Customer background
TasteFresh, a well-known Southeast Asian food group, has products covering three categories: snacks, frozen foods and seasonings, with an average daily packaging volume of more than 2 million pieces. With the diversification of market demand, its original production lines frequently face time-consuming specification switching and production stoppages caused by equipment failures, which directly restricts the pace of new product launches and overseas order delivery.
Challenge: Production line "stuck" in switching and certification
In early 2023, the TasteFresh team put forward two core demands to Ply-Pack:
.Fast adaptation of multiple categories: puffed food, frozen dumplings, and sauce packs need to share the same production line, and the switching time needs to be compressed to within 1 hour;
.Compliance upgrade: frozen food packaging exported to the EU must comply with the EN 13432 biodegradable standard, while local products in Southeast Asia continue to use ordinary film materials, and the equipment must be compatible with two types of material certifications.
“Every time we change production, we have to disassemble and assemble for half a day, and the engineers are so tired that they go on strike.” The complaint of the TasteFresh production director reveals the rigid pain points of traditional equipment.
Solution: Modular intelligent production line "separation and combination"
After in-depth research, the Ply-Pack technical team customized a "one core and two wings" solution for it:
·Core host platform: Adopt high-precision servo system and heat sealing temperature control technology to ensure the basic packaging speed of 120 packs/minute, with an error rate of ≤0.3%;
·Removable functional module:
·Filling module: Volumetric metering for puffed food, peristaltic pump quantitative for sauces, 10 minutes quick plug-in replacement;
·Film material compatible system: Through the dual-channel unwinding mechanism, one-button switching between degradable film and ordinary film, automatic matching of sealing parameters.
"It's like installing 'Transformers' joints on the production line." Ply-Pack engineers compared it at the commissioning site. The equipment is also equipped with a self-developed zero downtime warning system, which pushes replacement reminders for wearing parts such as bearings and cutters 48 hours in advance through vibration sensors and current analysis.
Results: Double breakthrough in switching efficiency and compliance
·Switching time was reduced by 82%: from the original 4 hours/time to 25 minutes, saving more than 1,500 hours of work per year;
·Certification problems were solved: 100% of EU batch packaging passed the migration test, and the local production line still maintained low-cost operation;
·Unexpected downtime returned to zero: After 8 months of operation, the record of shutdowns caused by equipment failure has remained at "0".
TasteFresh's operation and maintenance supervisor gave feedback: "Now even operators can replace modules independently, and the production line is finally "obedient."
Industry enlightenment: Flexible intelligent manufacturing is the key to breaking the deadlock
This case proves that the rigid design of traditional packaging equipment has been difficult to cope with the fragmented market. Ply-Pack's modular packaging solution, through the combination of "standardized platform + personalized modules", not only ensures production continuity, but also gives enterprises the innovation ability of "small steps and fast running".
"A truly intelligent production line should not make customers choose between efficiency and flexibility." - Ply-Pack Asia Pacific Project Director concluded at the review meeting. Currently, the solution has been replicated in South American dairy products, Middle Eastern daily chemicals and other industries, and continues to promote the evolution of global packaging smart manufacturing.
