If your company is in the market for a new folder-gluer you will quickly discover that the purchasing process will probably prove to be more technical and complex than you first envisaged.
This is mainly because there are numerous options and features to consider and you will have to decide what is most important and relevant to your requirements before making your final purchasing decision.
To get some more information and an overview you might want to go to https://www.sbl.tw/index_en.php. In addition, here is a look at some of the key points you might want to consider when purchasing a folding gluer.
- Will your purchase be fit for purpose?
A fundamental point to consider is that you might be shown a make and model that may appear to be suitable for your requirements on the face of it but the basic demonstration might not reveal how it will cope with your specific demands.
A good tactic to employ would be to approach a number of potential suppliers of the equipment and provide with them some typical samples of the packing products you intend to use the item for.
This way, you can then get some detailed estimates and quotes that are highly relevant in terms of speeds and total completion times.
If it all possible, it would be a good idea to see if you can take your own packaging profiles so that you can see whether the model you are interested in will be up to the task you are buying it for.
- What sort of technical support is available?
When you are purchasing a piece of equipment such as a folding gluer it is rarely a case that you do the deal with the manufacturer and then walk away to handle ongoing maintenance and technical issues on your own.
It is often the case that technical support will be a crucial aspect that helps you keep the production line going as efficiently as possible.
The role of the manufacturer is not simply to sell you the equipment you need but also to guide you when it comes to finding the best way possible to get the best performance on a regular basis.
A good clue to look for would be to source a manufacturer who can show you ways to save time by eliminating certain steps that may not be necessary if you learn exactly how to use the machine to its full capabilities.
- Handover and ongoing training
Another key question to ask the manufacturer would be whether operator training will be provided during the handover process and whether there is ongoing training and operating advice available when it’s needed.
Folding and gluing jobs can be extremely varied and sometimes complicated to setup. This is precisely why it makes sense to develop a relationship with the people who know the equipment inside and out and can, therefore, often provide you with a viable solution when you need it.
It can often be the case that in the early stages of taking delivery of the machinery there will be a tremendous amount of information to take in during a very short space of time.
It is not unreasonable to suggest that you could easily suffer an information overload during that initial setup and handover process which is why you want to know that you are not on your own when you need a refresher on certain points or need some technical assistance.
- Think about what auxiliary equipment you might need
In addition to making the right purchasing decision when it comes to the folder-gluer itself, it is also important to consider what auxiliary equipment you might also need to acquire.
That’s not an easy task when you consider that in a modern production environment you will have numerous options presented to you with regard to auxiliary equipment. This includes being offered some sophisticated glue systems to choose from, together with barcoding options and automated feeding systems for both the front and back of the folder-gluer line.
It cannot be understated how critical it can be that you choose a high-quality extrusion glue system as this is the key to achieving consistency in your carton production.
Good quality-control procedures are now considered fundamental to that consistency and that means you should be looking at a system that includes features such as code reading and glue scanning.
If you have the ability to scan the glue lines that have been laid down by the extrusion guns it will give you the ability to verify that the right level of bonding has been achieved each time.
Code reading is also a priority feature to look for as it gives you the capability to ensure that every job is identified correctly, even when you are working with cartons that have a very similar profile.
- The issue of speed
Finally, it is also worth talking about how fast you are expecting your folder-gluer to run.
It is certainly not beyond the realms of possibility that you can find a machine that can process tens of thousands of cartons per hour but you need to ask whether you need this rate of production and whether this might hinder rather than enhance the entire process.
If you do want to try and achieve this level of output you will need to ask whether this is going to require the addition of automated feeding and case packing systems in order to allow the folder-gluer to be able to run at these sort of production speeds.
In light of the key points raised here, it should be abundantly clear that not all packing systems are equal and that is why you need to take your time creating a list of must-have specifications and requirements for your folder-gluer.
If you put a lot of consideration into the purchasing process it should improve the setup time when you take delivery and allow you to enjoy a smooth performance almost immediately.
