To innovate the packaging process, furniture manufacturers often face challenges such as the need for multiple operators in the packaging area, manual box adaptation for different product sizes (which compromises compression strength), and overcrowded warehouses with numerous box codes to manage. These issues negatively affect productivity and become especially critical during peak production periods. Companies often focus their attention on manufacturing productivity with highly efficient machines, overlooking packaging, which can become a real bottleneck.
In this context, Panotec offers machines and systems for the production of custom-size boxes. Companies producing flat-pack furniture require specific box types such as 300 (bases and lids), 410, and 401, in various sizes and formats. Panotec machines can produce not only the most common FEFCO box types but also customized solutions tailored to the customer’s needs. These boxes are designed to perfectly fit the items being packed, optimizing the use of cardboard, reducing shipping costs, and preventing damage during transport.
A success story in this field is Imab, which replaced shrink wrap as packaging material with our solutions.
The Imab Case Study: Semi-Automatic Packaging System
These were the customer’s objectives when they turned to us to optimize their production flow:
- Replace the shrink-wrap system with a fully eco-friendly cardboard packaging solution.
- Automate palletizing, even with the high productivity required.
- Optimize human resources in the packaging process (6 operators).
To meet these needs, we created a system that:
- Replaced shrink wrap with a Panotec custom box production machine, improving the perceived quality of both the packaging and the product.
- Integrated a palletizing robot and motorized bays to make the process fully automated.
- Created four packing bays operated by four workers.
Imab packaging flow
How the System Works
The production and packaging system is structured to optimize every phase of the process. Box production is handled by the EVO packaging machine, equipped with six cardboard feeders to maximize efficiency in material usage. Thanks to this configuration, the machine can produce custom-sized boxes to meet all dimensional production needs.
Once produced, the boxes are transferred to the preparation area, which includes four workstations ensuring a productivity rate of five boxes per minute. Here, each operator manually forms the box and fills it with the products. A system of roller and belt diverters then moves the box to a waiting station, ready to enter the main line according to set priorities.
The boxes are then sent to the closing station, where the machine applies and seals them with hot-melt glue, ensuring secure and reliable packaging.
Finally, the process concludes in the palletizing area, where a robot picks up empty pallets and places them in the four dedicated bays.
For a concrete example of a similar system capable of managing wrap-around box production with the same precision and automation, visit the following link:
Discover Panotec’s Automation Systems for 410 Boxes