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Choosing which type of secondary packaging machinery can be daunting because there are so many different options. First, you must factor what type of case to load your food products into due to cost, ease of opening, durability and possibly design. Sometimes a specific case is needed because of the style of product, and sometimes it depends on how you want to display your product. With such a breadth of options available, it can be difficult to find simple solutions on what type of secondary packaging will work best for your food products.

At Douglas Machine, we take pride in empowering manufacturers with the knowledge and resources to find the optimal packaging machines for their unique needs and goals. That’s why we produce world-class shrink wrap systems, case packers and other secondary packaging solutions that position our partners for resounding success. Today, we’ll be teaching you about a few popular types of secondary packaging for food products to help you find the right solution for your enterprise.

Types of Cases

The type of product, the durability needed during transport, and the cost to produce the package all play a role in determining what type of case and secondary case packaging machine will provide the best value. Cases serve several purposes; they need to protect and contain the product that they are carrying, but often also display and promote the product to the consumer once they reach the store shelves. Moreover, secondary packaging cases must be durable enough to carry the product and be visually appealing to consumers so they want to buy the product. Some of the most common types of cases include the following:

Regular Slotted Case (RSC)

The RSC case has two flaps that are half the case width with the remaining flaps being the same length. It is the most common case style and can be used for most products.

Full Overlap Case (FOL)

The FOL case has flaps that are all the same length. The outer flaps are within one inch of complete overwrap when closed. This case is ideal for rough handling.

Harness Case

The harness case has a fifth closing panel that completely covers a side panel. It is best for strength and protection for packaging long articles of small diameter.

Top load, horizontal load and bottom load are three types of case packers that use unique cases. Using corrugated cases, trays or paperboard cartons will also be a determining factor in the type of packaging machine best suited for your needs.

Douglas Machine Secondary Case Packers

Douglas Machine provides several different secondary case packaging options to create a machine that accommodates your product needs. We also offer a range of equipment options based on your product requirements, speed and concept. Most importantly, all of our machines are supported with cutting-edge technology and superior customer service that Douglas is known for.

TriVex^® CLi (Top Load)

The Douglas TriVex CLi is a top loading machine used for products that require flat and vertical bag orientations. It collates multiple products and has the ability to load in the direction of travel, both across the machine and vertically. This case packer can handle a large range of product sizes at speeds up to 15 cases per minute while using different innovations designed to prevent bag distortion.

The TriVex CLi is ideal for the following food products:

• Frozen vegetables
• Potatoes
• Pillow and gusseted bag product with flat and vertical bag orientations

Axiom^® ARC (Horizontal Load)

The Axiom ARC is a continuous motion horizontal loading case packer that can load up to 110 cases or trays per minute. It uses a simple loader mechanism and servo-driven product handling to provide maximum product containment. Because it controls the product through the entire load cycle, the Axiom ARC is a great solution for odd-shaped packages and large size ranges.

The Axiom ARC machine is ideal for the following applications:

• Cartons
• Bottles
• Cans
• Jars
• Jugs

Invex^® IM (Horizontal Load)

The Invex IM is an efficient horizontal loading intermittent motion case packer used for mid-range packaging applications. It can load up to 25 cases or trays per minute and offers a variety of infeeds and metering techniques.

The Invex IM machine is ideal for the following food products:

• Food
• Beverage

Ascend™ (Bottom Load)

The Ascend uses bottom load RSC cases in a compact footprint. It can handle speeds up to 15 cases per minute with gentle product handling. It is ideal for heavy products.

The Ascend machine is ideal for the following applications:

• Tubs
• Jugs
• Bottles
• Cartons

Perfect Your Food Packaging with Douglas Machine

Douglas Machine’s leading-edge food packaging solutions will give you the convenience, flexibility and reliability you require. We offer a variety of infeed, metering and loading systems to best serve your needs. We also understand the different applications required to take your product from the plant to retail. We stand by our equipment and are able to offer you a support system that includes machine frame and parts warranties, a large spare parts stock selection with guaranteed best pricing, 24/7 technical assistance and on-site training opportunities.

Visit us online, email us at sales@douglas-machine.com, or give us a call at 320-204-5408 to learn more about the secondary case packaging systems we offer, including details about specifications and the technology used to create the ideal secondary packaging machinery for your food products. We look forward to hearing from you.

There’s a key statement on the Douglas website — one that could easily be overlooked or skimmed through — that embodies the Douglas desire for its employees to embrace life beyond work:

“As an employee-owned company, we work diligently to be the best we can possibly be. Not only through innovation and the ongoing improvement of our products and services, but also in how we impact others and the world around us.”

