Manufacturers in the discrete and hybrid industries seek ways to drive improvements in sustainable performance. For packaging lines, this means looking for opportunities to increase energy efficiency and improve overall equipment effectiveness.

A Compressed Air Best Practices article, Three Ways to Make Packaging Lines More Sustainable, explores the use of pneumatics monitoring and ultrasonic welding technologies to make these improvements.

Consumer packaged goods (CPG) manufacturers are:

…CPGs are actively seeking ways to decarbonize their packaging lines and use eco-friendly packaging materials. Many have started monitoring the energy consumption of their equipment in real time and upgraded critical areas of their packaging processes using two key technologies: pneumatics and ultrasonic welding.

The first way the article authors highlight is to optimize the use of compressed air.

Today’s smart pneumatic devices provide a more complete picture of pneumatic system performance as well as actionable insights that give companies the ability to better understand and effectively control the energy use of their packaging lines.

The AVENTICS AF2 Series flow rate sensor can provide early detection of compressed air leaks to enable rapid intervention for optimized energy consumption and reduced machine downtime.

It uses edge analytics and a web-based dashboard, enabling operators to see:

…the relationship between air pressure, flow and the speed of the actuator more clearly. By better understanding the true nature of this relationship, operators can determine the optimal consumption point of compressed air for their packaging processes.

Stretch blow molding (SBM) systems used for PET [polyethylene terephthalate] bottles are combined with the bottling process for continuous production.

Proportional control valves, such as the AVENTICS Series 625 Proportional Pressure Control Valve, are:

…developed for the pre-blow expansion step in the PET production that replaces the on/off high-pressure flow and, quite honestly, revolutionizes this bottle production step. Where the previous in/off high-pressure flow set a uniform flow rate throughout the blow process, the new control modulates flow to fine-tune each bottle’s expansion within the mold.

This enables greater sustainability through reduced material consumption with thinner, more lightweight bottles and less compressed air and energy used.

Ultrasonic welders, such as the Branson GSX-E1 ultrasonic welder, are the third way to drive more sustainable operations.

Its precise, reliable capabilities and efficiency allow end users to reduce energy consumption, confidently use biodegradable packaging, minimize product and packaging waste and improve packaging recyclability and compostability. This sustainable technology can ultimately save energy by up to 25% and reduce carbon footprints by up to 75%.

It is:

…also more compatible with bio-based materials, such as polylactic acid (PLA), than traditional heat sealing. Because biopolymers contain significantly less polymer content, it can be difficult for the simple time, temperature, and pressure settings of a heat sealer to reliably bond this type of biodegradable, single-use packaging and achieve a commercial-grade, hermetic seal.

Read the article and visit the AVENTICS and Branson links above for more on these technologies to help you drive more sustainable packaging operations.