Automation of packaging machinery: Challenges in practice
High changeover times and the subsequent restart represent a significant loss of productivity. Reducing changeover times on packaging machinery is therefore an important means of increasing productivity.
In addition, operator errors can occur with purely manual adjustments if these are not monitored. This is particularly the case when, due to the shortage of skilled workers, an increasing number of unskilled workers are being deployed. The solution is the semi- or full automation of your machinery – depending on the batch sizes to be processed and the product variety.
Automate your machinery with digital position displays and positioning drives! By integrating these solutions into your machine control system via plug-and-play, you can quickly increase your system efficiency and save time and money. Existing packaging machinery can also often be modernized and automated through a retrofit.
Faster changeovers increase your Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE). We offer you the right solutions, which typically pay for themselves within one year and which, thanks to UL certification, are also suitable for worldwide use.
Solutions for format adjustment and positioning in packaging machinery
Advantages of automated adjustment
Depending on the frequency of format changes, semi-automation with digital position displays or full automation with positioning drives is the right choice.
Increase the productivity of your existing machinery: The retrofitting of positioning drives and digital position displays is easily achievable thanks to plug-and-play.
For us as a modern technology company, strong partnerships are the key to sustainable success. Engagement in relevant networks within the packaging industry provides valuable insights that flow directly into our product development. We are pleased to be members of Packaging Valley and ctrlX World.
Positioning drives and digital position displays
GEL 6008
Compact positioning drive with through hollow shaft for confined installation situations
GEL 6009
Compact positioning drive for confined installation situations
GEL 6109
Compact positioning drive for confined installation situations
GEL 6110
Compact positioning drive with high torques
GEL 6113
Positioning drive with through hollow shaft
GEL SEPOD
Position display for rotary and linear position measurements
How can changeover times in packaging systems be reduced?
Changeover times in packaging systems can be significantly shortened by using positioning drives or digital position displays. Changeover times typically drop by 50–80%, repeatability improves, and unplanned downtime caused by incorrect settings is minimized.
How can OEE (Overall Equipment Effectiveness) be increased?
OEE measures the ratio of actual to theoretically possible production output - and is made up of three factors: availability, performance, and quality. Every format change is downtime. Positioning drives with recipe management drastically reduce changeover time - all axes move simultaneously and precisely to the target value, without any manual machine adjustment required. Less downtime translates directly into higher availability, and therefore higher OEE.
Incorrect settings after a manual format change lead to reduced machine speed at startup or to production stops for readjustment. Digital position displays and automated drives ensure the machine runs at full output immediately after every format change - eliminating startup losses. Inaccurately set axes are a common cause of scrap and rework right after a format change. The high repeatability of positioning drives ensures that every axis moves precisely to the stored setpoint - reproducibly, independent of the operator, and without run-in losses.
How can the life cycle costs (LCC) of packaging systems be reduced?
The life cycle costs of a packaging system involve far more than the purchase price - maintenance, spare parts, downtime costs, and disposal add up over a machine's lifetime, often to a multiple of the purchase price. Thanks to battery-free, maintenance-free operation, positioning drives and digital position indicators directly target the biggest cost drivers. Battery-free, maintenance-free systems minimize failure risk - the system keeps running, and availability increases.
How quickly does an automation solution pay for itself?
The return on investment (ROI) of automating packaging machines with positioning drives and digital position displays can be calculated concretely based on a few key figures. Parameters considered include the number of changeovers per day, production days per week, duration of manual setup time, the number of employees required for adjustment, and the average loss during a production stop. What matters is that the investment doesn't just pay off once - it pays off with every single format change. An automation solution typically pays for itself within a few months.
Shorter setup times: High flexibility and productivity 
Batteryless system: Reduced life cycle costs 
High process reliability with a fast RoI 
