As Technical Director, I oversee machinery commissioning and bespoke engineering adaptations for production facilities across the UK. Over the years, I have seen first-hand that the most advanced packaging machines are only as profitable as their operational uptime. Planned maintenance is not an optional extra; it is a fundamental requirement to prevent catastrophic breakdowns and costly factory downtime.
When you are running high-speed production lines, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. A scheduled 30-minute stop for servicing on a Tuesday morning is always significantly cheaper than an emergency 12-hour halt on a Friday afternoon.
Here is a straightforward, practical breakdown of the checks required to keep your industrial packaging machines running at peak performance.
Daily and Weekly Checks
Your shift operators are the first line of defence. Incorporating these basic checks into their daily programme will save you considerable trouble down the line:
- Cleaning: Debris, product crumb, and dust are the enemies of moving parts. Machines must be blown down and wiped clean at the end of every shift.
- Visual Inspections: Operators should check for wear on belts and inspect the condition of sealing jaws. On flow wrappers, a damaged sealing jaw will compromise the hermetic seal, leading to immediate product rejection.
- Lubrication: Ensure all accessible grease points are lightly lubricated according to the manual. Over-greasing can be just as damaging as under-greasing, as it attracts dust and film particulates.
Monthly and Quarterly Technical Servicing
These checks require a competent maintenance engineer or a scheduled visit from the Record Packaging technical support team:
- Heating Elements and Sensors: Whether you are running tray sealers or shrink tunnels, accurate temperature control is vital. We test and calibrate thermocouples to ensure your heating elements are delivering consistent, precise heat.
- Pneumatic and Servo Systems: Many modern packaging machines rely on complex servo drives and pneumatics. We check airlines for moisture ingress and inspect servo motors for standard wear and tear.
- Film Tensioning: Advanced packaging machines are designed to handle modern, sustainable films without tearing. However, the film tensioning rollers must be perfectly aligned. If they fall out of alignment, you will experience constant film snapping and wasted material.
Ready to take your packaging to the next level? Contact us today.
We specialise in box motion flow wrap machines and our friendly staff are ready to assist you. Get in touch by giving us a ring or completing the contact form on our website. We’re looking forward to discussing how our machines can streamline your operations!
"*" indicates required fields
The Cost of Getting It Wrong
Consider our clients in the fresh fish and seafood sector. We provide specialized packaging machines designed to create hermetic seals that protect against contamination and preserve the delicate texture of fresh fish. If a tray sealer’s tooling is poorly maintained and the seal fails, the resulting loss of MAP (Modified Atmosphere Packaging) gases means the product’s shelf life drops from over a week to just a few days. The commercial cost of that wasted product far outweighs the cost of a routine service visit.
At Record Packaging Systems Ltd, we do not just install machines and walk away. We offer comprehensive customer support and maintenance packages tailored to your exact production schedule. If you want to optimise your line and protect your investment, get in touch with our technical team today to discuss a preventative maintenance programme.
