IT in Manufacturing


Automation tips for eco-friendly plastic packaging

Technews Industry Guide: Sustainable Manufacturing 2024 IT in Manufacturing

The urgent need to reduce plastic packaging to alleviate environmental strain is widely recognised. However, the benefits of plastics should not be completely overlooked. To address this, efficient and resource-saving usage is essential. According to the Pew Charitable Trusts, plastic pollution could be reduced by nearly 80% by 2040, provided there are global efforts to transform the use, processing, and recycling of plastic.

Plastic packaging remains indispensable in sectors like the food and beverage industry, due to its versatility. Polymers offer flexibility, ease of shaping, lightweight, hygiene benefits, and convenience in transportation and shelf presence. Customers value convenience, product integrity and sustainability, despite plastic’s shortcomings. Compared to alternatives like metal or glass, plastics require less energy to produce, transport and recycle. Although the trend towards unpackaged food is growing, viable alternatives to plastic packaging are often lacking for reasons of cost, hygiene or safety.

Reduce, recycle, reuse and redesign

The mantra for the industry is to reduce plastic usage and rethink packaging strategies. Companies are increasingly focusing on the four Rs: reduce, recycle, reuse, and redesign. This includes minimising plastic use, developing new recyclable plastic compositions, and innovating packaging designs like recyclable and resealable bags. These efforts contribute to sustainability, and compliance with legal requirements and customer demands.

Various stringent requirements, including the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), promote climate protection, responsible consumption and greener production. Regulations such as the EU Directive 2019/904 aim to reduce plastic consumption, evident in bans on single-use plastics and strategies to cut down on plastic bags. Manufacturers are committing to using more recycled PET in products, and making packaging more recyclable or using less plastic.

Practical tips for more sustainable packaging

Automated and rationalised processes are key to operating more efficiently and sustainably. Here are some recommendations:

Sealing: Monitor and control film closely to maintain product specifications and avoid issues that impact downstream processes.

Data collection at the machine level: Collect and analyse real-time data on variables such as speed, pressure, synchronisation, and temperature to ensure packaging efficiency and quality.

Forming: Use automation solutions to check the integrity, colour, and shape of packaging materials, ensuring high-quality outputs with tight temperature and pressure controls.

Wrapping: Implement applications that ensure precise control over temperature and movement, to maintain the integrity and stability of wrapped packages.

Handling: Ensure accurate and repeatable handling operations with efficient communication between image processing systems, conveyor belts, and robots, especially when dealing with new film materials.

Closing: Use high-resolution servos connected via machine networks like EtherCAT to effectively manage weight reductions and changes in container size and shape.

Partner with experts: Collaborate with experienced partners like Omron, which offers integrative technology, global services and a commitment to sustainability goals, supporting companies in their sustainability initiatives.

By implementing these tips, companies can make significant strides toward more sustainable plastic usage in consumer-packaged goods manufacturing. Omron stands at the forefront of empowering companies in their journey towards greener packaging solutions. With its innovative automation technologies and comprehensive support services, Omron offers pivotal assistance to manufacturers striving to enhance sustainability.

Through advanced automation solutions, Omron enables companies to optimise packaging processes for reduced material usage, improved recyclability, and enhanced overall efficiency. Real-time monitoring and data collection capabilities ensure precise control over the variables critical to packaging integrity and performance, aligning with sustainability objectives.

Moreover, Omron’s commitment extends beyond technological innovation. With a global network of integration partners and a deep understanding of regulatory landscapes, Omron facilitates compliance with environmental standards and regulations. By leveraging its expertise and collaborative approach, Omron empowers companies to achieve significant reductions in environmental impact, while meeting evolving consumer demands for eco-friendly packaging.

In essence, Omron serves as a strategic ally for businesses navigating the complexities of sustainable packaging. By choosing Omron, companies not only embrace cutting-edge automation solutions, but also embark on a path towards a more sustainable future, where innovation and environmental stewardship converge to create lasting value for both businesses and the planet.


Credit(s)



Share this article:
Share via emailShare via LinkedInPrint this page

Further reading:

Addressing the cooling needs of the modern data centre
Schneider Electric South Africa IT in Manufacturing
The rise in hardware density in data centres is gaining speed and is largely driven by the demands of artificial intelligence and machine learning, requiring more powerful servers and specialised hardware.

Read more...
South Africa’s next cyber security frontier
IT in Manufacturing
AI-powered agents are rapidly transforming how South African businesses operate, from chatbots managing customer inquiries to automated systems processing financial transactions. While these AI-driven assistants increase efficiency and reduce operational costs, they also present a new, and often underestimated, cybersecurity challenge: identity management.

Read more...
Bombardier expands adoption of Siemens Xcelerator for aircraft developmen
Siemens South Africa IT in Manufacturing
Bombardier has expanded its adoption of the Siemens Xcelerator portfolio of industry software for aircraft development.

Read more...
The DeepSeek effect: navigating AI’s new frontier
IT in Manufacturing
DeepSeek has emerged as a game-changer in artificial intelligence, offering a robust platform redefining how businesses approach AI integration. This change is especially important since it opens up AI to a wider range of organisations, including small and medium-sized enterprises that could have previously been priced out of the market.

Read more...
Automation, is it 2049 already?
Schneider Electric South Africa IT in Manufacturing
It would come as no surprise that AI and ML are at the forefront of the increased efficiency movement, and are vital cogs in this sophisticated automated machine. A development that is extremely exciting, is autonomous systems.

Read more...
Agentic AI: are we building castles on quicksand?
IT in Manufacturing
Artificial Intelligence is in a strange spot. With the explosion of AI tools and applications, we find ourselves teetering between two inseparable yet intertwined paths – the promise of extraordinary capability and the peril of unmitigated risk.

Read more...
There’s a reason the A stands for Advanced in APC
Schneider Electric South Africa IT in Manufacturing
Today’s mineral processing companies face almost universal challenges, efficiently managing resources and high energy consumption, environmental compliance, barriers to technological adoption and the perpetual shortage of skilled labour. While there’s no miracle intervention, there are undoubtedly solutions that improve the above, and one is Advanced Process Control.

Read more...
Digital twins in manufacturing
Schneider Electric South Africa IT in Manufacturing
Digital twin technology can help create better products, fast. It can transform the work of product development too.

Read more...
New generative AI-powered maintenance offering
Siemens South Africa IT in Manufacturing
The Siemens Industrial Copilot is revolutionising industry by enabling customers to leverage generative AI across the entire value chain – from design and planning to engineering, operations and services.

Read more...
Building resilience in extreme environments
ACTOM Electrical Machines IT in Manufacturing
Extreme temperatures, corrosive substances and high pressures are just a few of the elements that make up the unforgiving operational environments characteristic of the petrochemical and oil and gas sectors. A proactive and nuanced approach to industrial maintenance is no longer optional for organisations, it is an absolute necessity to avoid disruptions and create the right conditions for success.

Read more...