Packaging Corner: Automated system replaces manual insertion, application of customized documents

According to Forrester Research, by the end of 2015 U.S. business-to-consumer online sales will hit $334 billion (nearly 10% of all sales), while business-to-business e-commerce receipts will reach $780 billion (9.3% of all sales). That translates into a lot of small parcels, bags, cartons and padded envelopes.

More operations are adding customized documents to every parcel—such as a packing slips, special offers, warranty information, instructions or directions for use, or pharmaceutical inserts—in an effort to encourage repeat orders and foster better brand loyalty, explains John Panunto, president of PSI Engineering.

“Matching personalized paperwork to the correct order can not only be a challenge, it can also be very costly to accomplish manually,” he says.

Automation, says Panunto, can improve accuracy and productivity in an area that can otherwise cause bottlenecks, particularly for operations with multiple pack stations handling either open or closed case orders.

“Having an automated system that can generate an integrated packing slip, fold the documents into a pouch, and apply it to the outside of a carton allows an operation to utilize a single outbound conveyor line for handling a variety of parcel sizes and shapes—as well as either open or closed cases,” he says.

Distributors of electronics, for example, often ship electronic goods in their own packaging instead of reboxing, Panunto adds. “You wouldn’t open up an already sealed case just to add a packing slip or a coupon.”

To automate the application of customized information to small parcels, PSI Engineering developed the MVP Packet system. The equipment first scans target parcel’s license plate number (LPN) bar code to match the order to the required documents. It then prints variable information on one or both sides of standard, 8.5 x 11-inch paper, folds each sheet into quarters (or smaller), and inserts it into a plastic sleeve pouch. Integrated sensors detect the height of the target parcel, while a second scanner verifies a correct pouch to parcel match before applying the completed packing slip to the outside of the carton.

“A single machine can handle both bags and padded envelopes, as well as sealed and unsealed cases ranging from 6 to 30 inches tall,” adds Panunto. “Throughput ranges from 15 to 20 parcels per minute, depending on the dimensional variety traveling along the conveyor line.”