon) and rubber compounds within a variety of retail packaged applications. They are not affected by foil nor metallized film packaging. However, even X-ray inspection systems specifically designed to inspect food packaging can present challenges in some cases, so keep in mind that

some products require specific X-ray applications. For example, systems with a single horizontal beam are best for detecting physical contaminants and quality defects in the “low-density” packaging (cartons, plastic containers, composite cans and tubes) typically used for snacks, cereals, beverages, yogurts, and ready-made meals. In addition to contamination detection, modern X-ray systems can perform product integrity checks including:

• Measuring mass• Counting components• Monitoring fill levels• Checking for missing or damaged

products and packaging• Inspecting seal integrity• Detecting inconsistencies in materials

Foreign bodies are not the only inconsistencies an X-ray system can spot – voids and broken or missing product pieces show up clearly. Today’s X-ray systems are opening up whole new areas of quality control, from estimating product weight to measuring fat content in meat products.

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Our customers rely on us to help them optimize their overall packaging investment, as well as strategize how to tackle today’s most complex packaging topics; such as sustainability, eCommerce, robotics and digital transformation. Producers seeking to prototype, design, build, implement and maintain automated packaging solutions have relied on Harpak-ULMA for over 40 years. We can help you navigate today’s complex, rapidly changing packaging landscape; balancing cost and functionality with innovative or emerging processes, materials, and advanced technologies that enhance profitability and improve market performance of primary and secondary packaging operations. Our full-service solutions address installation, training, spare parts, service and customer support, while capabilities span robotics and automation, thermoforming, tray sealing, filling, flow pack, stretch, blister, skin pack, and vacuum.

ABOUT HARPAK-ULMA

SUMMARYAutomated packaging systems will continue to see increasing adoption for all sizes of producers as technological advancement improves capabilities and lower cost of entry. While these systems require well thought out planning and represent larger upfront capital expense, their impact on the profitable scalability of your packaging operation is undeniable. Keep in mind that automated packaging employs a wide array of machinery and systems, often made by different equipment manufacturers. Simplistic interlocking strategies can lead to islands of automation and limited communication, ultimately preventing the line from becoming a seamless operation. Consider incorporating additional layers of communication and smart connected technologies to improve overall line balance and maximize critical data interface to reporting systems.

Planning should address handshakes with existing equipment, inter-machine product flows, and account for initial product presentation to rejection processes. In addition to standard upfront financial justifications such as ROI and payback, automation process design based on package tolerances, tooling changes, and product types will often dictate future flexibility and equipment repurposing. Finally, a failure-mode plan should be built-in from the start, so that if equipment fails production can continue – even at reduced speeds. This can include redundant systems, or may be as simple as accommodating floor space requirements so manual processes can be easily staged nearby in the event of catastrophic failure. Given the complexity of a fully automated system working with a knowledgeable packaging partner that understands both packaging machinery and automation should be considered a key success factor for any packaging automation initiative.