Butler Automatic Film Splicers Increase Profitability and Reduce Lead Time

With automatic splicing, pre-applied zipper film is easy to incorporate into existing packaging lines 

Middleborough, MA– Butler Automatic, the inventor and global leader of automatic splicing solutions, announces that its film splicers such as the SP1 Automatic Splicer make pre-applied zipper film easy to incorporate into existing packaging lines. As a result, these splicers greatly increase profitability and reduce lead time for reclosable packaging. Butler’s automatic splicers are engineered with a small footprint, and are custom built to fit on the front end of virtually any flexible film packaging line. Butler splicers make reclosable packaging retrofits a possibility for many packaging lines.

Reclosable packaging is in a period of rapid growth, as many manufacturers realize the added value reclosable features offer consumers. This is especially true in the food industry, where a push towards reclosability has led to the implementation of a number of reseal technologies. Many methods of adding reclosable features to an existing flexible packaging line require large capital investments, but pre-applied zipper film can be an ideal tool for companies looking to make the shift to reclosable packaging without significant up-front costs or extensive lead time.

Rolls of pre-applied zipper film are less dense than traditional film roll stock, leading to fewer impressions per roll and therefore less time between roll changes. Automatic splicing eliminates the downtime of these additional roll changes, dramatically improving the profitability of packaging with pre-applied zipper film.

With a simple mechanical design and high-quality manufacture, the SP1 delivers long-term, trouble-free performance. The device senses the diameter of the expiring roll of film and automatically splices the end of each expiring roll onto the new roll.

Tips for Maintaining Packaging Line Equipment

By William Brum, P.E., Manager, Aftermarket Parts & Service, Butler Automatic

The benefits of pairing autonomous and preventive maintenance strategies are an increase in planned maintenance over unplanned, maximized equipment availability, and the ability to forecast production capacities and maintenance budgets with greater precision.

Proper maintenance of packaging equipment is critical to minimizing downtime and keeping costs low. This article will discuss tips for how to best maintain your packaging line machinery, using automatic splicing technology as an example. With the right maintenance strategy, an appropriate inventory of spare parts, and timely upgrades in addition to support from an expert vendor, you can drastically reduce unplanned downtime, keeps costs low, lengthen the service life of your machinery, and maximize profits. With the right maintenance practices in place, even companies with minimal dedicated maintenance staff can reap these benefits and optimize packaging line operation.

Read the full article in Product Design & Development to see Bill Brum’s tips for maintaining packaging line equipment.

Butler Automatic SP1 Automatic Film Splicer Reduces Downtime in Consumer Packaged Goods Packaging

Splicer performs non-stop film changes in CPG packaging operations 

Middleborough, MA– Butler Automatic, the inventor and global leader of automatic splicing solutions, announces that its SP1 Series Automatic Film Splicer is ideally suited towards consumer packaged goods (CPG) packaging applications. The SP1 Automatic Film Splicer increases efficiency in packaging operations by eliminating the packaging line downtime caused by manual film roll changes.

“CPG packaging operations can benefit from the introduction of the SP1 Automatic Film Splicer because it has a significant positive impact on line efficiency,” said Mike Mucci, Vice President of Engineering at Butler Automatic.  “The SP1 enables customers to eliminate the leading cause of planned downtime – film roll changes – and therefore to dramatically improve profitability.”

In eliminating film roll change and manual splicing, Butler’s automatic splicing technology typically reduces downtime by 5-10 minutes per operational hour. For a typical packaging line operating 20 hours per day, 6 days per week, this can yield up to 20-25 hours of additional production per week, or the equivalent of an extra day’s production.

With a simple mechanical design and high-quality manufacture, the SP1 promises long-term, trouble-free performance. The device senses the diameter of the expiring roll of film and automatically splices the end of each expiring roll onto the new roll. It is capable of running at speeds of up to 600 feet per minute (FPM).

In addition to the standard SP1 automatic splicer, Butler offers the SP1 RB, designed for full wash-down capability. The SP1 RB is built to standards common with many regulatory requirements. It features mostly stainless steel construction, with only specific splicing head cylinders using coated aluminum, and has minimal flat surfaces.

Benefits of Pre-Applied Zipper Packaging Film

Reclosable packaging is in a period of rapid growth, as many manufacturers realize the added value reclosable features offer consumers. This is especially true in the food industry, where a push towards reclosability has led to the implementation of a number of reseal technologies: traditional zip locks, slider locks, reusable adhesives and even Velcro-like closures. You may be considering adding a reclosable feature to your packaged products, or may have heard about the hype around new kinds of packaging, but likely have questions about the affordability of such a change. Packages constructed from pre-applied zipper film can be an ideal tool for companies looking to make the shift from traditional to reclosable packaging without significant cost or lag time.

Read the full article in Food Manufacturing.