The packaging industry is experiencing a significant shift towards sustainability, and one of the key topics in this conversation is the lightweighting of glass.
As companies strive to reduce their environmental impact, glass packaging is being redesigned to use less material, leading to thinner, lighter bottles. While this is a positive step for sustainability, it presents unique challenges for production lines, particularly in terms of container handling equipment.
The Push for Sustainability
Sustainability is more than a buzzword; it's a driving force behind many innovations in packaging. In the glass industry, sustainability efforts have taken various forms:
- Robust Reusable Glass: Some companies are adopting models where glass bottles are returned, cleaned, and reused. While effective in reducing waste, this approach relies heavily on consumer participation and involves significant water usage for cleaning.
- Recycling and Reuse: Another method involves crushing used glass and remanufacturing it into new bottles. This process, while effective, still presents challenges related to energy consumption and resource use.
- Lightweighting: Perhaps the most innovative approach is to produce thinner, lighter glass bottles. This method reduces material use and lowers transportation emissions due to the reduced weight of the containers.
Challenges of Lightweighting
While lightweighting offers substantial benefits, it also introduces several challenges, particularly for the production process:
- Increased Susceptibility to Breakage: Thinner glass is more prone to breakage and microfractures. This vulnerability can lead to higher rates of damage during transit and on store shelves.
- Design Changes: To maintain rigidity and stability, lightweight bottles often require design changes. These alterations can include adding new features or modifying existing ones, which can affect the overall shape and size of the bottle.
Impact on Container Handling Equipment
The shift to lightweight glass impacts not only the bottles themselves but also the equipment used to handle these containers on production lines. Here’s how:
- Need for New Change Parts: Changes in bottle design mean that existing change parts might no longer be compatible. The dimensions and features of the new bottles may require new change parts [starwheels, guides, and feed screws] to help ensure smooth handling and minimize the risk of breakage and microfractures.
- Adaptation and Flexibility: Production lines need to be adaptable to handle the new bottle designs. This flexibility is crucial to maintaining efficiency and avoiding downtime due to equipment incompatibility.
How Morrison Container Handling Solutions Can Help
At Morrison Container Handling Solutions, we understand the challenges that come with the lightweighting of glass. Our expertise in creating custom change parts ensures that your production line can smoothly transition to handling new, lighter glass bottles. By partnering with us, you can:
- Reduce Downtime: Our custom solutions minimize the risk of production delays caused by incompatible equipment.
- Enhance Efficiency: Our change parts are designed to work seamlessly with your new bottle designs, ensuring efficient and reliable operation.
- Improve Flexibility: We provide solutions that allow your production line to adapt to future changes in bottle design, giving you the flexibility needed in today’s dynamic market.
Our change parts can be retrofitted to existing equipment and be manufactured for any OEM machine you have on your line.
Don’t let the transition to lightweight glass disrupt your production. Contact Morrison Container Handling Solutions today to learn how our change parts can help you maintain efficiency and reliability on your production line. Let’s work together to embrace sustainability while ensuring your operations run smoothly.
Reach out to us to get started, call us at 708-756-6660. Together, we can navigate the challenges of lightweight glass and drive your business towards a more sustainable future.
