First-Time Buyer

Buying your first automated packaging machine is a big decision.

If you are starting to wonder if it’s time to invest in automated packaging machinery, we’re here to help.

Our first-time buyer’s resources will help you understand the different types of packaging machines, answer the most common packaging machinery questions, and provide tips on how to make the best packaging automation decision for your business.
 

You can even prepare for your first phone call with a packaging machine specialist by getting a PDF list of the questions we use during a consultation!

Popular First-Time Packaging Machines

Vertical Form Fill Seal - VFFS-M250 packaging machine

VFFS machine

How do Vertical Form Fill Seal machines work?

premade pouch fill seal packaging machine

Premade pouch machine

How do automatic Pouch Filling and Sealing Machines work?


  Frequently Asked Questions
 

How much does packaging equipment cost?

There is no quick, easy answer to this question. Packaging machinery is specific to the customer, so arriving at 'standard pricing' isn't usually practical. But we can provide a range: For fully automated systems, you can expect to pay in the mid-to-high five figure range all the way up to millions of dollars.

Pricing largely depends upon your unique needs: The products you want to package, the speeds you would like to achieve, your bag styles and sizes, the complexity of your process, and how quick you need the machine delivered.

Generally, the more complex, customized, or high-speed the packaging process is, the more you can expect to pay.

How easy is it to operate packaging equipment?

The good news is that as long as your packaging system isn't hyper-customized, the equipment is pretty easy to use! Most of Viking Masek's equipment does not require advanced technical knowledge to operate.

Modern packing machines have intuitive full color touch screen interfaces. And if you need to change the machine over to accommodate different bags, it can be done without tools.

Still worried about the learning curve? Ask your representative or contact our service department for training options. Our expert technicians would love to show you how it's all done.

What types of flexible packaging machines do you offer?

Viking Masek offers a variety of flexible packaging machines that can satisfy almost any requirement.

We offer POUCH FILLING AND SEALING MACHINES that are loaded with preformed bags which are then filled with product and sealed shut. These machines are easy to learn and operate and can be run with low-skilled labor. The end product they produce has a premium look. Adjusting these machines for new bags is simple, so they are great for companies that have varied bags sizes and short runs.

We also offer VERTICAL FORM FILL SEAL (VFFS) PACKAGING MACHINES. This equipment forms bag shapes, fills the bags with product, and seals them shut, all in a vertical fashion. These machines are established technology capable of high speeds and economical in cost. They do, however, require a higher level of expertise to operate and troubleshoot and are best for dedicated lines without much variation in product and bag styles.

Another category of equipment we offer is multi-lane SACHET and STICK PACK MACHINES. They work in a similar manner to VFFS machines but produce multiple bags at once via multiple packaging lanes.

Finally, we offer cartoning equipment that erects cardboard cartons, counts out a number of packages, places the bags into the cartons, and seals the cartons shut.

Viking Masek is a single-source supplier, meaning that we can also source, integrate, install, and service equipment from other OEM partners.

What's the difference between semi-automatic and fully automatic packaging systems?

A fully automated packaging system is optimized for high speeds and minimal human involvement. These solutions are best for companies that run a high number of products with relatively low variation. A fully automated line could include things like equipment to feed the product to the system, a scale to weigh the product, and a machine to place the product into bags. Automated systems provide a high level of accuracy and consistency, but require a larger upfront investment.

A semi-automatic packaging system still requires a substantial level of human labor. For example, a company could use an automated scale to weigh the product, but require a human to dispense the product into bags and seal them. Semi-automatic packaging lines are a great place to start if you're not quite ready for full automation. In many cases, individual pieces of a semi-automatic line can be integrated at a later date with other equipment to create a fully automated system. Overall, semi-automatic packaging lines have a much lower cost of entry, but are slower and less accurate than fully automated systems.

Can one packaging machine handle different bag styles, sizes, and products?

The short answer is "Usually, yes." Adjusting a machine to accommodate different bags is called changeover, and it can take from minutes to hours depending upon many variables.

The longer answer: Sometimes a one-size-fits-all machine isn't the best choice. The more varied your needs are, the more it may make sense to invest in multiple systems or automate only certain parts of the process. Reason being, packaging machines are optimized to run within certain parameters. If your needs are varied, accommodating those variations within machine parameters can be complex, costly, and inefficient. It can sometimes be better to have a machine that does one thing really well than a machine that does many things 'just okay'.

