Custom Solutions: The Engineering Behind Reliable Material Handling & Food Production

Increasing regulatory compliance standards and sustainable practices continue to impact the interest of custom production solutions for maintenance personnel and engineers.

According to The National Library of Medicine, “standard packs and off-the-shelf handling equipment often cannot guarantee food safety, line efficiency, or sustainability for today’s complex products and formats.”

In this article, we explain the importance of custom packaging solutions and how design features directly improve efficiency and product integrity.

The Journey from Product Concept to the Final Package

Across a range of industries, custom production solutions are vital to integrate into existing production lines. Custom packaging line equipment is fabricated on and off-site, with integration and installation causing minimal disruption on the production floor.

Material Handling Equipment

Specialized material handling and packaging systems use containers and materials specifically designed to protect, store, and transport goods efficiently from manufacturing through to distribution.

Material handling equipment solutions range from manual, reusable, and returnable containers.

Pet Food Equipment

Designed with the aim to protect, preserve, and promote packaging products. Pet food packaging solutions feature high-barrier films for freshness, resealable pouches for convenience, and packaging that meets environmental demands. Each solution for the pet food industry can contain bags, stand up pouches, and cartons that protect the product and increase on-shelf appeal.

Food Equipment

Food companies have recognized the importance of innovative packaging design as a competitive element that can support brand identity. [ift.onlinelibrary.wiley.com]

Specialized material handling and packaging systems utilize purpose-built containers and materials to safely and efficiently protect, store, and transport goods from manufacturing to distribution.

Often, custom food packaging solutions feature films and coatings that support the prevention of contamination via oxygen, light, and moisture.

The Advantages of Custom Food Packaging

From enhanced product integrity, improved safety for maintenance and consumers, to regulatory compliance and sustainability. Custom packaging across food and beverage, pet food, and consumer goods is a vital choice for all sectors.
But how exactly do custom packaging solutions benefit the production line?

Product Integrity

Quality and product integrity are crucial across packaging. Custom packaging solutions support quality and product consistency due to custom one-off designs that allow for minimal variation, wear, and support the stabilization of product quality over time.

Safety

Safety is a critical factor in modern packaging solutions, incorporating HMI controls to reduce manual intervention, moisture- and temperature-control systems with resistant coatings, and advanced containment barriers; all designed to ensure product safety and prevent damage.

Additionally, their custom form-fit design can be easily integrated into the existing production line, fitting in effortlessly with minimal disruption to the production floor. This custom form-fit further eliminates empty space that could lead to the contamination of product.

Regulatory Compliance & Sustainability

ift.onlinelibrary states that “addressing sustainability challenges has become crucial.”

Designed to suit all sanitary environments in regulated industries – custom packaging solutions are designed in stainless steel for hygienic purposes, reducing the risks of bacterial growth and cross-contamination.

Optimizes for Efficiency and Speed

Custom packaging solutions are integrated into existing production lines for a cost-effective and space-saving solution.
Specifically for packaging, storing flat cartons is beneficial compared to using machinery with pre-glued alternatives.

Ultimately, saving space on the production line floor ensures less trucking when delivering materials.

F.N. Smith’s custom packaging solutions provide a high efficiency of 98%.

Efficiency doesn’t just come in the form of time; custom packaging solutions can provide:

• Cost savings: Side Seam Gluers can support production saving 2 to 3 cents per carton.
• Reduced material handling: Corrugated cartons do not need to be broken down or disposed of.
• Material storage: Pre-glued cartons require 40% more storage space than alternatives.
• Reduced shipping costs: Flat cartons take up 40% less space, ultimately saving on space during the delivery period.
• Point of use gluing: No stored pre-glued cartons that flatten out under compression in cartons.

Now that you understand the main advantages of custom packaging solutions, how can F.N. Smith support your production and get the F.N. job done?

Getting the F.N. Job Done: Key F.N. Smith Design Features

From initial concept to final installation, F.N. Smith can provide custom design features for your custom packaging solution, such as:

• Dual lane infeed: A conveyor system that has been designed with two parallel, independently controlled lanes that simultaneously feed products from two separate sources into a single, high-speed machine.
• Siko electronic position indicators for changeovers: These optional indicators are advanced, smart measuring devices that are designed to replace manual, mechanical alternatives. Indicators facilitate error-free, fast, and repeatable format changeovers by informing operators where to set a shaft or axis.
• Optional on-the-fly reject and vision system: These optional automated, high-speed quality control solutions use internal cameras to inspect products in real-time, with the ability to remove defective items without compromising production.
• Optional auto size change: This advanced, software-driven process dynamically adjusts the Side seam gluer to the required carton size using recipe driven program
• Human Machine Interface (HMI): A user-friendly interface panel that allows operators to monitor, interact, and manage machinery in real-time.
• Light screen safety: Electro-sensitive systems that use infrared light beams to create an invisible, protective detection field around machinery.
• Short footprint: A compact design that occupies minimal floor space, optimizing production area utilization.
  Speeds up to 400 cpm: Machinery that works at speeds up to 400 cpm is highly beneficial as it maximizes production throughput, reduces labor costs, and improves efficiency through high-level automation.

Are you ready to integrate custom packaging solutions into your production line?

Your Problems End Where Our Solutions Start: Integrate Reliable Machinery Today

Integrating custom packaging solutions that adhere to regulatory compliance and sustainability standards boosts product integrity and safety whilst optimizing production line efficiency. Essentially, they are the backbone of reliable and efficient food, pet food, and material handling production.

Are you ready to add compliant and efficient custom packaging solutions to your production line? To learn more, you can contact our expert team to enhance and support your output.