The Complete Guide To Buying Packaging Machinery

How To Choose A Packaging Machinery And Materials Supplier:

eooe supply professional and honest service.

When it comes to choosing a supplier for your packaging materials and machinery, it is important to do your homework and ask yourself a few questions. You should investigate at least three different suppliers and learn about several important dynamics from each of them.

 

 

Location

It is a good idea to choose a packaging machinery supplier who is relatively close to your geographical location or can easily travel to you. This will have an impact on your business when there is a need for repairs or emergency service for your equipment. Pick a supplier who is in another country and you may find yourself dead in the water for days on end. Choosing a supplier with technicians who are local is always a smart idea. When it comes to your materials, you don't have to be as worried about the physical location as most supplies can be shipped timely.

 

Technicians

It is important to choose a packaging machine supplier with experienced and certified technicians who are professionally trained to work on your packaging equipment. Without the proper certifications, you are taking a chance with your equipment. You could end up paying big when risking service with non-certified techs.

 

 

Customer Service

It may be tempting to source the cheapest packaging materials in an attempt to save money, but if you buy from a company with poor customer service, you may end up losing the anticipated savings anyway. Poor service often means lost dollars. Check out reviews of each vendor and if possible, reach out to current customers and ask about their vendor's customer service and if they would recommend buying from them.

 

Cost

There is an old saying in the packaging industry and that is "shrink film is shrink film". While there are some brands with flashy marketing and sales gimmicks with a premium price, chances are, there are several less costly alternatives that are of equal quality. If you are looking for comparisons, there are generally low-cost films that have lower clarity and higher-cost films that will shine more and have better clarity. Choosing an inexpensive film may cost you in shelf presence.

 

Snake oil and elevator pitches can blur the line between reality and illusion. At the end of the day, you will want to purchase from an honest supplier who carries multiple offerings at different price points and provides superior customer service.

 

 

Parts

Depending on how often your machinery is running, your downtime due to repair needs or emergency service will vary. As time is money, it is important to ask your machine supplier about lead times, parts availability, and preventative maintenance programs.

 

Ask each potential vendor what their average response times for emergency calls are. In most cases, it should not be more than 24-48 hours.

 

Which Packaging Materials Should You Use?

Different types of machinery require different types of materials and utilize different amounts of materials based on the make and model of equipment. For example, while you can save money upfront by purchasing a manual L-Bar Sealer, your cost of goods will likely be higher as a more expensive automatic sealer will generally use less material than the manual machine because the machine will generally be optimized to do so.

 

That being said, the quantity of product that you will be producing must also be taken into consideration. An automatic sealer won't be the right machine for a small business that is only running a couple of thousand items or less each week.

 

This is due to the fact that each model is designed to work with specific maximum and minimum capabilities and materials. Every machine is different. Your packaging line's unique needs must be taken into consideration when choosing the appropriate machine for your application. This can result in higher production costs if your choice of machinery cannot run thinner gauge shrink film. Using thinner gauges of shrink film can result in significant cost savings.

 

Conclusion:

 

Buying packaging machinery is a major investment. The various dynamics of choosing machinery include; safety, budget, physical layout, electrical supply, materials, and a whole host of considerations that can make your head spin.

 

When moving forward with the buying process it is important to start by reviewing the appropriate KPIs with an emphasis on safety first. Next, you will want to be sure to complete the packaging machinery pre-investment checklist. After filling out the information in this valuable tool and getting your results back, you will want to move on to getting quotes from at least two or three vendors.

 

Getting an analysis of your packaging department and collecting data on your current machinery, manual labor, materials, physical footprint, electrical requirements, production levels, types of products and the other important dynamics of running a safe and productive packaging line is key.

 

Once you have been able to fully analyze every aspect of your packaging line, asking for quotes from each of the vendors you are giving an opportunity to quote will provide you with peace of mind that you are going get the best deal and receive the best of what each vendor has to offer.

 

In addition to requesting information and pricing on the packaging machinery you are looking to purchase, be sure to also acquire information about the cost of service, installation, any training available, supply, and repairs. Ideally, you should consider getting a quote for a long-term preventative maintenance plan as this type of program will ensure that your machinery is always running at peak performance and that downtime will be limited when it does occur.

Once you have chosen a vendor to buy from, meeting with your representative and reviewing the machinery offerings that they have will allow you to open a conversation about pricing. Here you can ask about special offers, rebates, additional options, leasing versus buying, and other related dynamics that will help you to get the best price and best plan implemented for your specific budgetary restraints and packaging line needs.

