A complete guide to packaging machines

More and more companies are turning to packaging machines and systems to improve productivity, save money, reduce the amount of packaging used and consequently their environmental impact.

We have gathered all the questions from our customers and tried to answer them with this guide in which we tell you about the packaging systems available and what they can offer you.

You too can discover the benefits that automation of packaging processes can bring.

Why does it pay to automate packaging processes?

The protection of products, their packaging, the strapping or taping of boxes and the filming of pallets can be made faster, cheaper and more efficient by packaging machines and systems.

Here are some of the benefits that packaging machines offer:

• They speed up packaging processes and warehouse work, increasing efficiency.
• They reduce the amount of packaging material used and waste, reducing costs.
• They free up space in your warehouse (space is no longer taken up by bulky bags of flo-pak or bubble wrap), leaving more room for storing products, increasing productivity.
• They reduce your environmental impact.
• They increase your control over packaging operations and increase your flexibility.

If you prepare more than 10 packages per day, then a packing machine will save you time and money. In addition, many packing systems can be rented, so you will not have to make initial investments.

If, on the other hand, you only pack a very small number of packages, but need a filling machine that fits various shapes, then a manual system such as the Fillpak M Dispenser may be right for you.

What types of packaging machines exist?

A large number of packaging processes can be automated, including wrapping, strapping, sealing and protection.

At Rajapack we divide packaging machines into three different categories, depending on their function:

• Protective machines: to fill voids and cushion shocks, to keep loose packages safe during transport.
• Closing machines: to ensure that shipped goods are packed and protected in transit, whether pallets or boxes.
• Sealing and heat sealing machines: to wrap and seal products, to ship, store or present them.

In this guide we explain what each machine does, how and what it can be used for, so it will be easier for you to understand whether it might be useful to implement one in your specific business.

Protective Machines

Securing your goods to arrive at their destination undamaged is essential for any successful business. To protect loose packages during transport, paper or air-fill are perfect for cushioning shocks and movement.

Air cushions and wrapping paper used to protect products

Protective systems produce void-fill material quickly and easily, only when needed. You are therefore not forced to buy pre-made fillers (bubble wrap, flopak or pre-inflated cushions). The packaging material that feeds the machines (be it plastic or paper) can be ordered in inexpensive, low-volume rolls.

Air Packaging Systems

These small machines produce air cushions to insulate and protect your products. Simply load the roll of cushions and select the desired settings to start producing customised filling material.

Compact machines such as the Mini Pak’r (W 36 x D 33 x H 28 cm), the AIRmove^® (W 46 x D 22 x H 20 cm) and the AIRmove® 2 (W 36.4 x D 37 x H 32.9 cm) can be positioned and used anywhere. Simple to use, they allow you to quickly produce air cushions and are perfect for medium or reduced use.

If you are environmentally conscious, we recommend the Airplus Mini system: compact and light (W 35.4 x D 67 x h 37 cm), it uses compostable biodegradable plastic cushions. It is ideal for medium or intensive use (500 to 1500 boxes per day).

For more intensive uses, systems such as the Fill-Air Rocket™ or the NewAir I.B. FlexTM can cope with larger volumes of filling material and give a choice of cushion sizes to be produced.

Mini Pak’r and New Air system

Paper Packaging Systems

Paper packaging systems are an economical and environmentally friendly alternative for producing your own filling material. Studies show that consumers prefer paper fillers in their packages for environmental reasons. The machines use reams or rolls of paper and return compressed paper that can be used to wrap or immobilise your products, or fill empty spaces.

These machines are ideal for intensive use (up to 1.4 metres of paper per second) and, although the material produced is wider than air cushions, they offer high flexibility. If you pack more than 50 packs per day, you are guaranteed to save time and money, and usually reduce the material used by 30% within the first 3 months.

The more advanced models include optional extras such as remote control, foot pedal and a programme to define the paper width. The PadPak range of systems is ideal for protecting and locking your products inside the box.

Fillpak M manual, PadPak Junior and more advanced model PadPak Senior

Various paper filling systems are available depending on budget and requirements.

The economic model Fillpak M is ideal for reduced use. It manually produces filling material through the funnel, giving you full control over the amount of packaging produced. For moderate uses, systems such as the Padpak Junior are suitable for packaging requirements of at least 30 packs per day.

Fully automated, the systems PadPak Senior (vertical or horizontal models) are perfect for intensive use and to reduce packaging time. They can produce material continuously and the length of the paper can be programmed to ensure that the right amount of filling material is always available.

If you are looking for a versatile system that can be adapted to any workstation and different usage rates, the PadPak Compact o PadPak LC2 can be right for you.

Foam packaging systems

For exceptional shock and scratch protection around your fragile and valuable product, discover the advantages of the system Instapack Simple^TM system, ideal for medium or reduced use, and the InstapackerTM system, designed for more intensive use, make foam cushions that can adapt to any shape.

Guide to protective machines

Our experts in filling systems have developed a simple online guide that can help you understand which machine best meets your needs.

