David Roberge

By: David Roberge on October 22nd, 2014

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Create a Prevent Defense for Your Packaging Equipment

The Business of Packaging | Technical Service and Support

In the game of football, a team relies on it's defense. Have you ever thought about the defense on your packaging lines? The prevent defense is a defensive alignment in American football that seeks to prevent the offense from completing a long pass or scoring a touchdown in a single play. How does the idea of a prevent defense relate to your packaging machinery? In the article below, we will team up to help you implement a strong prevent defense for your packaging equipment.

 

Developing A Prevent Defense For Your Packaging Equipment

 

Equipment up-time is critical to operational efficiencies and profits. Uptime is 'being the champ' for every game, keeping the score in your favor. Take downtime for example. Lets say that it's 'the offense' trying to take down your equipment with a Hail Mary. One of your line's ball bearings (around $30 to replace) is wearing out and if you aren't prepared, it will destroy a lot more than itself when it goes. If you don't intercept that pass, you will be looking at the possibility of a $600+ repair! Ouch..

 

What's your defense?  Do you have preventative maintenance program for all of your packaging equipment? If not, implementing such a program will help you reach production targets as well as add profits to your bottom line. A good preventive maintenance program has many components:

 

  • Proper operator training and familiarization

Whether you are running your own packaging line or outsourcing to a third party vendor, having the right team composed of the best players (err, I mean employees) is paramount to the success of your packaging line. Everyone on your packaging line should have the proper training from certified packaging machinery operation professionals.

 

The importance of this dynamic can not be overstated. The proper training results in (most importantly) a safe working atmosphere. Additionally, well trained packaging machinery operators will ensure that your packaging line runs smoothly, efficiently and quickly. Well trained team mates will result in continual KPI touchdowns for your packaging line, year in and year out.

 

  • An adequate spare parts inventory

Parts availability is extremely important to the reduction and elimination of downtime on your packaging line. This is even more true during your companies busy seasons as an unexpected equipment breakdown that requires replacement parts can paralyze your packaging line for hours and even days on end if certain parts of your machinery fail.

 

Having the right parts easily sourced from your inventory will ensure that when your defensive line is broken through, you will be able to quickly and confidently regain the upper-hand over the situation. Being able to replace the broken part immediately will prove to be an MVP dynamic of a successful packaging line.

 

  • A schedule of maintenance and inspection procedures to be performed daily, weekly and monthly

In addition to a preventative maintenance program from your chosen vendor, your team should implement their own smaller daily and weekly inspections of your equipment to ensure the identification of problems before they occur. This play will also result in the awareness of areas for improvement such as the gauge of your shrink film and the goal lines of your KPIs.

 

Regular inspections of your equipment is part of a quality practice regiment. These exercises will ensure that your team is always operating at peak performance with the best possible line that your company can run. When it comes to your larger monthly or quarterly inspections, be sure that your special teams are composed of the best players.

 

  • An effective tracking system to document that these are indeed performed

Preventative Maintenance can be YOUR Prevent Defense! Save your team, if you do not already have one, ask us about instituting a plan for your production floors and take your company to the super bowl of Uptime! Seriously, one phone call or email could save you thousands of dollars and turn your packaging line into a dream team that will be the envy of your competitors. And if we are not the right vendor for you, we can help you find the one who is.

 

Develop Your Packaging Equipment Play Book

 

When it comes to developing a book of legendary plays for your packaging lines team, you need to have access to the best information and coaching on how to do it right. Below we present you with a collection of professional pro bowl level content that will both inspire and educated you on your journey to becoming a legendary packaging dynasty!

 


 

About David Roberge

I am grateful for my 9 years as part of the outstanding Industrial Packaging team. I was able to hang out with some of the most knowledgeable folks in the packaging industry. I feel even luckier that I was able to share that knowledge with you. I love learning, hiking, and growing people and teams both personally and professionally, and helping companies grow better.