Captions on · Transcript below · Watch on YouTube (2:37)
Packaging Line Capacity and Buffer Systems
Thomas Bornemann, Director Sales & Marketing at Hastamat, recommends at least 10 to 15% extra packaging capacity so stoppages do not cripple the line. Dennis Feldbusch, Area Sales Manager, explains that a snack line such as pretzels has an oven upstream that cannot stop, so product keeps coming for at least 20-30 minutes, and buffer systems bridge that time.
Key takeaways
- Thomas Bornemann recommends at least 10 to 15% extra capacity on a packaging line.
- A faster machine needs more adjustment of machine parameters, so Thomas Bornemann says operator qualification and the product affect whether speed is the right choice.
- Dennis Feldbusch explains that buffer systems, depending on their design and length, can bridge the 20-30 minutes of product an upstream oven keeps delivering after a line stop.
Common questions
- How much extra capacity should a packaging line have?
- Thomas Bornemann of Hastamat recommends at least 10 to 15% extra capacity so that upstream or downstream stoppages do not cripple the line. He adds that the right setup depends on the whole system, including how many machines are in a line and whether one machine can take over if another stops.
- Why do snack production lines need buffer systems before packaging?
- According to Dennis Feldbusch of Hastamat, a snack line such as pretzels usually has an oven 20-30 meters before packaging. If the packaging line stops, the oven cannot be stopped, so product keeps coming for at least 20-30 minutes. Buffer systems, depending on their design and length, can bridge that time.
- Is it better to buy a faster packaging machine?
- Thomas Bornemann of Hastamat says it depends on the qualification of the operators and on the product. A faster machine needs more adjustment of the machine parameters. The size of the package in combination with the product volume also has to be reviewed with the customer up front.
Transcript
Tom Rougeux, President, Piepenbrock Packaging
How much extra capacity should a customer buy so that stoppages upstream or downstream don't cripple the line? So if you're looking at 100% of handling 100% of what the customer produces, do we recommend 50% or 20%?
Thomas Bornemann, Director Sales & Marketing, Hastamat
I would say at least 10 to 15%.
Tom Rougeux
Okay, and what do you think is more important, to buy a faster machine or to consistently feed a machine that handles the rate that a customer is producing?
Thomas Bornemann
I mean, this question is also very interesting, and it's also depending to the qualification of the operators here. Faster machine means you need a more extra adjustment of the parameters of the machines, yeah, and it's also a bit depend to the product at the end.
Tom Rougeux
And how much variation goes into that? Does that make a difference? How much variation goes into the product?
Thomas Bornemann
Yes, this is also a point. You know, it depends to the size of the packaging in combination with the product volume and all the things. So this is something we have to overview upfront and to discuss with the customer for sure.
Dennis Feldbusch, Area Sales Manager, Hastamat
And also comparing the feeding situation. Do you have really an online process? So for example, if you have a snack business like pretzels, you usually have an oven 20-30 meters before.
So if a line stops, you cannot stop the oven. So there will be product coming for at least the next 20-30 minutes. So how do you handle that?
So with buffer systems, like I said at the beginning, yeah, so we can provide buffer systems.
Tom Rougeux
Okay.
Dennis Feldbusch
And we can buffer.
There are different buffer times, yeah. So depending on the design of the buffer, on the length on the buffer, so we can overbridge this time.
Tom Rougeux
So would you say the value of a buffer is really in its ability to consistently feed packaging equipment or just to handle what if?
Thomas Bornemann
I mean, this is also, but there's always not a real yes or real no. This is depending to the whole systems. For example, how many machines you have in one lane, if one machine is capable to take over the production of one machine, if one machine stops, for example.
This is also something what we are doing. So it's always different and depending to the application, yeah.
Tom Rougeux
So it sounds like you have to look at the whole line.
Thomas Bornemann
Yeah, this is very important.