 

Finally, it would do you well to schedule quarterly, bi-annual or annual meetings for review with your chosen vendor's sales representative and one of their maintenance technicians.

 

This will allow you to review data from one meeting to the next and identify places where your machinery and materials could be improved upon to further reduce your cost of production, increase speed to market, create greater efficiency and produce a superior performance on your packaging lines KPIs.

 

Once you have purchased your new machinery and have worked with your chosen vendor to install the machinery, train your operators, and all else has been said and done, be sure to schedule your first review before your representative leaves your building.

 

If you heed the information in this guide, we assure you that you will make the best possible choice of packaging machinery for your packaging department. Furthermore, you will be able to ensure the purchase and implementation of the best materials for your products and may rest assured that you have done everything in your power to have the best possible packaging line for your business.

 

Should we not have produced answers to some of your questions or content that is crucial to your particular needs in regard to buying new machinery, contact us directly. Your voice can help others in your position in the future!

 

Our dedicated packaging professionals can and will answer any questions that have not been answered by this guide. In addition to what you have read here, we invite you to peruse our blog which is absolutely packed to the brim with useful information, free tools, and quality content that will make for a highly useful adjunct to this guide.

 

Last but not least, you will find a selection of free tools below that will help you on your journey to finding the best packaging machinery for your packaging line.

 

From all of us here at Industrial Packaging, we wish you well on your quest and again would implore you to contact us if you need anything else that you could not find in this guide.

Takes ~ four hours plus drying time; best to run in multiple sessions to permit glue drying between sessions.

Note that not all lessons and activities will exist under a unit, and instead may exist as "standalone" curriculum.

Units serve as guides to a particular content or subject area. Nested under units are lessons (in purple) and hands-on activities (in blue).

For more information, please visit kite stick making machine solution.

Takes ~ four hours plus drying time; best to run in multiple sessions to permit glue drying between sessions.

Summary

Students learn how to use wind energy to combat gravity and create lift by creating their own tetrahedral kites capable of flying. They explore different tetrahedron kite designs, learning that the geometry of the tetrahedron shape lends itself well to kites and wings because of its advantageous strength-to-weight ratio. Then they design their own kites using drinking straws, string, lightweight paper/plastic and glue/tape. Student teams experience the full engineering design cycle as if they are aeronautical engineers&#;they determine the project constraints, research the problem, brainstorm ideas, select a promising design and build a prototype; then they test and redesign to achieve a successful flying kite. Pre/post quizzes and a worksheet are provided.

This engineering curriculum aligns to Next Generation Science Standards ( NGSS ).

Students get a running start to launch their tetrahedron kite.copyright

Copyright © Denise Jabusch, University of California Davis

Engineering Connection

Since the early days of flight, ideas for flying machines and their wing structures have been extensively tested. The aeronautical engineers of today continue to design new wing structures, now using computers and wind tunnels. To test early wing designs that used the tetrahedron shape, small and inexpensive kites were used. Alexander Graham Bell was one engineer and inventor who designed flying machines and found that generating lift was a problem. To increase lift, which often came at the expense of added weight or lack of structure, he experimented with the tetrahedrons to create structures that were both strong and lightweight. Use of the tetrahedral shape resulted in large kite structures of minimal weight with enough lift to achieve flight, even with passengers and eventually powered flying machines. Kites proved to be a great testing ground for the design and construction of Bell's tetrahedron-based flying machines. The tetrahedron also had the advantage of being a modular design; the tetrahedral "cell" shapes could be stacked and manipulated for more lift and repurposed into many different designs for flight. In this activity, students work as if they are aeronautical engineers, designing, and redesigning wing prototypes.

Learning Objectives

After this activity, students should be able to:

• Describe the concepts of lift and force.
• Explain and apply the steps of the engineering design process.

