By:  Scott Fuller   [email protected]
Pouch Equipment Product Line Manager
CMD Corporation

Thanks to dazzling artwork and the latest in science and technology – from the extruder to the printer to the laminator, today’s packaging film is eye-catching and durable.
It’s stunningly beautiful. And expensive. New sustainable film is no exception.

By the time the parent-roll gets to the converting machine to be made into pre-made pouches, it is at the most expensive point in the ‘film-making’ process. As much of that valuable film as possible should end up as a successful package -and as little as possible in the scrap bin.
Technology has come a long way to preserve the investment that brand owners make in the materials which ultimately must protect and promote their products.
Here are suggestions to utilize that technology to get the best overall efficiency and least amount of waste in your pre-made pouch converting process.

Choose machines that utilize a shorter footprint and reduced web path – this results in less material needed at thread-up, better web control and less waste.

Pouch machines have historically been very long. Threading up the entire length of a 50 or 60 foot machine uses a lot of film, and when adjustments are made at the back of the machine, a lot of material can be wasted waiting for the adjustment to work its way to the front.
Reducing the machine length and shortening the web path allows for better web control and more efficient adjustments. This makes so much sense that CMD reduced the overall length of the 760-SUP machine by 11 feet, and the web-path by over 20 feet.

Insist on a system that is easy to use so operators can competently dial in recipes for fewer mistakes, waste and downtime.

Today’s machines offer sophisticated controls systems that are capable of automating much of the process. The unresolved step was not the capability of the machinery; rather, it was a matter of refining why, and how the operator needed to interact with the machine. Simplifying the process and incorporating ease-of-use concepts are critical to closing this gap.
The updated design of the CMD stand-up pouch system focused on simple, fool-proof adjustments throughout the machine, and intuitive touch screen controls with data-rich reports to predict and prevent downtime.

Your system should have robust sealing technology with a wide operating window

You should expect a sealing methodology that confirms the pouches you produce are not only beautiful, but strong, with no leakers. With today’s technology, there is no reason converters and brand owners can’t have verifiable data on their pouch quality, and with the price of the film being converted, it makes good sense to expect it. CMD was first-to-market with Intelligent Sealing Technology, which verifies pouch seal quality for every pouch, every time.

A reliable system will consistently produce the same quality throughout your production run – resulting in less waste and fewer complaints on final package quality.

Your pouch machine should consistently produce the same results, without the need for constant minding or excessive readjustment. This reliability also means you make fewer adjustments and save time.

Much is invested in producing the perfect aesthetics for your packaging. Utilizing ever-improving converting technologies to ensure the most efficient use of that investment is a wise strategy for growth and success.

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