If you’re considering options for improving the productivity of your end-of-line operation, a case erector and a case taper (also known as a case sealer) are two types of automation that will help you achieve that goal. When used together, they can slash the time required to package any product. But to understand why this automation equipment is so effective in tandem, first you need to know what each piece brings to the table separately.

A case erector addresses the problems caused when building packaging by hand. When your employees are responsible for erecting boxes manually, a number of issues arise:

• Building high quality boxes at an efficient speed is difficult for a person to do.
• Human error happens, and it can increase your costs due to lost packaging.
• Hard labor can cause staff related safety issues in terms of repetitive motion injuries.
• Your only option for speeding up the process is to add more employees, which is costly.

Box erector equipment can start with a flat box, form it, fold it, and seal the bottom all in one operation. Wayne machines even have the option to perform automatic case changeovers if you need differently sized boxes.

Erectors can make square boxes consistently, and at a much higher rate than an operator can achieve. This equipment can handle large volumes and rapid rates required by industrial manufactures. There are also smaller and compact versions for smaller automators that can save money and space while delivering the benefits of automation.

Wayne case erectors come in many forms and sizes. A vertical case erector is an affordable machine with a small footprint, and it can still run up to 20 cases per minute. If you use tablock cases, there’s an erector for that. You can choose from equipment built to manage large volumes, small volumes, and everything in between.

Adding a case erector to your production line will help you cut your costs and produce boxes that will hold up better throughout your supply chain. They also look better, which will be appreciated by the end user.

A case taper is also called a case sealer. This machine’s job is to seal your boxes after they have been packed. They create an excellent seal, typically far better and more cost-effective than one placed by an operator.

For example, say an operator places one strip of tape on a box that is crooked and doesn’t cover the entire top seam. The operator can easily just apply a second strip to fix the problem, but they’ve also doubled your tape cost. If you have a low volume requirement, it may not be a problem. However, over hundreds and thousands or repetitions that extra cost will add up quickly.

A case sealer will put the same amount of tape on every box, and the seal will be tight to avoid issues during shipping.

You can add either a case erector or a case sealer to your production line, but there’s no question that you’ll receive the most benefit and cost cutting potential if you have them working together. Using both types of automation, you maintain rapid throughput on both ends of the packaging process, preventing bottlenecks. You’ll save more, and reduce the potential for damage and loss at both stages.

Here are just some of the situations in which you might want to consider using both a case erector and sealer:

• If you are erecting and sealing large quantities of packing boxes a minute
• If your packaging costs are increasing
• If you need to save space, but still want to introduce automation
• If you want to reduce labor costs and create a safer workplace for your operators

With the large demand for increasingly productive end-of-line equipment, you’ll have the opportunity to choose from a variety of options. You can find those that fit your needs and provide you with outstanding flexibility.

Do you want to know more about how Wayne Automation case erectors can benefit your end-of-line process? Click here to download your free copy of The Ultimate Guide to Case Erectors. And if you have more questions about our machines and our service, contact us to discuss the best case erectors for your packaging process.