How Automated Packaging Lines offer Significant Benefits to Product Users
With COVID-19 caused downturn, the upfront costs related to new equipment and employee training can increase. However, at the same time, hygiene and quality needs are growing too for entirely safeguarding the end-product users – stressing the importance of Automated Packaging Lines.
The automated packaging technologies make it simpler than ever to automate manual procedures and offer human contact-less products. Further, companies are looking to accomplish more with their automated machinery investments to deliver an extensive range of quality products.
And these products need to be fully hygienic, accurate, not at all contaminated or affected by any virus to make a far-reaching supply chain and productive packaging lines. Here is more about automated packaging lines and how they can offer benefits to end-product users.
1. Role of Automation and Quality Assurance Solutions
In the past, automation solutions were not always fit enough to completely automate all the tasks of overseeing quality control in the packaging line. Rather, the tiresome and recurring works of inspecting all products were left to human workers.
Now, with the development of innovative automated technologies, companies can get equipped to “see” and “catch” nearly 100% of errors. Meanwhile, Quality Assurance (QA) Solutions work diligently, which means the automation capabilities to catch the mistakes and act on it are advantageous, valuable, and swift to process. Blending with other automated equipment in the packaging procedure; this offers highly reliable packaging and better hygiene for end-product users.
2. End-to-End Quality Assurance throughout Supply Chain
In the past few years, product manufacturers used to just focus on the final products and their quality attributes. However, today quality assurance is in every stage of product development starting right from the manufacturing plant to the diverse phases of the supply chain to eCommerce and other selling channels and finally received by the end-product consumer. The hygiene is facilitated and positively kept in control throughout the channels keeping products safe, secure as well as sound.
3. Lack of Personnel or Human Resources drives Automation
Today it is exceptionally tough to find appropriate personnel and skilled human resources at fitting costs. Principally if less repetitive tasks and activities are involved. It is for these grounds that today not only more prominent companies, but even SME’s are faced with the query of meeting the day to day needs resourcefully and cost-effectively.
Lack of personnel is one of the most significant factors causing companies to accept and move towards automation. Rising human resource costs due to the intense competitive situation are having a greater impact on the supply chain and increasing the product costs for end-users. However, by automating the processes, you can reduce the overall costs of your products benefiting the end-users.
4. Reliable Monitoring, Tracking and Scaling with Quality Assurance Solutions
The areas of use for automation solutions within the packaging processes start from product Infeed to loading right up to primary product inspection and secondary packaging at the end of the line. One part of the procedure, which can unquestionably be automated prudently, is monitoring and inspection of the products. If the human element is still utilized for all these activities when it comes to quality assurance of the products, with manual weighing, packaging, and labelling, it is not possible to scale your production lines.
Even random sampling is more probably inadequate to meet the statutory requirements and can’t eventually assure consumer safety. This scenario is because the quality assurance requirements are incredibly complicated, particularly in the FMCG, Food, and Pharmaceutical industry. The product and packaging have to be steadfast as per the benchmarks when it comes to quality checking to enable end-users.
5. Facilitating Automation, Quality Assurance, and Track & Trace Solutions
Facilitating automation initiates with automated washing, air-jet cleaning, sealing, capping, labelling, coding & vision inspection, mix up prevention, automated weighing, pick & place, automated printing & applying, pasting, and tracking products with inclusive reports through automation-based solutions.
Coming back to Quality Assurance Solutions, they help companies in preventing errors, defects, and product issues so that the end consumer has the right product in his hand.
On the other end, Track & Trace Solutions ensure that each shipment is within the company’s knowledge, each batch is tracked as well as traced, and the company has the absolute grasp of their products for users from anywhere across the world.
Key Takeaways
To maintain and sustain hygiene, companies will invest in automated packaging lines and upgrade the existing ones with automation in diverse industry mix depending on their product users.
Product and packaging transformations will be seen in all market segments covering the major ones which are Food, FMCG as well as Pharmaceutical domains, which are directly driven by the consumer’s requirements of quality, convenience, hygiene, and sanitation.
- Published in Automated Packaging Lines, Automation, Quality Assurance Solutions
How to Enable eCommerce Expectations Through Automation
One of the most prominent technologies in this digital era is automated eCommerce. It is a sufficient force that enables entrepreneurs to save time, money, efforts, and resources. In due course, it provides an exceptional opportunity for online businesses to scale exponentially.
Today, in the lock-down period due to disruptions caused by COVID-19, consumers expect swift, frictionless product transactions with visibility and accessibility at each step in the eCommerce supply chain.
How Automation can manage the current Demand-driven Marketplace
In this demand-driven marketplace, due to lock-down and moving ahead, the objective of the manufacturers is to hygienically and economically manufacture their products. This scenario needs reconfigurable, advanced machinery that can mix and match several product flows. And one solution for this comes in the form of supple automation solutions by Shubham Automation.