It’s that last bit that says it all. Everything in life needs balance, and it’s improbable (if not impossible) to have an impact if you never physically or mentally leave the four walls of work behind.

Douglas employees live in the Alexandria, MN area and surrounding region. It’s a part of the state that’s rich in natural beauty, small-town friendliness, unique arts opportunities, and community clubs and organizations. In other words, it’s a good place to be, even in January. (Usually.) And Douglas Machine, as a company, encourages its employees to get out there and enjoy it, contribute to it, and make it an even better place.

Engaging & Supporting Our Communities

In any given week, there’s a signup available for Douglas employees to enter a drawing for free tickets to concerts, performances, sporting events, conferences, fundraisers and more. Here’s a small sample:

• Central Lakes Symphony Orchestra
• Central Lakes Concert Association
• Community Education events
• The Shrine Circus
• Guest speakers
• Alexandria Chamber of Commerce events
• Professional games, including the Vikings, Twins and Minnesota Wild
• Movie tickets to family shows

Douglas also encourages volunteerism by providing tickets to community summits, conferences and luncheons. Red Cross blood drives are held on-site several times throughout the year, and teams of Douglas volunteers sign up to help with Habitat for Humanity builds, United Way functions (such as the mobile food drop), and more.

Jan from corporate administration probably put it best: “Our people are happy to help.”

Douglas County Fair (Aug. 16-19)

Summertime in the Alexandria area means heading to the lakes for plenty of fishing, swimming, paddling, skiing and just plain relaxing. Street fairs, festivals and sidewalk sales abound. This week, the Douglas County Fair takes center stage on Aug. 16-19. And chances are you’ll see a lot of friendly faces from Douglas Machine there on any given day… there are nearly 700 of us, after all!

Troy from the build center said that, with his daughter showing her horse at the fair through 4-H (a community club for youth), he sees a lot of fellow Douglas employees at the fairgrounds throughout the week. In addition to many Douglas families’ kids being involved with a 4-H club, Troy said it’s not uncommon for people to come by at work to let him know they saw his daughter’s horse on their trip through the horse barn.

Being involved with the Douglas County Fair and the community through 4-H is a long-standing tradition for Troy’s family; cumulatively, his kids have been involved with 4-H for 18 years. Their areas of expertise range from horses, dog obedience training, shop projects, photography and baking.

Families involved with 4-H complete community service projects throughout the year too. They visit local nursing homes, fundraising for scholarships, cleaning up roadsides, and much more. It’s a way for Troy’s kids to learn leadership skills—how to run meetings, the ins and outs of community service projects, customer service, and, from working at the 4-H lunch stand, even how a business works.

Troy feels it’s important to be involved in the community. “The experience of helping other people, of being active and involved in the community — it’s knowing it’s not all about you,” he said. It’s a sentiment you’ll hear from a lot of Douglas employees.

Jan is also heading to the fair this week. She said it’s a family tradition now; her husband even volunteers as a cart driver to shuttle people between the parking lot and the entrance. Her grandkids are especially looking forward to this year’s lawn mower derby.

“The fair brings the community together,” she said. “And you always see Douglas people there.”

Besides the ever-popular fair food, Jan said her favorite part of going is simply watching families having fun together. “That’s great to see,” she said.

Summer Celebration

Every summer, Douglas Machine employees take a week to kick back, relax and have some fun together at work. Typically held the last week in July, Douglas Machine’s Summer Celebration is simply that—a celebration of summer and being together as employee-owners. The week features unique daily themes, plenty of treats, an all-employee picnic and friendly competitions like the ever-popular “rubber chicken toss.” A free family night at Casey’s Amusement Park is always a highlight.

Take a look at some of the fun we had this year on our YouTube channel.

Connect With Douglas Machine

Ready to learn more about how Douglas employees work, play, and connect with the communities we serve? Then be sure to contact us today. You can also reach out to us for more details on our industry-leading secondary packaging solutions. We can’t wait to hear from you.

Case packing machinery performs an essential function for secondary packaging of primary packages across all product industries—including food, beverage, pharmaceutical, home, personal care and more. Today, we’ll be teaching you more about the different types of case packer solutions we produce here at Douglas Machine.

Why You Need a Horizontal Load Case Packer

The CpONE represents a step-change in simplicity and usability while maintaining reliability and proven performance.

