High efficiency in a packaging line is the primary objective of any project manager, when he begins the design phase. In the present days, packaging machines have reached performance levels that were unthinkable just a few years back, but as much as a single machine can be efficient, the overall result when you put all the pieces together can be extremely different.
The first result of a Google search with the keywords “Buffering System” is a Wikipedia page on the pH balancing system of the blood that is needed by the human body to maintain the proper functioning of the metabolism.
A packaging line behaves in a very similar way, the different machines need to be connected to each other by an efficient circulatory system and that is able to balance the operating differences that may exist between them. Conveyors represent this circulatory system and are too often underestimated in the design phase with dramatic results on the final efficiency of the line.
Buffering systems, ensure that the packaging line operates smoothly and efficiently. They are able to compensate for any variations in the speed or performance of individual machines, preventing bottlenecks and ensuring that the entire line operates at maximum capacity. Some kind of buffering systems should always be present in the packaging line, as they can have a significant impact on the final throughput of the line. Providing consultancy in the identification of the correct solution and subsequently supplying the machines to the customer is exactly the core business of M.H. Material Handling SpA, an Italian company that has been operating in this market for almost forty years now, being founded in 1986.
There are a number of different buffering solutions available to cover any possible requirements, far from being a complete list we can point out the LIFO spiral systems Heliflex, that finds its sweet spot for long buffering requirements of thin products and the BAT-Buffer, a modular system that allow great flexibility to fit any kind of product. For naked products handling M.H. has a FIFO solution for the confectionery industry: The 5L multilayer belt, specifically designed for placement upstream rank distribution lines.
Even if buffering systems are the easiest way to increase line efficiency, they are not the only important node: mergers, dividers, elevators and products manipulation systems are also part of the mix that allow to walk the path towards maximum productivity. M.H. has expertise in each of these devices, as well as the engineering capabilities to put them together in a layout that is fit every time to the customer’s needs. These last devices cover many needs in the line design: Some are mandatory features because there’s the need to connect different numbers of machines along the process, others are useful to optimize the use of floor space available in the plant. Often the focus on efficiency is so high that brings to neglecting other aspects, like the ergonomics of the line, accessibility of machines for the operators, passages and storage areas for packaging materials and other utilities.
Balancing productivity, line ergonomics and return on investment is M.H. Material Handling’s mission.
M.H. operates in Easter Europe with the support of POLO-AG, for further contact you can reach them directly through website www.mhmaterialhandling.com or search for the responsible for machinery division in your country on Polo’s website contact page www.polo-ag.com/contact
