The Three S’s of Box Motion vs. Orbital Motion Wrappers

When customers are working with Texwrap to add an automatic wrapping solution into their end-of-line packaging operations, one of the first decisions made is to the level of automation that best fits their company needs, both immediately and in the future. This choice is critical to ensuring future viability of the line, and, luckily, it’s a relatively simple one to make after examining the three S’s of production: Speed, Staffing, and Space.

1: Speed

Of the three considerations, this one is the most straightforward. Two factors must be considered: the required cycle rate, and amount of film being sealed at said rate. Here’s where the secret sauce comes in to play: Texwrap has a unique technology for sealing shrink film at high speeds. All Texwrap machines are built to run 24/7, but Texwrap’s orbital motion technology simply runs faster, with less friction, than others in the marketplace.  

Potential growth and long-term maintenance should be factored into this area as well. If future production plans call for higher production speeds, starting with an orbital motion machine may be the better option to prepare for future growth. Doing this is a proactive way to ensure that companies can get the most of their machine for years to come.

2: Staffing

Another factor to consider when choosing which technology is best is the availability to staff the packaging line. There’s always a balance between the long-term expense of labor vs the upfront capital expense of automation. For many packaging operations dealing with nationwide staffing shortages, finding the right amount of reliable operators can be a tall task.

Aside from product loading, there is film management to consider. Both automated and semi-automated film management systems are available. If the return on investment has already pointed to more automation, automated film splicing is usually a no brainer. If automatic splicing does not prove a good return, there is always semi-automatically. This feature uses single wound film, which offers twice the coverage and half the necessary changeovers vs the same roll OD for center folded film. For operations with staffing issues, auto splicing can be an attractive solution, but either automatic or semi-automatic film splicing can have a big impact on labor, efficiency, and production rates. 

3: Space

If speed and available staff make both options viable for an operation, space can be the deciding factor. A fully automated infeed requires accumulation to feed efficiently, which in turn requires space. For facilities with minimal space, a manually fed, smaller footprint system may be a better option.

When considering automated wrapping, or any packaging automation for that matter, remember the three S’s as they can help guide you to the best solution!

For a consultative discussion of your shrink packaging operation and available return on investment opportunities of automated packaging systems, please contact Texwrap Packaging Systems at texwrap@promachbuilt.com