It's restock day, and as your products hit the shelves the shoppers come strolling in. A customer reaches for your product, but upon evaluation notices a scuff mark on the side. They move your product to the side and grab the competitor's brand instead, all because their packaging was intact and without blemishes.
Let's be honest. We've all done this at some point in time. Our bias tends to assume a blemish on a container means tampered with product or substandard product. It just goes to show how much presentation matters.
So what does this have to do with container handling?
There are a number of scenarios where labels or sleeving could be damaged or torn if your container handling operations are not running correctly. From production facility to the store shelves, at Morrison we understand the value of representation. We are here to help you uphold the standard of your operations. While in the same breath, helping to reduce the number of rejects on your line due to quality failures, overall saving time and money.
Here are a few tips from the experts to help ensure your lines stay up to standards and running efficiently.
1. Is It Time to Replace Your Timing Screw?
The timing screw is designed to provide a smooth flow of containers into packaging equipment machines. While timing screws have become more sophisticated, adaptable, and high-functioning aspects of any handling solution, they still require upkeep and are wear components on your line. If you are starting to see scuffing on your containers this could be an indication, it's time to replace your screw.
2. Is Your Screw Too Tight?
While some manufacturers design your timing screw to print, we identify your unique container handling problem and engineer a custom screw specially for your container and application. With custom screws comes custom dimensions. If you are noticing scuffing on a newer screw that you know doesn't need to be replaced, you may need to check your spacing. You should be able to pull your container out and place it back in its pocket with ease. While still having three contact points on the container, your container should have a 1/16th of an inch of space on each side, anything more or less can cause problems and damage to your container.
You can learn more about this partnership and installing it on your line here.
3. Visual Inspection
While every facility has its own procedures, it's always beneficial to incorporate a visual inspection before and after production hours to help ensure all machines and screws are working to the best of their abilities. For example, before production hours your line inspector makes their rounds and notices a cut in a screw, leaving a sharp edge exposed. This particular timing screw was located after your sleeving application and would have caused damage to any containers that would have gone through it. If this had not been caught all the "now sleeved" containers would have had to be replaced. With just one simple inspection you have saved product, money, and production time lost.
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Still seeing issues?
Tried these 3 tips but still seeing scuffing on your containers? For specific applications and containers, we recommend an oil impregnated screw. This specific screw is designed with an oil base allowing for more wear resistant properties and better solutions for your line.
The experts at Morrison are always here with our Support Built In®. With our representatives’ and engineers’ knowledge and experience, we are determined to answer questions, analyze problems, and provide an expedient solution for our container handling equipment. Call us today! +1-708-756-6660