However, technology suppliers are taking the notion of flexible manufacturing a stage further by integrating independent applications, such as robotics, vision techniques, printing, and labelling with automated machine controls. They are also enabling processes, like automated weighing as well as automated printing & applying, along with tracking products using automation-based solutions.
Also, with the development of innovative automated technologies, eCommerce companies can get equipped to figure out nearly 100% of errors. In the interim, Quality Assurance (QA) Solutions work meticulously, which means the automation abilities to catch the errors and act on it are quick to process.
Integrating the Automation Portfolio in the eCommerce Ready Factory
Robots are a significant component in the eCommerce ready factory. The manufacturing sites are focusing more on automation and digitization, from suppliers to customers facilitating a response to omnichannel retail.
As an integral element of that effort, Shubham Automation has mechanized the subsequent steps of its automated processes by the Pick & Scan mechanism with its advanced Robo device. This technology comes with a one-stop solution for all sizes and categories of package scanning for consumer packaging products.
DID YOU READ: How Robotic Supply Chains Will Tap Automation For A Post-Pandemic World
Further, on facilitating eCommerce expectations through Automation, Biren Patel, Shubham Automation’s Director – Sales & Marketing says that “As we move forward to enable eCommerce domains, we have altered the way we look at manufacturing automation and robotics.” He adds that “At Shubham, they are focusing on doing more integration and customizations like setting-up multiple diverse products in a single set-up, enabling advanced Robotics and hence they are putting efforts to boost the amount of automation and build agility right from when the order is being placed to when it is actually shipped in the eCommerce supply chain.”
As we discussed above, Shubham announced the launch of its innovative Robo device, which is known as Robo Scan, resulting in the integration of robotics and automation into one system. This scenario means there is no requirement for an added control cabinet for the robot, and that programming robotics and machine control is blended into one single developed system.
The Significance of Automated Labelling
An eCommerce package can pass through 15 to 20 diverse touch points in the supply chain ahead of reaching its destination. Tracking the individual packages to make sure the product is delivered all in one piece is a vital part of the eCommerce journey.
So, when an industrial product comes off the manufacturing line, it needs information on its origin and expiration dates. From here, many layers of information are being added to the packaged product. Every movement needs yet another labelling step. So there is a requirement of automating processes, which includes labelling at different places, whether it is enabled directly on the manufacturing floor or into the warehouse.
The Implication of Automated Sorting and Printing
Sorting and printing is an integral part of the supply chain infrastructure. Any product that moves in, around and out of the infrastructure has to be well sorted and have a label on it with a barcode or RFID tag. So, you can keep track of these products where they are going to assure the set requirements.
During production, barcode label systems recognize and track products as they move throughout an assembly line. And in the warehouse, these systems are utilized to mark racks, bins, shelves, and to categorize finished products.
This degree of flexibility and mechanism can be carried throughout the application areas right on the production line, such as automated printing, applying and labelling.
Key Takeaways
So, manufacturers are turning to technology providers to add flexibility for their production, packaging, and supply chain procedures. Primary product and packaging transformations will be seen in market segments like Food, FMCG, and Pharmaceuticals. These sectors are directly driven by the consumer’s needs of higher quality, convenience, hygiene, and sanitation, especially now due to disruptions caused by COVID-19.
The flexibility within the manufacturing and supply chain processes will get integrated flowing through automated weighing, packaging, labelling, and printing on goods, where enablement of essential eCommerce operations comes into the picture.
- Published in Automated eCommerce, Automation
How Robotic Supply Chains Will Tap Automation For A Post-Pandemic World
The disruptions caused by COVID-19 are directing manufacturing companies to tap automation and enable Robotic supply chains. The pandemic is quite instructive that the global supply chains that bring us many of our products have weakened in the process. The utilization of programmable industrial robots will increase and solve many problems to produce the products that we use.
So, what are the Supply Chain Solutions to Fight Disruptions like COVID-19?
As of last fall, most of the manufacturing companies reported unoccupied jobs, owing in large part to a gap between the skills companies required and the skill-sets employees had in the recent scenarios.
“So, if workers aren’t accessible, one alternative is the enablement of robots and automated processes that can support the supply chains by tapping automation for the post-pandemic world.”
How Software can enable Workers to Program Industrial Robots for Manufacturing Tasks
There are specific software and hardware devices to facilitate industrial robots. The software assists workers with little to no understanding of robotics to programming industrial robots for performing different manufacturing processes and activities.
With tailored robots, manufacturing companies can use them for custom runs, blending up with what they manufacture currently.
The Robotic Supply Chains Solutions – Robo Pick & Scan Mechanism by Shubham Automation
The team at Shubham Automation has mechanized the next steps of its automated processes by the Pick & Scan mechanism with its innovative Robo device, which is known as Robo Scan. This Robotics based smart aggregation system secures and makes the aggregation process seamless. This technology comes with a one-stop solution for all size and type of package scanning for consumer packaging goods and pharma industry.
