Two rising trends in packaging today include flexible packaging and the use of robotics.
Flexible packaging includes bags, pouches and other flexible products. Flexible packaging is one of the fastest growing forms of packaging in the industry. It is beneficial to manufacturers, retailers and consumers. Several advantages to flexible packaging include lightweight material, ultimate protection, customization in packaging shape and size, creative graphics, less shelf space, lower shipping costs and positive environmental impact … just to name a few. Consumers enjoy the fact that flexible packages are easy to store, easy to open and are resealable.
In the packaging industry, robots are involved from the beginning to end-of-line, handling food, pick and placing, case packing and palletizing. For secondary packaging applications such as shrink wrapping or case packaging, robotics solve issues related to hard-to-handle products, multiple axis manipulation, fluctuating throughput rates and tight plant layouts. While not every application may require a robot, the increasing need for flexibility and evolution of products require more complex automation and becomes a business necessity warranting new technology. Integrating a robot into a packaging line can help alleviate current and prevent future challenges.
Top Load Case Packing with Douglas Machine
Top load case packers are an ideal packaging solution for flexible packaging. Douglas top loading and product collation technologies ensure optimum interaction between product, packaging materials and machinery to create the most effective case packers for your application.
Douglas’ compact TriVex® RL & RLi offer automated robotic case and tray packing solutions to accommodate the unique demands associated with handling bags, pouches, cartons, trays, tubs, cups, cans, bottles and overwrapped products. Maximized flexibility provides efficient loading of products into almost any style of pre-erected top load case or tray.
The TriVex RLi offers the unique ability to seamlessly erect, load and seal top load cases with one compact machine. Innovative design features, advanced servo technology and simple menu-driven changeovers combine to accommodate a wide variety of product types with less product handling and less maintenance. It’s the optimum solution for the high demands associated with 3-shift production, frequent format changes and high efficiencies.
The TriVex® SL & SLi are ideal for the demands of the growing retail ready market. This robotic top load case packer meets market needs for lines requiring products to be packed vertical in the case and lines requiring both vertical and flat pack product orientations. Vertical pack configurations produce retail ready display cases with 1 or 2 product facings. With a quick and simple changeover it packs pouches and flat bottom bags laying flat in the case with 2 or 3 products per layer.
The TriVex® SL & SLi use a dual SCARA robotic solution uniquely combining the functionality of a product infeed, pack pattern collation and case loading functions into one mechanism.
Douglas TriVex® Series case packers incorporate the top two trends in packaging today (flexible packaging and robotics) into one ideal solution for your application.
Next Steps
Connect with a packaging expert at Douglas today to discuss how we can partner with you for your next top load case packaging project. We would be honored to help you find the ideal solution for your needs.