The CpONE case packer has 40% fewer parts, 30% fewer lubrication points and 40% fewer changepoints, making it simple to operate and maintain. From speeds of 5 to 45 cases per minute, and unmatched accessibility, this case packer simplifies everything.

When you need a high-speed case packer that provides gentle product handling, the Douglas Axiom® IM case and tray packer is the ultimate solution.

This intermittent motion case packer provides industry-leading speed and efficiency with the flexibility and adaptability to meet the most demanding applications at speeds up to 45 cases or trays per minute. Servo-controlled precision, open-frame modular design, innovative infeed technologies and simple menu-driven changeovers contribute to effortless adaptation in a compact, low-maintenance package. Custom inline, right angle or counter flow infeed and metering techniques are also available to provide efficient product handling.

The Douglas Velocity® high speed stacker is available as an option to provide continuous product flow up to 600 products per minute while maintaining remarkable stability. Changeovers are simple and repeatable, and touch screen selectable product recipes automatically control precise adjustments throughout the machine. The sanitary frame design, stainless steel washdown options and compact footprint provides the ideal machine for your valuable production space.

The innovative continuous motion Axiom® ARC loader provides product containment across transfer points, making it a great solution for unstable products.

The Axiom ARC manages large size ranges and flexible, odd-shaped packages while controlling product through the entire load cycle. Servo functions reliably and accurately pack cartons, bottles, cans, jars, jugs and more using innovative infeed technology and high-speed case loading methods with precise product control at speeds up to 110 cases or trays per minute. The cases are preloaded, which allows the case to support the product during loading. This case packer provides gentle servo-driven product handling, precise flap gluing, folding and continuous motion compression with no flight chain camming, tool-less changeovers and a walk-in frame design.

The Axiom® DL continuous motion case and tray packer utilizes dual paddle metering to directly load product onto the case or tray blank.

This metering minimizes unnecessary components to increase production efficiency. Servo functions reliably and accurately pack cartons, bottles, cans, jars, jugs and more using innovative infeed technology and high-speed horizontal case loading methods with precise product control at speeds up to 55 cases or trays per minute. This case and tray packer provides a large size range and simple, repeatable changeovers with a walk-in frame design.

The Invex® IM case and tray packer blends the perfect combination of technology and design to achieve high performance for mid-range case packing applications.

This intermittent motion packer is conveniently flexible and loaded with experience-based design, positive drive technology and control. A variety of infeeds and metering techniques are available for efficient product handling up to 25 cases or trays per minute. Touch screen selectable product recipes automatically control precise adjustments throughout the machine. This compact solution offers simple and repeatable changeovers, sanitary frame design and stainless steel washdown options.

Why You Need a Top Load Case Packer

Douglas top loading and product collation technologies ensure optimum interaction between product, packaging materials and machinery to create the most effective solutions for your application.

Packed with performance-enhancing technology, the compact TriVex® RL & RLi case packer offers 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 at speeds up to 25 cases per minute. Vertical and flat pack capabilities offer high-impact, retail-ready displays. TriVex RLi offers the unique ability to seamlessly erect, load and seal top load cases with one compact machine. Modular erector and sealer configurations include tape or glue, erect and load only or load and seal only. 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. These machines are an optimum solution for the high demands associated with three-shift production, frequent format changes and high efficiencies.

The TriVex® SL & SLi case packer is the simplest retail-ready case packer on the market.

This versatile 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 at speeds up to 25 cases per minute. Vertical pack configurations produce retail-ready display cases with one or two product facings. Flat bag handling and pattern containment optimize case loading with no vacuum and no gantry pick-and-place components. With a quick and simple changeover, this machine packs pouches and flat bottom bags laying flat in the case with two or three products per layer. A dual SCARA robotic solution uniquely combines the functionality of a product infeed, pack pattern collation and case loading functions into one mechanism. The TriVex SL & SLi’s compact footprint offers fewer components, reduced maintenance and unparalleled machine accessibility with easy setup and changeover to optimize uptime.

As the heavyweight champ of product versatility, the TriVex® CLi case packer is ideal for Individual Quick Frozen (IQF) products such as non-free flowing frozen potatoes and vegetables, as well as pillow and gusseted bag product applications requiring flat and vertical bag orientations.

