Controls that keep the line moving, and the product protected.
PLC programming, motion control, robotics, and vision integration for packaging lines, end-of-line cells, and material handling. Built for cycle time, multi-product changeover, and the reality of lines stitched together from six different OEMs.
Three things eating into packaging throughput.
Changeover bleed
Multi-product lines lose hours every shift to changeovers that depend on tribal knowledge. Mechanical adjustments, parameter changes across six HMIs, and a first-article process that varies by operator. Throughput goes down, scrap goes up, and nobody can explain why one shift hits rate and another doesn't.
End-of-line bottleneck
The fillers and labelers run fast. The case packing and palletizing happen by hand. Manual end-of-line is the throughput cap, the highest per-unit labor cost, and the source of the repetitive motion injuries nobody wants to talk about.
Six OEMs, zero data
Equipment from different vendors, each with its own PLC and HMI, none of it talking. Production counts on clipboards, downtime tracked from memory, and an OEE number that nobody fully trusts. The real constraint is rarely the machine you'd guess.
Three systems we build for every packaging operation.
Faster lines,
fewer manual handoffs.
Aggregate impact across recent packaging line, robotics, and SCADA deployments. Specific projects scoped on request.
Got a packaging line that should run faster than it does?
Straight answers.
Yes. Most packaging lines are built from equipment made by different manufacturers. We integrate all of it — different PLCs, different protocols, different vintages — into a unified control and monitoring architecture. One SCADA system, one set of production data, one view of the line.
We standardize the changeover process with a centralized recipe management system. Product parameters for every machine on the line are stored as recipes and downloaded simultaneously during changeover. Servo positions adjust automatically, vision inspection parameters update, and the HMI guides the operator through any manual adjustments with visual work instructions.
Allen-Bradley Kinetix, Siemens Sinamics, and Beckhoff servo systems — registration control for printed film, cam profiles for intermittent motion, electronic gearing for synchronized product handling, and coordinated multi-axis motion for pick-and-place operations. We program for the tight synchronization requirements of high-speed packaging where mechanical cams have been replaced by electronic alternatives.
Yes. Pick-and-place, case packing, palletizing, and depalletizing with FANUC, ABB, KUKA, and Universal Robots. Robot cells are integrated into the packaging line control system — coordinated with upstream and downstream equipment for continuous operation. We also deploy collaborative robots for flexible, lower-volume operations where traditional guarding isn't practical.
Print quality and date code verification, label placement, fill level, seal integrity, barcode and QR code reading, and serialization verification. Reject systems coordinated with the vision system and line PLC. Vision data logged to the SCADA system for batch traceability, quality trending, and regulatory compliance.
Yes. Packaging operations are measured in cycles per minute. The system isn't done until it runs at rate with acceptable reject levels. We commission on-site, tune motion profiles, calibrate vision, and train operators on changeover and basic troubleshooting until the line holds target.
Ready to talk about your line?
Whether it's a packaging line integration, an end-of-line automation project, or a material handling system — tell us about the project.