An automated stretch wrapper can often be the bottleneck in a plants production line, especially when it goes down. Such is the case with this month’s repair.
This particular plant has twenty different production lines running 24/7 all feeding into one stretch wrapper- making it imperative that the wrapper runs around the clock without issue. While on site for an unrelated repair, one of the Best Packaging technicians noticed something odd with the conveyor running through the stretch wrapper. After removing some rollers, we were able to get a better look and discovered the drive shaft was sitting crooked and the drive chain was eating into the gearbox. To address this issue, we had parts expedited and were back out for repair shortly after. After taking another look at the problem, we discovered the bearings which support the drive shaft had locked up and were worn almost all the way through the shaft. Had the issue not been spotted by our technician, this would have caused a major production delay for the plant.
Thanks to our technicians, the entire drive assembly was rebuilt and the conveyor is now running good as new. Proof once again that a qualified technician and preventative maintenance can save you from costly down time in the future.
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Although the packaging industry is working hard to maximize technology use, I believe there is still more that can be done. After attending the PACK EXPO, here’s are my thoughts…
I noticed the majority of stretch wrap machines were all very similar- following standard practices with a few minor modifications here and there. Many of the demonstrations utilized square uniform loads that are easy to wrap. However, not much was conveyed regarding what could be done for random pallet’s that have sharp points everywhere as these pallets make film selection a critical step in this packaging process.
This got me thinking… what developments should we be looking out for in the near future for odd-shaped loads? What is it going to take for things to change within the industry? What kind of creative thinking needs to happen to break the mold? What needs to happen in the packaging industry to unleash innovation that the industry hasn’t seen in years?
Over the years, I’ve noticed the packaging companies that succeed are the ones constantly testing and monitoring their wrap parameters. When dealing with stretch film, if you’re not occasionally monitoring what you’re doing, damage goes up. But how does one do that? How do we monitor and determine wrap parameters beyond a square load? When it comes to wrapping loads, why work in a flat world if the packaging isn’t?
In an era where computerization and data collection have become the ‘must-have’ elements, the installation of 3D modeling for the purposes of data collection has the potential to revolutionize the quality at which tasks are performed. With live data being fed from their equipment into a computerized system, workers are more capable of selecting the proper film type, gauge, and number of wraps a particular load requires. Rather than having to manually adjust the machine according to the size and product, incorporating 3D pallet sensor technology would enable you to record the shape, weight, and type of product to get a better understanding of what stretch wrap settings to employ. Incorporating a 3D Pallet scanner would provide an immediate overview of all production parameters and data that needs to be done based on the load. Thus, I see the future of stretch wrapping being very data-driven. I envision exploiting sensor technology to obtain data points that enable workers to make better informed decisions for their stretch wrap settings.
As an ASTM member, I plan on utilizing these insights to develop unique solutions in the market. With one patent approved for a pallet parking system and one patent pending for the SPYDR multi-wrapper system, Best Packaging aims to continue to innovate and offer the Best solutions to our customers. For more information, give us a call at (888) 930 BEST.
-Steve Kudia
What’s your take? We welcome guest bloggers! E-mail socialmedia@bestpackaging.com if you’d ever like to collaborate.