Materials List

Each group needs:

• 24-96 (or more!) disposable plastic drinking straws with a minimum 7-inch (18-cm) length and all of equal length; 6 straws per tetrahedron cell, which are combined to make up the tetrahedron kite; the number of straws needed depends on the complexity of the kite; for example, a simple kite made from 4 tetrahedral cells requires 4 cells x 6 straws = 24 straws, a 10-celled kite requires 10 x 6 = 60 straws, a 16-celled kite requires 16 x 6 = 96 straws, etc.
• lightweight sheet material, such as paper, plastic film, cloth etc., for covering the two sides of each tetrahedron cell; this is approximately one 8.5 x 11-inch (22 x 28-cm) sheet per tetrahedron cell
• string, yarn or rope, for connecting and creating the tetrahedron cells; about 45 inches (114 cm) per tetrahedron cell
• Design and Fly a Kite Pre/Post Quiz, two per student
• Construction and Competition Rules, one per group
• Guidelines for Running Tetrahedron Kites, one per group
• Engineering Design with Application to Unpowered Flight Worksheet, one per student
• paper and pencil, as needed, for sketching designs and drawing templates
• computer with internet access, for research

To share with the entire class:

• kite string, 25-30 feet (7-9 meters) per kite being flown; can be repurposed between kites if tests are not at the same time; rolls of kite string usually come in 500-foot (152-m) lengths
• scissors
• glue or tape
• kite handle
• a wide-open outdoor area on a windy day, such as a playground or field, for kite testing

Pre-Req Knowledge

Knowledge of shapes, such as triangles (2D) and tetrahedrons (3D).

Introduction/Motivation

Kites may seem like toys, but they were once an integral part of weather forecasting, communication and war. Over time, kites have been replaced by airplanes, but their use has taught us a great deal about flight.This early tetrahedron kite design by Alexander Graham Bell shows how the shape can be stacked for flight to use a kite as a test instrument.copyright

Copyright © c. Alexander Graham Bell, The Bell Family via Wikimedia Commons {PD} https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Early_design_of_a_Tetrahedron_kite_cell,_by_Alexander_Graham_Bell.jpg

You may be familiar with Alexander Graham Bell for his invention of the , but are probably less familiar with his great interest in achieving flight. One of his first "flying machines" was made using a kite-like design. One of the most interesting shapes he used for his kites was a tetrahedron&#;a solid-triangular pyramid. This tetrahedron shape can be stacked upon itself to create larger tetrahedrons, much like LEGO pieces can be stacked and combined into a bigger whole.In , Alexander Graham Bell designed this early flying machine composed of 3,393 tetrahedron cells.copyright

Copyright © Unknown photographer, Wikimedia Commons https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:AEA_Cygnet_II.jpg

What is a tetrahedron shape? (Listen to student ideas.) The tetrahedron is a three-dimensional shape made of four equilateral triangles. It is a triangular pyramid. It has four triangular faces, six straight edges and four vertex corners. (If available, show students a tetrahedral block or an animation of one at https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Tetrahedron.gif.)A rotating tetrahedron.copyright

Copyright © Cyp via Kjell André, Wikimedia Commons https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Tetrahedron.gif

The tetrahedron shape is popular for its advantageous strength-to-weight ratio, which means that for a given weight of a structure, in this case tetrahedrons, a large amount of force can be supported, which we call strength. This characteristic is derived from the geometry of the tetrahedron itself.

Procedure

Background

Engineering never has one answer and no perfect design exists. Engineers research all information accessible to them and identify multiple design strategies (in our situation, kites) that may work for their needs. Then engineers select the most promising design to build and test. Testing is a key step to enable engineers to learn vital information about their designs and helps them to identify unforeseen problems and weaknesses. For instance, in this activity, if a kite does not fly, then students examine potential reasons why it failed. Or if a kite breaks mid-flight, then students may seek to find a sturdier design. It is vital for students to understand that new designs do not have to work the first time, and even if they do, there is usually room for improvement.

In the activity, students start with a basic tetrahedral shape. Tetrahedrons are both strong and lightweight, which is key for achieving flight. Covering two sides of the tetrahedron shape can help create lift. Lift is the upward force on the tetrahedron created when wind hits the tetrahedron cell and is redirected downward. Multiple sets of smaller tetrahedrons can be connected into one larger tetrahedral kite, and the combined lift acting on each of the smaller tetrahedrons can overcome the weight of the entire kite. This usually enables the kite to take flight.

Consult the Building Tetrahedral Kites activity for details on how to fabricate a basic design for working tetrahedral kites with the potential for further manipulation.

Wind is a force. When it is blowing, you can feel it push you around. If the wind's force can be redirected downwards, you create what is called lift. Lift is a force that causes an object to rise in height, or fly/hover. Lift has a natural "enemy" known as gravity. Gravity is a force that brings things back towards the ground. If not enough lift is created by redirecting the wind and overcoming the force of gravity, an object won't fly. The problem may be rectified by either reducing the mass of the object being lifted (this reduces the force of gravity acting on the object) or increasing the lift to overcome gravity.