Inside you will find a selection of the best paper, air and foam filling solutions.

By answering a few simple questions about the number of packs prepared on average per day and the protection materials you prefer, our system will determine the machine best suited to your needs.

Our goal is to make sure that our customers use the most suitable filling and packing method for their needs. With the help of this guide, we hope to provide you with additional help in making your choice.

Closing machines

Once your products are properly packed inside a box, it needs to be closed, protected and secured whether it is loaded onto a pallet or sent as is. A taping, strapping or filming system is necessary to ensure that the package does not open and the contents do not leak during transport.

Closure systems fall into 3 types:

• strapping machinesensure a flawless closure of the box on both the bottom and top side;
• strapping machines, perfect for reinforcing boxes and large loads;
• wrapping machines, for wrapping and securing pallets.

Increased security for parcels through strapping and taping and for pallets through filming

Taping machines

Adhesive tape is the best closure for you cardboard boxes: cheap, multipurpose, with strong instant adhesive power.

If you need to close large quantities of boxes, a taping machine can improve the productivity of your packaging chain.

Discover semi-automatic taping machines:

• Economical
• For intensive use: with motorised upper and lower drive.
• Self-dimensioning: allows boxes of different formats to be closed

Strapping machines

If you have to send goods that require special care, you probably already use strapping with the help of manual tools to increase the security of your consignment.

A strapping machine automates this process, making the pulling, sealing and cutting steps much faster and more efficient. A machine can strap a package in less than 10 seconds and can be used for packages with no size limitation (from l 45 x h 20 mm the electronic tensioning model, from l 60 x h 50 mm the economic model).

Also for strapping machines, for intensive use we recommend an automatic machine designed for these needs.

If you strap more than 50 packages per day, a strapping machine saves you a lot of money and time.

Strapping machines

If you normally use stretch film with a manual dispenser, a film wrapping system could be the ideal solution to speed up your work. These systems allow you to automatically film an entire pallet. The speed at which it performs the operations is easily programmable.

Self-propelled stretch film wrapping robot

If flexibility is your requirement, a self-propelled robot can meet your demands. Extremely versatile and technologically advanced, it can film products of any size and shape. Its features allow it to easily wrap unstable loads, and improve efficiency by using less stretch film, thus saving on consumables.

Wrapping machines are recommended for those who have to secure and ship a large quantity of palletised goods every day. If you habitually film more than 50 pallets per day one wrapping machine can optimise your operational processes.

Heat packers and welding machines

Heat sealing and shrink wrapping machines are designed to package and protect products by sealing them in shrink film or bags, thus protecting them from dust and dirt in the warehouse or damage during transport.

Both systems are versatile and suitable for different product types (from the smallest to a maximum of 500 x 380 x 200 mm).

Producing the bags you need in-house offers several benefits: plastic materials can be stored in the warehouse to quickly produce bags when needed, eliminating reordering times; storage space is reduced; you do not need to keep so many different bag sizes in stock.

Heat wrapping machines

Shrink wrap machines are perfect for packaging or presenting products such as books, mirrors or paintings. The shrink film forms a film around the product, protecting it from water and dust.

Bell packing machine for packing your products and protecting them from water and dust

sealing machines

Formedium and reduced use, and for products up to 400 mm wide, a bag sealing machine may be the ideal solution. It saves you time if you have to pack small products.

Some accessories such as the reel devolver and worktable are available to adapt the machine to your needs. You can also find kits consisting of spare parts to ensure the smooth operation of the machine.

Semi-automatic welding machine with optional reel devolver, up to 8 bags/minute

Purchase, rental & maintenance

Buying a filling system usually means a high initial investment, which is difficult for small and medium-sized companies to cover. That is why many of our systems can be rented with reduced rental fees so that you can see if the machine really meets your needs before committing yourself to larger financial efforts.

This gives you the opportunity to integrate the system into your company without the worry of a long-term financial commitment.

Another element to consider when purchasing an automated packaging system is repair in case of failure. Rajapack takes care of everything so that system downtime is minimised.

In addition to rental and purchase, there is a third option: operational leasing.
This allows you to use the packaging machines and systems against payment of a quarterly fee, which also includes insurance of the asset and maintenance services.
In addition, it is 100% deductible for both IRES and IRAP purposes.

The word from our experts

We asked our experts to give us their opinions on the impact the implementation of a packaging system can have on a company’s productivity. Here are some of their answers:

“Investing in a packaging machine does not only mean saving on the consumables used. Using a system can also allow you to reduce the warehouse storage space allocated to packaging materials by 3 times.”

“The same can apply to the productivity and speed of work. Having a machine to produce paper, air or foam filling means less time spent packing – which equates to faster preparation of your orders. This also translates into a reduction in the number of personnel required at peak times of activity.”

For more information on packaging systems and to find out if they can be integrated into your working environment, contact our experts without obligation on freephone 848 815 815 or email: system@rajapack.it