There are various types of standard food packaging equipment readily available in the market today but most food manufacturing companies especially the small one wants their packing machine to be custom build to their specific product and reduce cost by eliminating unnecessary functions. Most of the pre fabricated standard machines are universal and works with most food products but they are very expensive and not ideal for small businesses or for those who are just starting. Automating your business is a good idea and a good sign that your business is growing. It also improves the quality of the product and at the same time maximizes productivity and efficiency.

Unlike before, packaging equipments are complicated with lots of moving parts and uses mechanical linkages, gears and electric motors to run. This type of packaging equipment is very complicated and involves parts like limit switches and many moving parts that are prone to wear and tear. They are bulky, heavy and have a high operating and maintenance cost. Modern packaging equipments on the other hand are compact, modular, lightweight and more efficient. It uses electro-pneumatics and vacuum technology eliminating complicated process and almost maintenance free. It incorporates robotics using pneumatic actuators, sensors and PLC control systems eliminating complex mechanical movements and major downtime just to change the sequence or add some function. These technologies are already proven and are commonly used in most automation packaging machinery found in various manufacturing industries around the world. Most of the time once set-up and running, you can leave it alone and can operate automatically. If the packaging material is low or if there’s a problem a buzzer will alarm you, so you can refill it ready for the next batch.

Because of the high cost of the pre-fabricated food packaging equipment not to mention the shipping cost especially if you order it abroad, most food manufacturer prefer  them to be custom made through local fabricators. These fabricators or OEM’s can produce or customize a machine depending on your needs and a lot cheaper (sometimes 10X cheaper) than if you would buy an original machine abroad. Also, in case your equipment fails you can easily contact them and have it fixed immediately. Since it is made locally, the materials or parts used in the design are based on local products which can be bought easily just in case you need replacement parts. Before finally placing the order you must investigate first, try to have a tour on their facilities, check if they have necessary machines to do the job. Ask if they already made similar projects with other companies and ask for a picture if available. Don’t forget to ask them incorporate safety features on the design. Try to find other sources and compare prices including available options and delivery date.

If your company is already well established and you have a budget for this project it is advisable to invest on original packaging products. One reason is that most of these machines are already been tested to work on other companies who also bought them. Almost all the problem encountered has already been addressed and refined making them more reliable. Just make sure that a technical support is available if you need them, the supplier should also train your crew on basic operation and maintenance of the unit. You should also stock some basic replacement parts especially if they are not available locally or try to buy one with locally available brands fitted on the unit. Ask for a complete documentation and instruction manual including drawings and electrical diagram for future references.