By complying with stringent international guidelines governing the industries, Shubham’s Track & Trace Solutions directly collect and verify serialized information right on the primary package and the label. The entire system easily integrates with Shubham’s Smart Tracker Software and other third-party software.
Pick & Place Steps that are Enabled by Shubham Automation’s Robotic Systems
The bottles are discharged and the Robo picks & places the bottles in the shipper box as per the laid down matrix, which best fits in bulk packing line. The Robo can even place the layers in the box and fill the bottles in the set box automatedly. The further change part and other customizations can be applied for scaling the mechanism as per customized requirements.
Enablement of the Scanning Processes by Shubham’s Team
Shubham has introduced a single high-resolution smart camera-based technology that captures and reads all 2D codes of the stack in the field of vision to enable multiple code reading. Once the bottles are in accordance with the pre-set production process, a parent-child relationship is created, and the box is further labeled using the TTO type printer both manually or can be automated through our Print and Apply solution.
Key Benefits of the Robo Pick & Scan Mechanism comprises
- End to End Automation
- Innovative and Swift Processes
- Highly Accurate Procedures
- Free from Manual Errors
- Highly Robust and Scalable System
- Fits as per Client Requirements
- No Human Touch-points Involved
Key Takeaways
All these automation-based transformations were already in process and underway previous to the pandemic. However, COVID-19 is now accelerating them swiftly. So, the future outlook of supply chain infrastructure will be persistent in recovering the slowed-down economy through automation and by enabling Robotic supply chains in a quick time.
- Published in Automation, Robotic Systems
How Coronavirus Pandemic Will Accelerate The Rise of Automation
The Coronavirus pandemic is speeding up the rise of automation processes on a global basis. A COVID-19 caused downturn will likely go-ahead to a spike in automation; it means companies will reorganize their operations depending more on automated machine systems.
Whether it is in the processing or the packaging of the products, automating processes, and attempting to free the human hands are needed to advance industries. If there are two industries that we just cannot do without, it has to be the food and pharmaceutical industry. For food manufacturing companies enhancing productivity throughout their plants with the utilization of factory automation solutions is highly essential.
Also, the pharmaceutical industry is increasingly utilizing production automation and robotics to automate procedures in drug development, along with drug screening, anti-counterfeiting, and manufacturing activities. The solutions for pharmaceutical manufacturing companies can help attain suppleness, optimized production, as well as regulatory compliance through automation processes.
Enabling Industrial Automation
The enablement of automation is quite significant for diverse industries and sectors. Enabling industrial automation starts with automated washing, air-jet cleaning, sealing, capping, automated weighing, mix up prevention, automated printing & applying, labelling, pasting, coding, pick & place and tracking thousands of products with detailed reports through automation-based solutions.
Further, compromise in product quality, hygiene, and errors are enormous pains in all industrial sectors, be it Pharmaceutical, Food, FMCG, or Chemical Fertilizers. Human errors in packaging, labelling, or tracing can lead to hazardous consequences.
Coming to Industrial Quality Assurance solutions, they assist organizations in preventing mistakes, defects, and any kind of product issues. On the other side, Track & Trace Solutions make sure that every shipment is within the organization’s knowledge, every batch is tracked as well as traced, and the organization has the complete grasp of their products from anywhere across the globe.
Admittance and Penetration of Robots for Automation
Access and penetration of Robots don’t crop up at a balanced or a measured time and speed. As an alternative, automation occurs in burst out, especially in shocking times, such as economic disturbances, when humans turn comparatively more costly as the company’s revenues quickly decline. At these times, employers shed less-skilled staff and restore them with advanced technology and better-skilled workers, which boost labor productivity in a downturn scenario.
However, even new technologies will facilitate automation for manufacturers by enabling both humans as well as machines increasingly working side by side and adding up to more productivity.
Summary of Industrial Impacts that will accelerate the Rise of Automation Worldwide:
- Companies can rush to deploy automation technologies depending upon the impacts of Coronavirus on different industries.
- Automation may redirect the advancement of work and eventually retool most industries.
- Automation will help in speeding up workflows and enabling human contactless tasks.
- The use of automation will be increased to enhance the skill-sets of the current workforce.
- With industry automation, hygiene, accuracy, and speed of work can be better facilitated.
- Automation and robotics can lessen the labor costs as well as amplify work productivity.
Key Takeaways
Most enterprise companies have initiated and will find new ways of enabling their operational automation to boost productivity levels. One thing is sure that the impact of Coronavirus will positively change the definition of managing industrial operations across the globe.
Many economists have outlined these scenarios as the cyclical world of automation. So, if the future of work requires enablement of advanced automation, firm quality assurance, and smart Track & Trace Solutions, all these requirements need to be facilitated for addressing the Coronavirus pandemic signalling to the rise of automation.
- Published in Automation, Robotic Systems
sales@shubhamautomation.co.in
