10 considerations for choosing a cartoning machine
First: the choice of cartoning machine
The cartoning machine you choose should match your product. For example, if the product is free to flow (granular objects or loose parts), you have to choose a vertical cartoning machine. For products that can be loaded both vertically and horizontally, horizontal equipment is best. Most cartoners on the market are loaded horizontally. Compared with vertical cartoners, they are more flexible and cost less.
Second: know the speed of boxing you need
The first thing to confirm is whether the cartoning work is done on the production line or offline. For online speed, divide the maximum production speed of the product by the number of product packages in each carton, and then consider the overload capacity (the possibility of increasing the production speed through new processes or technologies). For offline speed, determine the daily, weekly or monthly transportation quota, and ensure that the actual number of days per week or hours per day is used to calculate how many cartons can be loaded per minute.
Third: the choice of raw materials
Do you use virgin cardboard (new fiber, more expensive) or recycled material (cheaper)? Poor quality materials will definitely affect the packaging quality. You should also consider the design of the carton cover and gluing format, which should be prepared in advance, rather than the equipment has been delivered to the site to solve this problem.
Fourth: Knowledge Learning
Let your carton supplier join your project team. You can benefit a lot by organizing materials experts and equipment experts together. Sometimes small changes in carton design, materials and coating can greatly improve the performance of the cartoning machine. Sometimes, if the equipment supplier can make a special design for the equipment, you may be able to optimize your carton design and use thinner materials to save costs.
Fifth: Technical training
After the machine is installed in the factory, the supplier shall continue to provide technical support. By knowing how many service technicians a supplier has, you can know how fast his service feedback is. If you and the supplier are in different areas, make sure you are in his service coverage area?
Sixth: Deeper product considerations
This problem is often overlooked. The cartoning machine is generally located in the middle of the production line. Make sure that the cartoning machine you buy can connect and communicate with upstream and downstream equipment. This is because a production line also includes various other machines, such as a film scaler, a glue spraying machine, and an unpacking and sealing machine. So if you buy a cartoning machine, you should make sure that your supplier knows how to integrate the production line.
Seventh: Delivery time of the cartoning machine
Today's customers demand fast delivery, and more importantly, they require the supplier to deliver the machine within the agreed deadline. You can request the supplier's production plan to ensure all production steps, including design, procurement, assembly, testing, wiring and programming.
Eighth: Maintenance and replacement of cartoning machine parts
When you want to produce another size packaging, how can you make this conversion faster? Are your parts marked and classified in color? Are all parts used in one size the same color? Don't forget to color sort your parts. In addition, you have to think about how to store and place these parts, so that they can be found in their respective places, so that they can be found quickly.
Ninth: Purchase spare parts
Once the actual situation permits, you should ask the supplier to provide a "key spare parts list" and "recommended spare parts list". Let these spare parts be delivered with the machine so that if a failure occurs during the start of the machine, you can quickly resolve it. You need to check these two lists to see what parts you have and what you can buy from local suppliers.
Tenth: Consider future needs
Will you use larger packaging or cluster packaging in the future? If the machine you choose can only produce two sizes, you will need to buy a new machine in the future. Modifications are usually very expensive. Preparing for the future ahead of time, purchasing flexible and promising machines will allow you to meet future production needs.
