Automation will enable sustainability in packaging sector
Green packaging is intended to push sustainability and reduce wastage. Use of plastic in packaging is responsible for contributing significant amount of pollution all across the world. How can we reduce wastage and encourage sustainability in packaging?
This major feat can be achieved by implementing key strategies such as using recyclable materials, decreasing the amount of plastic that is used in packaging, or reducing the total overall volume of packaging used. By decreasing the overall volume companies can also avail additional benefits such as using fewer resources, lowering material costs and further enhancing efficiency by cutting precisely and always using the set amount. As a result, a product’s footprint will save costs throughout the supply chain, saving space in warehouses and during delivery.
In addition, automation can help manufacturers achieve their green packaging goals, and also address other issues of manufacturing sustainability. Industrial automation can ensure that less packaging material is used. For example: Making use of packaging machine to cut out packaging pieces can enable maximum use of a sheet of material. Furthermore, use of machines can offer advantages such as reliability and repeatability compared with manpower eliminating the risk of product wastage due to human error.
Also, fixed machinery or process lines can be inflexible owing to their dependency on humans. Keeping that in mind, packaging companies should consider investing in modular machines that can change their function accordingly, or robots that are equipped with various end-of-arm tooling capabilities to support human workers by performing multiple applications.
Flexible automation solutions are available that can facilitate and accelerate the change to eco-friendly and innovative materials, as they are able to adapt to new products, or packages of different shapes and sizes. Also, a lot of innovative materials and designs are being developed to enable sustainability, companies need a packaging line that can adapt to these changes.
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