Before the Activity

• Gather materials and make copies of the Design and Fly a Kite Pre/Post Quiz, two per student; the Engineering Design with Application to Unpowered Flight Worksheet, one per student, and the Construction and Competition Rules and Guidelines for Running Tetrahedron Kites, one each per group.
• Use straws and string to make an example six-sided basic tetrahedron cell shape to show to students.
• Decide how you will enable students to access the Internet for the "research the problem" step of the activity, perhaps by using in-classroom computers, at-home computers (homework) or reserving a computer lab. Alternatively, screen a few online sources to find a variety of good designs and print out sheets to hand out to the groups.
• Arrange for the testing portion of the activity to take place outside on a windy day.

With the Students

1. Administer the pre-quiz, as described in the Assessment section.
2. Present to the class the Introduction/Motivation content.
3. Divide the class into groups of three students each and pass out the supplies, including the handouts.
4. Guide groups through the steps of the engineering design process as they design, test and refine their tetrahedron kites. Refer to Figure 1 for a flowchart of the steps, which are often performed in different sequences and repeated as necessary; review with the class, as necessary. Refer to the steps of the engineering design process to help students visualize the overall cyclical process. The steps can be performed in different sequences and repeated as needed.copyright

   Copyright © TeachEngineering.org. All rights reserved.

5. Ask: Identify the Needs and Constraints: (5 minutes) Read the tetrahedron kite construction rules and ask students to identify the design constraints, which are the project requirements and limitations. Have students create on their worksheets checklists of these constraints for their kite designs. Expect the checklist to look similar to this list:

• Needs to be able to fly in the wind.
• Each tetrahedron MUST use six disposable plastic drinking straws. (Show an example.)
• Each tetrahedron MUST be covered on two sides.
• Tetrahedrons may only be connected at the corners.

6. Research the Problem: (15-30 minutes) After students have completed their own checklists, they learn more about the problem and research possible designs.

• Discuss with students how a tetrahedron kite redirects the wind downwards to generate lift. See Figure 2.
• To give students an initial starting point for designing their own tetrahedron kites, have them research online to find a variety of different existing designs and examine them for whether or not they meet the activity design constraints and/or give them ideas for their own designs. Figure 2. A) The shape of a tetrahedron kite minimizes drag from the incoming wind when the kite is in flight. B) The forces acting on the kite while it is in flight include wind&#;the force that has the ability to lift and move the kite sideways, and gravity&#;the force pulling the kite to the ground.copyright

  Copyright © RESOURCE GK-12, University of California Davis

7. Imagine: Develop Possible Solutions: (20-30 minutes) Once students have spent some time researching different designs, have them brainstorm and sketch ideas for their own kite designs. Require each group member to create at least one sketch. Encourage students to be creative and consider all possible ideas.
8. Plan: Select a Promising Solution: Once multiple sketches have been generated, have student groups discuss the pros/cons of each design. Specifically, have students compare each sketch to their worksheet checklists. The selected kite design must meet all the design constraints. While it may not be clear if some constraints are met by the design until it is constructed and tested (for example, if it flies!), direct students to do their best to determine if the designs meet the identified constraints. It is okay to repeat the brainstorming, sketching and discussion process several times since exploring different ideas is part of the process of determining a final best design. Upon settling on a design, students begin construction.
9. Create: Construct a Prototype: (60 minutes plus drying time) Since the tetrahedron kite is modular (much like LEGO pieces, but with pyramidal shapes), take a moment to discuss the benefits of modular construction and how each team member can build a tetrahedron cell(s) that contributes to the whole. Once students finish constructing the cells, team members can start putting together the full design according to the original sketch. Expect construction to be a team effort.
10. Test and Evaluate Prototype: (30 minutes) Once the full kites are constructed, begin testing. It is best to wait for a windy day for testing since the lack of wind can yield false negative results (kite would fly in wind, but does not fly in the absence of wind). Review the guidelines.
11. Improve: Redesign and Retest: (60-90 minutes plus drying time as needed) Have each group share with the class its kite design and test results. Suggest that students look for common themes in successful kites. Have students think about why the other kites were not successful. For groups with successful, flying kites, have students consider ways to add more cells so that the kites are still able to fly. For groups with kites that did not fly, have students redesign how their tetrahedron cells are connected and re-attempt to fly. Re-confirm that the redesigned kites meet all constraints as outlined in the rules. Retest all groups' kites and expect to see an increase in successful kites.
12. Post-activity discussion: (10 minutes) At activity (or competition) end, lead a class discussion of the redesign results, as described in the Assessment section.
13. Administer the post-quiz, as described in the Assessment section