The integrated case erector, upright and flat pack flexibility and large size range meet market demands for case packing both retail and food service bags. The convertible cassette pivots to easily reposition to horizontal or vertical mode, which reduces parts and changeover time. Multi-bag collation and loading in the direction of travel (DOT), across machine (AM) and vertically manages bag conditioning and pack pattern density. The CLi features a bag conditioner with loose product eliminator and collection, as well as a vacuum table to reduce air in perforated bags with vacuum ports adjustable to bag width. This solution also includes a product placement conveyor (PPC) lane divider, including shingling without disturbing the bag shape or pre-conditioning (AM pattern collation only) and transpositing conveyor including shingling with minimal product disturbance (DOT pattern collation only). This case packer runs at speeds up to 70 bags per minute/15 cases per minute, is 40 pound pack pattern capable, and ensures product quality by maintaining product shape and condition throughout the packaging cycle.

Why You Need a Bottom Load Case Packer

The compact footprint, pre-load product collation, smooth case loading and use of bottom load RSC cases provide an automated alternative when top loading is not a suitable option.

The Ascend™ bottom loader is a compact, fully automated machine designed to load flexible and/or complex shaped products into cases.

Best suited for heavy products such as tubs, jugs, bottles and cartons, the Ascend will meet your specific packaging requirements and deliver the ideal solution for your low-speed packaging needs. Designed for efficient sanitation, this compact footprint case packer offers a variety of infeeds and metering techniques for gentler product handling than drop packers at speeds up to 15 cases per minute.

Get Your Case Packer From Douglas Machine

The need for a new case packer may come from many different sources. It may be to replace an aging, high-maintenance machine—or it might be driven by new packages, higher line speeds, efficiency initiatives, new packaging requirements or Return on Investment (ROI) calculations versus manual packaging.

Once you’ve identified the need for a case packer solution, turn to Douglas Machine and receive total commitment to exceeding your expectations. We will partner with you to provide a high-quality case packer customized for your application. Our employee owners will provide you with friendly, responsive service and uncompromising customer support from the start of your experience through the life of your machine. Contact us today to learn more about Douglas Machine and how we can position your organization for success.

At Douglas Machine, we take pride in bringing simplicity to the complex world of secondary packaging. Our mission is to empower your enterprise with innovative products, services and insights to streamline its packaging operations. Today, we’ll be walking you through the basics of HMI systems and on-machine documentation to help you find the right secondary packaging solution for your unique needs.

What is an HMI System?

At its core, an HMI (human-machine interface) system forms the bridge between person and machine. The particular device that allows you to cross that bridge can be anything from a single physical push button to a sophisticated touch screen software system.

Interacting with, monitoring and directing the actions of an industrial system comes down to the HMI. Whatever form the HMI takes, its goal remains constant: to make it easy and efficient to operate a machine and achieve the desired results.

Documentation at Your Fingertips

So let’s say your machine is running smoothly, production is as it should be … and then suddenly it’s not. A light flashes, an alarm trips and wails, production stops. Something needs fixing, adjusting or replacing—but you’re not sure what. You hunt for the user manual, which you eventually discover is conveniently located on a shelf in Bob’s office behind the potted plant.

Bob, of course, is on vacation.

Meanwhile, the manual remains resting on the shelf in a locked office, quietly collecting dust. The alarm still wails, the light still flashes, and production remains at a standstill.

But if you’re working from a screen-based HMI system, there’s an easier way. What if there was simply a button you could push to display the user manual, putting essential information and instructions at your fingertips, ready to help? Bob’s absence wouldn’t even be an issue. By providing instant access to the specific information you need, on-machine documentation directly accessible from the HMI can bolster productivity and cut down on operator frustration.

Does Douglas Machine Provide On-Machine Documentation?

Yes! Machines manufactured by Douglas have optional on-machine documentation, placing the Operator/Service Manual and all of its instructions, photos, diagrams and information at your fingertips at any time. The manual is in a familiar and easy-to-navigate PDF format.

Douglas provides a standard documentation package with each machine as well. The standard package provides informative and easy-to-understand Operator and Service machine documentation. We also offer optional job aids to simplify daily operator/service procedures and help break down language barriers.

Standard Documentation Package

Provided at Machine Shipment

• Two Operator Manuals
• One set of vendor-supplied OEM bulletins
• Two Changeover Adjustment Setting Charts

Provided 10 to 14 Days after Machine Shipment

• Two Service Manuals
• One USB flash drive containing the following assets:

• • Operator Manual (.pdf format)
  • Service Manual (.pdf format)
  • Bill of Materials and Instructions (.xls format)
  • Original Changeover Settings (.xls format)
  • Original Recipe Variable Settings (,xls format)
  • Assembly Drawings and Instructions (.pdf format)
  • Electrical Drawings (.pdf and .dwg format)
  • Electrical Program & HMI Program (PLC program)
  • Reassembly Photos (.pdf format)
  • Job Aids (.pdf format)

• Two sets of job aids (printed and electronic – .pdf only):

• • Changeover Job Aid
  • Troubleshooting Job Aid

Find out More About Douglas Machine’s Documentation Options

Visit us online, email us at sales@douglas-machine.com or give us a call at 320.204.5408 to learn more about the documentation options available for each machine Douglas manufactures. We’re looking forward to hearing from you!

