In the midst of a global pandemic, it’s uncertain times.
While manufacturing and distribution companies have for years faced challenges left and right to stay competitive, it seems that COVID-19 is shaking our economic landscape, causing uncertainty for our workers, and thus forcing us to finally ask ourselves: is it time to automate?
In many manufacturing and packaging companies, manpower is considered the lifeblood of the trade. Right now is a crucial time for business owners to evaluate which aspects of the company may be hit hardest by the potential lack of manpower and decide if automation may be the next step.
Automation for Packaging Processes
Any business that relies on the completion of repetitive tasks should, at some point, automate those tasks. Packaging, for instance, does not require highly-skilled manpower and can be done equally well (or more) by a machine. In fact, automation has been used in the packaging line of most large companies around the world.
Automation has helped solve several key problems in packaging, such as:
- Costly manpower
- Lack of consistency
- Lack of access to the required technology
- Non-availability of required manpower
- Struggle to keep up with changing demand
Here are 7 signs that should help you decide if it’s the right time to start automating your packaging line:
1. You anticipate or plan for large growth.
Companies that want to scale typically turn to automation to fill the gaps in manpower. Investing early in a well-structured automation system helps save resources, as well as streamlines your packaging processes to reach better production levels.
One example of how automation benefits companies are with the linear motion system used in many automated packaging lines. Linear motion systems increase output while following the same process. Systems that make use of linear motion are also designed to improve machine tool performances and to function under hostile conditions.
2. There’s too much waste.
Unless very strict guidelines are implemented and followed by all employees, there’s bound to be some waste in materials when working on repetitive tasks. A well-programed automated packaging line, however, skips the waste.
Let’s say you have purchased a semi-automated packaging machine, a pallet wrapper. Compared to manual wrapping, using a pallet wrapper guarantees that the film is stretched in the same length consistently, saving you a lot of film in the long run.
3. Your current workforce can’t keep up.
Many businesses turn to automation to cope with unmet targets and ever-increasing demand. Automation also helps preserve the safety and wellbeing of the labor force. While it doesn’t happen in all cases, pushing your employees to meet increasing demand with limited bandwidth often results in:
- Injuries
- Higher employee turn-over rate
- Deteriorating physical and emotional health in employees
- The more stressful work environment
Of course, you should also consider other possible solutions, such as hiring more people, refining your packaging processes, buying more equipment, or adding additional shifts.
4. You want to save on labor costs.
Manual work is, let’s face it, costly. But while automation is more expensive to set up and implement, automated packaging machines pay themselves off after a year or so, reducing your labor costs dramatically over the course of several years.
5. You have multiple products with different packaging processes.
Packaging multiple products with different shapes, sizes, and required handling procedures can be a challenge to your staff, especially if demand is high. Instead of creating multiple packaging lines, hiring more people, and dealing with lengthy changeovers, you should consider automation.
With an automated packaging line, you can:
- Cut down the time needed to package products
- Reduce the changeover time
- Eliminate idle hours for employees
- Potentially save a lot in utility expenses, especially when using electric machines
6. You have too many repetitive operations
In manufacturing and packaging, it isn’t uncommon for employees to suffer from work-related musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs), also known as ergonomic injuries. Reducing repetitive work can naturally lead to lower MSDs, which is one of the main highlights of using process automation systems in packaging operations.
By switching out workers with machines and placing the people in other key areas of the business, it’s possible to reduce work-related injuries and increase productivity.
7. You want to improve information access
Automation solutions weren’t as robust as they are now. With artificial intelligence, it’s now possible for us to “see” errors in automated processes.
Taking note of errors is a complicated task if you’re dealing with a manual labor force. A lot of the errors that happen in the packaging line may not be reported, and even quality assurance specialists can miss something every now and then.
Automated machines and equipment can help paint a better picture of what’s really happening, and best of all, make that information easily accessible to you and other key people.
Automated packaging lines take on the burden of tedious and repetitive tasks so your workers don’t have to. This helps reduce work-related stress and injuries, and at the same time allows your people to work at higher-value tasks where they’re more needed.