What's the difference between rollstock film and premade bags?

Knowing the packaging material format you require informs which machinery the equipment manufacturer recommends.

Here are descriptions of two major flexible packaging formats:

Rollstock film is a long, flat sheet of (usually plastic) packaging material that is wound around a hollow core. It is usually pre-printed with graphics. This large roll of film is loaded onto the back of a form fill seal machine which then forms it into bag shapes, fills the bags with product, and seals them shut. Rollstock film is generally economical in cost per bag and can run at high speeds.

Premade bags arrive at the packaging facility already formed into their end bag shape. They are loaded into a pouch fill and seal machine that fills them with product and seals them shut. Premade bags have a premium look that can't be beat, but usually cost more per impression than bags created from rollstock film.

What are packaging machine fillers/dosers and do I need one?

The packaging machine itself does not measure or dispense product. Instead, integrated filling or dosing equipment measures out discrete quantities of product into the packaging machine to be dispensed into the bags. Fillers usually sit above or off to the side of the packaging machine.

Depending upon your needs, different fillers will be recommended. Here are some of the most widely used:

  • Auger fillers are often used for powder products. This equipment uses a long screw-like mechanism to measure product into bags.
  • Multi-head scales are often used for solid products. These highly accurate systems use weigh buckets to weigh out product before dropping it into bags.
  • Liquid pumps usually use a piston mechanism to measure specific volumes of liquid product into bags.

You do not have to have a filler to be able to use a packaging machine. However, if a filler is not present, a human must stand-in. This will limit the system's speed and accuracy. Most of our clients integrate their packaging machine with a filler.

How fast can packaging equipment run?

Packaging equipment speeds are usually represented by bags per minute (BPM), which is how many finished bags can be completed per minute. Machines will usually be rated for a maximum number of bags per minute. Generally, automated flexible packaging machines can be rated for anywhere from 30 - 300 bags per minute.

Actual production speeds, however, depend on many factors. Your product properties, bag sizes and styles, plant environment, and technical skill of operators will all factor in to actual speeds.

The best way to estimate actual production speeds is to send in film/bag and product samples to the packaging machine manufacturer for testing.

How do I know if my production needs are high enough to make packaging automation worth it?

Below certain production levels it just doesn't make sense to automate your packaging. Likewise, if your production levels are quite high you may have to prepare to invest in multiple systems or multilane packaging equipment.

To help you see where your production levels fall, below are two tables that give you estimated number of bags a packaging machine can produce in certain time periods.

Assumptions: 8 hour shifts, one shift per day, 21 working days per month, 251 working days per year.


VFFS machine throughput

Bags per minute (BPM) Bags per hour Bags per shift Bags per month Bags per year
60 3,600 28,800 604,800 7,228,800
120 7,200 57,600 1,209,600 14,457,600
180 10,800 86,400 1,814,400 21,686,400

Multilane stick or sachet machine throughput

Number of lanes Bags per minute (BPM) Bags per hour Bags per shift Bags per month Bags per year
2 80 4,800 38,400 806,400 9,638,400
4 160 9,600 76,800 1,612,800 19,276,800
6 240 14,400 115,200 2,419,200 28,915,200
8 320 19,200 153,600 3,225,600 38,553,600
10 400 24,000 192,000 4,032,000 48,192,000
First-time Buyer Guidebook

Get our free First-time Buyer's Guidebook

Our experts break down everything you need to know to choose the right packaging equipment for your business.
 

4 Top Resources First-Time Buyer Information


Questions to prepare for

Fair warning: To ensure the packing machine we recommend is ideal for your needs, we typically ask a bunch of questions during our initial conversations.  Get ahead of the game! Download our free list of discovery questions to get started on the road to packaging automation success.

Get Questions

 

Prepare your facility

What does it take to get your facility ready for new packaging equipment? Probably more than you think. But breathe easy, we've compiled a simple list of items to consider when prepping your workspace for new machinery.

Download facility Prep checklist

 


before requesting pricing

Think it's time to contact a packaging machine manufacturer for pricing? First, take some time to make sure the high-level parameters of your project are defined. Read about the 5 most vital pieces of information we need to provide the most accurate pricing as part of your equipment proposal.

Read more

 

The numbers don't lie

Machine return on investment calculations take a little work, but there is no better way to figure out if packaging automation is a good investment for your business. Let our free ROI calculator to all the work for you.

Download ROI calculator

 

 

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