Westpack Panel Addresses Automation and Cost Control
February 3, 2012 – 2:28 pm
http://blog.pmpnews.com/?p=2456
Packagers are under enormous pressure to reduce production costs without compromising product quality.
Through upgrades in packaging machinery technology, peripheral equipment, and processes, manufacturers can improve production line efficiencies and reduce the errors that lead to product recalls and put consumers and patients at risk.
Approaches for improving packaging line performance and controlling costs will be addressed in an “Automation and Cost Control In Packaging” seminar on Wednesday, Feb 15, at Westpack in Anaheim.
Richard Bahr, president and CEO of MGS Machine will present three case studies on reducing labor and cost and improving sustainability. In one instance, MGS developed a cartoner and robot-based product handling system for a high-speed pharma blister line that eliminated wasted carton space, without increasing the existing footprint.
In another case, MGS automated a medical device maker’s manual packaging operations with the deployment of robots and vision systems.
Robb Clarke, PhD, director of the Auto-ID Research & Testing Center, Michigan State School of Packaging, will present on streamlining semi-automatic packaging systems to reduce lead times and increase quality, covering the incorporation of ergonomic machines and integration of quality control measures.
The relationship of package design to production efficiency has received increasing attention in the pharmaceutical space as lines are evaluated for overall equipment effectiveness (OEE), and industry explores real-time process measurements with statistical process control (SPC).
In a workshop opening the session at 2 pm, Scott Jost, vice president, Innovation and Design, Berlin Packaging, will look at harnessing innovative package design in ”Aligned Partnerships: An Integrated Innovation and Development Model.”
To register for the seminar, contact Nicole.Maisner@ubm.com. Tell her Dave Vaczek sent you.
Dave Vaczek