Vocabulary/Definitions

brainstorming: A group problem-solving method in which each person in a group presents his or her ideas in an open forum, with the purpose to come up with a great number of different ideas.

constraint: A limitation or restriction. For engineers, constraints are the requirements and limitations that the final design solutions must meet.

drag: A force that opposes the motion of an object traveling through fluid (including air).

force: The act of pushing, pulling or applying pressure.

lift: A force, opposite to gravitational force, created by fluid (air) flowing past an object.

modular: A system (such as a tetrahedral kite) that consists of multiple subunits that complete the whole design.

tetrahedron: A three-dimensional shape made of four equilateral triangles. A triangular pyramid. It may also be described has having four triangular faces, six straight edges and four vertex corners.

Assessment

Pre-Activity Assessment

Pre-Quiz: Administer the four-question Design and Fly a Kite Pre/Post-Quiz to assess students' prior knowledge of forces acting on kites in flight and the engineering design process.

Activity Embedded Assessment

Engineering Design with Application to Unpowered Flight: Students create a constraints checklist, make sketches and explain their design changes on the Engineering Design with Application to Unpowered Flight Worksheet. Look for evidence that students are thinking through their ideas and designs before construction begins. Encourage students to discuss and share test results of their initial kite designs; pay attention for thoughtful comments. The redesign step of the activity provides an opportunity for further assessment on how students evaluate and improve on their initial designs.

Post-Activity Assessment

Class Discussion: At activity (or competition) end, lead a class discussion in which students share their redesign results and gain practice in technical communication. Take note of students' discussion contributions to gauge their engagement and depth of comprehension.

Post-Quiz: Administer the four-question Design and Fly a Kite Pre/Post-Quiz again. Compare pre/post answers to assess individual student learning about forces acting on kites in flight and the engineering design process.

Troubleshooting Tips

It helps with construction if students create a template shape for covering the tetrahedrons, such as the covered planes illustrated in the orange color in Figure 2.

Additional Multimedia Support

An animation of a tetrahedral so as to comprehend its shape: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Tetrahedron.gif.

Building Tetrahedral Kites. (A middle school activity in which student teams construct tetrahedral kites following specific instructions and using specific materials in a limited time period, paying attention to basic manufacturing systems while aiming for team efficiency and product quality. A good source for a basic initial tetrahedral kite design.) TeachEngineering.org.

Illustrated online instructions for making a tetrahedral kite: https://boyslife.org/hobbies-projects/projects//build-it/.

More Curriculum Like This

Upper Elementary

Lesson

Will It Fly?

Students learn about kites and gliders and how these models can help in understanding the concept of flight. Then students move on to conduct the associated activity, during which teams design and build their own balsa wood glider models and experiment with different control surfaces, competing for ...

Will It Fly?

Middle School

Activity

Building Tetrahedral Kites

Working in teams of four, students build tetrahedral kites following specific instructions and using specific materials. They use the basic processes of manufacturing systems &#; cutting, shaping, forming, conditioning, assembling, joining, finishing, and quality control &#; to manufacture complete tetr...

Building Tetrahedral Kites

Upper Elementary

Lesson

Using Thrust, Weight & Control: Rocket Me into Space

Through the continuing storyline of the Rockets unit, this lesson looks more closely at Spaceman Rohan, Spacewoman Tess, their daughter Maya, and their challenges with getting to space, setting up satellites, and exploring uncharted waters via a canoe. Students are introduced to the ideas of thrust,...

Using Thrust, Weight & Control: Rocket Me into Space

Copyright

© by Regents of the University of Colorado; original © University of California Davis

Contributors

Joshua T. Claypool

Supporting Program

RESOURCE GK-12 Program, College of Engineering, University of California Davis

Acknowledgements

The contents of this digital library curriculum were developed by the Renewable Energy Systems Opportunity for Unified Research Collaboration and Education (RESOURCE) project in the College of Engineering under National Science Foundation GK-12 grant no. DGE . However, these contents do not necessarily represent the policies of the National Science Foundation, and you should not assume endorsement by the federal government.

The author acknowledges the support and help from UC Davis RESOURCE advisors Alisa Lee, Travis Smith and Jean VanderGheynst. He also thanks the RESOURCE fellows for their helpful comments during the writing of the activity.

Last modified: July 24,

If you want to learn more, please visit our website China timber board trimming machine.