Pressure is the primary cause of damage to aluminum and PET containers, making packaging pressure monitoring essential for preventing it.
High levels of pressure on conveyors can compact containers, resulting in costly aesthetic damage such as label tearing, scuffing and crush damage.
Pressure, and related mechanical variables such as spin, tilt and friction, cause scuffing and abrasion damage by compacting containers. Damage to the container can range from label tearing and decoration damage, to catastrophic failure.
High pressure doesn’t only affect the container. Sustained pressure increases equipment wear, the frequency of downtime events and maintenance cost on all type of filling lines.
Using packing pressure monitoring on your production line.
Packaging pressure monitoring is an often-overlooked but essential component in ensuring packaging efficiency and effectiveness. Whether it’s food and beverage products, fragile electronics, or heavy industrial goods, pressure plays a critical role in how well a product is protected during storage, transport, and handling.
At its core, pressure monitoring involves the use of sensors to detect and measure the amount of pressure exerted on packaging materials. This data can be used to fine-tune the amount of material used, improve packaging design, and ensure that products are properly protected without wasting excess resources.
With advancements in real-time sensor technology, companies can now gather precise data about the forces their products experience throughout the supply chain. For example, Masitek’s pressure monitoring sensors provide immediate feedback on the pressure exerted on packaging during production and transport. This data can be analyzed and adjusted to ensure the exact amount of protection needed—nothing more, nothing less.
Optimize filling lines by reducing pressure on packaging
Pressure occurs throughout the transportation systems of all filling lines and a well-balanced line is needed to optimize the line’s overall performance. Regardless of the container material – glass, aluminum or PET – packaging operations are well served to monitor pressure and correct areas of concern. Common causes of pressure include line design, control strategies and conveyor belt wear.
By monitoring packaging pressure within a weekly or bi-weekly maintenance program, operators can take immediate action on areas of pressure that are outside of specification and prioritize future maintenance tasks when trends indicate an escalating issue.
Reducing packaging waste through pressure monitoring
One of the biggest advantages of packaging pressure monitoring is its ability to directly reduce waste through optimized packaging design. By measuring pressure on the line in real-time, companies can achieve a balance between product protection and material use, preventing overpacking and reducing waste.
FAQ
What common causes of packaging waste can packaging pressure monitoring alleviate?
Overpacking: In many cases, companies use more material than necessary to ensure product safety, resulting in excessive packaging.
Underpacking: Packaging that doesn’t provide adequate protection can lead to damaged products, which must be replaced and repackaged, doubling the waste produced.
Inefficiency in design: Packaging designs that haven’t been optimized can lead to the use of more materials than necessary, increasing both the cost and environmental impact.
The environmental consequences of this waste are profound. Not only do packaging materials fill up landfills, but the production and transportation of these materials also contribute to carbon emissions, energy consumption, and resource depletion. Therefore, it’s crucial for companies to find ways to reduce packaging waste—and this is where packaging pressure monitoring technology can make a difference.
How can Package Pressure Monitoring with sensors alleviate overpacking?
Overpacking—using more packaging than needed—remains a common problem in industries that rely on heavy or fragile goods. With packaging pressure monitoring, manufacturers can better understand how much protection is required for a particular product, allowing them to eliminate unnecessary layers of packaging.
A manufacturer shipping fragile electronics or a food distributor handling glass jars can use pressure data to optimize packaging. Instead of overpacking, pressure sensors allow for real-time adjustments, reducing waste, costs, and product damage without adding excessive protection.
How can packaging pressure monitoring help with lightweighting?
Many companies use excess packaging materials as a safety precaution to prevent product damage. However, pressure sensors can provide data-driven insights into how much packaging is actually necessary to protect products. This allows manufacturers to reduce the amount of material they use, whether that’s thinner plastic, less cardboard, or other more sustainable packaging options.
For example, a beverage manufacturer might discover that it can use thinner plastic for its bottles by using real-time pressure monitoring to ensure that the bottles won’t crack or leak during transportation. This reduces the total amount of plastic used in production, cutting down both costs and waste.
are the other benefits of measuring pressure on packaging?
While waste reduction and sustainability are major advantages of packaging pressure monitoring, they’re not the only benefits. Pressure sensors also provide numerous other indirect benefits in bottling and packaging operations.
Cost Savings: By reducing packaging waste and optimizing material usage, companies can save significantly on raw materials and production costs.
Product Quality: Fewer damaged products mean higher quality and fewer customer complaints, which can improve brand reputation and customer loyalty.
Data-Driven Decisions: Real-time pressure data allows companies to make informed decisions on how to improve their packaging processes, supporting continuous improvement initiatives.
In-Line Sensors for Line Pressure
Case Study
Carlsberg uses smart sensors globally to pinpoint breakage.
Industries
Containers
Applicable Products:
Find the source
of packaging damage
on the line.
