Why smarter machines matter now, more than ever!

Ensuring food safety and quality assurance. Adapting to ever-changing regulations. Navigating
the complexities of global supply chain disruptions. Managing costs as material and energy
prices soar. Recruiting and retaining workers in the face of labor shortages.

Suffice it to say, food manufacturers have a lot on their plates (pun absolutely intended!).

With this degree of complexity in the landscape, most manufacturers are looking for ways to
simplify and streamline their operations. Luckily, there are many ways to do so. And one of the
best? Embracing the latest innovations in tech—in other words, using smarter casepacking
machines. Today, we’re digging into precisely why this is important, as well as exploring how
using smarter machines can help you save valuable time and resources throughout your
manufacturing process.

Maximizing Efficiency and Productivity With Smarter Machines

In today’s dynamic food manufacturing landscape, using smarter casepacking machines can
help businesses streamline their operations and make them as efficient as possible. By
harnessing cutting-edge automation and predictive technologies, food manufacturers can
optimize their production processes with enhanced precision. These smarter machines offer the
ability to enhance productivity, reduce downtime, and minimize errors—resulting in a
streamlined and cost-effective production line.

“Okay great,” some manufacturers might say. “But just how are machines smarter today? And
how does that help me make my line more productive and efficient?”

We’re so glad you asked! Here are some of the key differentiators of these new, smarter
casepacking machines, and how they help streamline your manufacturing processes:

● Set-up wizards simplify and automate the setup process, making it easier and quicker
for operators to switch between different packaging tasks and/or product variations.
● Automatic changeovers allow for quicker, more seamless transitions (without the need
for manual intervention!).
● Limited motion lines minimize unnecessary movements, transfers, and transitions, thus
enhancing the efficiency of the overall production line.
● Predictive maintenance predicts and prevents potential equipment failures before they
occur, thus reducing downtime, enhancing equipment lifespan, and leading to cost savings.

Addressing Labor Challenges With Smarter Machines

In addition to helping food manufacturers improve their efficiency and productivity, using smarter
casepacking machines also helps address a significant challenge in the manufacturing industry
today: the labor shortage. Here’s why this is a pressing issue:

● The National Association of Manufacturers forecasts that 2.1 million manufacturing jobs
in the US could go unfilled by 2030.
● 76.1% of manufacturing leaders say attracting and retaining a quality workforce is a
primary business challenge.
● 77% of manufacturers report ongoing difficulties attracting and retaining workers.

By using smarter machines, food manufacturers can help alleviate the challenges of the labor
shortage. At present, the demand for skilled workers outpaces the available workforce. By
incorporating automation and advanced robotics into the casepacking process, manufacturing
leaders can help bridge the gap.

Smarter machines can handle redundant, repetitive, and/or physically demanding tasks,
allowing human employees to engage in meaningful and more value-added work. In other
words, rather than having workers spend time on low-value tasks that could be completed by a
machine, manufacturing leaders can have them do the work that machines can’t do—such as
those that require advanced problem-solving and critical thinking.

Additionally, using smarter machines can attract better talent to the industry. And it makes
sense, right? We’d be far more excited to work in a plant using the latest and greatest in tech,
than a plant relying on an older, more manual setup. Using smarter casepackers gives workers
the opportunity to learn and grow in their professional careers, as well as ensures your
production line is running as efficiently as possible.

Wrapping Up: Investing in Smarter Casepackers for Long-Term Benefits

By investing in smarter machines, you can help improve your production line’s efficiency and
productivity for years to come. And, at a time when skilled workers are difficult to come by, you
can ensure you’re having your workers do the highest-impact jobs possible—rather than those
that could be performed by a machine.

__

Here at CPS, we’re committed to designing and building packaging solutions that are simple,
efficient, and smart. We consistently seek ways to make our casepacking machines smarter,
and thus less reliant on operators. Interested in how a CPS casepacker could help improve your
line’s efficiency? Submit a test request today and see what one of our machines could do for
your production.

Submit a Test Request