Combining shrink wrap and trays is a common packaging solution for a number of industries, largely because it’s easily adaptable and cost-effective. Douglas Machine wants to provide more flexibility and contribute to your company’s growth and success. That’s why we offer the Film-Only Conversion enhancement on existing shrink packer systems—and Film-Only options on new shrink packer systems. Customers can now take advantage of a whole new market and reduce material costs by going beyond trays and pads to running film-only products.

The Douglas film-only conversion allows a tray-and-pad machine to run as a film-only machine via a changeover process. This conversion increases the types of packages that a single line can run, granting a customer’s machine the capability to run tray, pad and film-only pack patterns. Most existing sizes can run as film-only sizes after this upgrade.

Enhancements to our existing shrink packer systems in a customer plant include modifications to the flight rails and overhead sweep to contain loose product. A mat-top chain and rails are added through the sweep for support. The modified tunnel allows more air and heat control, and a micro-pitch chain tunnel discharge conveyor is added to increase product handling out of the tunnel. The infeed section of the machine does not require upgrades. This capability allows customers to run their existing Contour™ Shrink Packer System (SPS) as both a tray/shrink packer and a multi-wrapper in one machine!

A Rundown on the SPS-Series

Film-only capability is available on new equipment as an option. For example, the SPS-Series offers the following advantages:

• Simple and repeatable changeovers
• Side-mounted film stand to assure proper ergonomics and add convenience for film loading and splicing
• Flexible servo-driven wrapping wand for exceptional film control
• Revolutionary patented heat tunnel uses advanced heat and airflow management, delivering tightly wrapped packages for maximum package integrity and appearance

The Douglas Contour heat tunnel is designed with the aesthetics of your product in mind. Whether your application calls for single or multiple lane production, unprecedented heat and airflow management ensures minimal graphic distortion, consistent bull’s-eyes and a tighter, more durable wrap. Enhanced tunnel operations significantly reduce noise and exterior heat temperatures, contributing to a quieter, cooler plant environment.

High-Efficiency Heat Source

The heat system is designed to ensure that the air supplied to the distribution system is perfectly uniform, eliminating film distortion due to hot or cold pockets. The Contour heat tunnel continuously recycles the air as it cools, decreasing the amount of energy required to reach operating temperature. A well-insulated heat tunnel minimizes heat loss, which also maintains a safe outer surface temperature.

Balanced Laminar Airflow

At the heart of this innovation is a combination of design features, which result in “laminar” airflow—rather than “turbulent” airflow, which most shrink systems use today. Unlike turbulent airflow, which causes a multitude of shrinking inconsistencies, our proprietary laminar design precisely balances the heated air, perfectly “coating” the film from every direction, shrinking and sealing the film in an even, predictable manner.

Precision Lap Seam Welding

Evenly heated air passing through the open web conveyor contacts the film under the product, resulting in consistent “air weld” of the film lap seam. Tunnel chain temperature and airflow are precisely adjusted through product-specific, recipe-driven changeovers, optimizing performance. Poor lap sealing due to insufficient heat or holes melted in the seams due to overheating are eliminated, resulting in strong and even seams that hold up to the rigors of distribution and stocking operations.

Automatic Film Splicer

This option is a great addition to a new Contour Shrink Wrap System. Its simplicity and convenience provides an efficient work environment for the operator. The ergonomically designed automatic film splicer delivers precise print registration and heat splicing, reducing critical machine downtime. Moreover, the easy-access side film stand enables operators to stage clear or printed film, at their convenience, while the machine is running. Staging during operation maximizes production time and minimizes the occurrence of empty film faults. And once the film is staged, no operator attention is needed for splicing. Splicing occurs automatically, providing operators considerable flexibility with workload.

Additional package options make the SPS-Series our most flexible system.

Contact Douglas Machine Today

For industry-leading performance, package appearance and durability, please contact Douglas Technical Services or Sales today to request more information and to learn how Douglas can do more for you. We look forward to hearing from you.