From unplanned downtime to repetitive stress injuries, small equipment inefficiencies can quickly turn into costly slowdowns in the flexible packaging industry. That need for better, more efficient processes is why flexible packaging businesses turn to custom-engineered converting solutions.
Standard parts often come with limitations around performance, ergonomics, and maintenance. Custom converting components like core chucks and core shafts allow flexible packaging companies to address these issues and enhance processes with parts that fit seamlessly into their existing equipment.
Ready to discover how creative engineering can improve your processes? Here’s how custom solutions help flexible packaging operations run smarter.
Why Custom-Engineering Matters for Flexible Packaging Equipment
1. Boost Performance with Purpose-Built Components
What often happens with converting equipment is that the original machine is made to be less expensive, but this approach can lead to problems with performance. Custom-engineered parts can help you maximize that equipment’s potential so that your operation runs more efficiently.
Core shafts are a great example of the difference between custom and off-the-shelf parts. The original shaft is often made of steel that’s heavy and gets the job done, but limits how fast it can run before it starts vibrating, also known as reaching critical speed. A custom, carbon fiber shaft reduces the weight of the part, allowing for a potential 15% improvement in critical speed according to our research.
In short, custom engineering allows flexible packing companies to speed up their converting process. That’s an immediate improvement to throughout that allows you to reap the benefits long after the initial investment.
2. Improve Ergonomics and Operator Safety
Ergonomic issues are common for people who work directly with converting equipment. Operators handle heavy rolls, lift awkward parts, and make frequent adjustments during their shifts, which can lead to less efficient work processes and even OSHA-reportable incidents.
A good example of how custom-engineered parts can address this issue is by making them easier to handle. Safety regulations often set limits for how much weight one person can lift on their own. If the shaft in the current system weighs 65 lbs., they’ll need a second person, a cart, or some other solution that slows down their process.
By moving to a custom solution like a carbon fiber shaft or core plug, companies can reduce weight to meet safety guidelines and allow for:
- Reduced lifting and manual effort needed to handle components without tools or excessive strain.
- Safety-first design that helps protect operators while improving line efficiency.
3. Simplify Maintenance and Reduce Downtime
At some point, you’ll need to take a core shaft or some other component apart for maintenance or repair. The more difficult that component is to maintain, the more time your team will spend on maintenance and repair and less on production.
Standard parts aren’t always easy to access, disassemble, or replace – and some require you to send parts back to the factory instead of being able to handle maintenance work internally. Custom-engineering allows you to keep ease of maintenance in mind to lessen future headaches and downtime. Custom-engineered products can be designed to:
- Speed up changeovers and maintenance through quick-release designs and accessible fittings that reduce time spent on the floor.
- Eliminate added downtime, shipping times, and costs by allowing in-house maintenance staff to conduct work on site.
- Standardize replacement across lines by tailoring to streamline spare inventory.
- Extend service intervals by designing parts for your exact application that are less likely to wear prematurely.
Final Thoughts: Fit the Part to the Process – Not the Other Way Around
Flexible packaging is a dynamic industry where speed, precision, and safety drive profitability. Custom-engineered converting components offer a smart way to improve your current processes and invest in more efficient production by limiting downtime, optimizing performance, and improving safety in the workplace.
At Double E Group, we specialize in helping flexible packaging operations get the most from their equipment with custom shafts, chucks, safety components, and roll handling solutions built for the demands of real-world applications.
Looking to improve your line’s performance? Contact us today about a custom solution for your equipment.