Learning Center

Whether you’re looking for solutions to specific challenges or wanting to deepen your overall knowledge of secondary packaging, our Learning Center is designed to give you the resources to make confident decisions about your secondary packaging systems.
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Kinetix 6000 drive

How-To

How to Read and Respond to Common K6000 Faults

Kinetix 6000 (K6000) fault codes can often be remedied with the right know-how. We’ll help you understand how to read power-ups, status lights, and fault codes, to get to the root cause of drive issues.

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Kinetix 6000 part with "discontinued" banner on top

Problems / Challenges

How Do I Navigate K6000 Obsolescence?

Allen-Bradley moved the Kinetix 6000 (K6000) servo drive to obsolete status, which means no new units and a used-only supply. We can help you navigate this change and offer options on how to proceed.

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Hand holding a security padlock next to the eight listed steps of lockout tagout

How-To

What is the Lockout/Tagout (LOTO) Requirement for Packaging Equipment? 

Lockout/Tagout (LOTO) is a federal safety requirement that makes sure machines are de-energized before maintenance. We’ll walk you through the eight-step procedure, explain your role, and show how it applies to the equipment you work with.

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Split image showing before and after of machine refurbishment

Comparisons

What Is Equipment Refurbishment and When Is It Better Than Replacement? 

Learn the 50% rule and a five-question framework to help you distinguish when refurbishment and when replacement makes the most economic and operational sense.

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OEE = availability x performance x quality

Secondary Packaging 101

The Three Components of OEE: Availability, Performance, Quality (and the Six Big Losses)

Understand the three independent components of OEE and learn how to identify which one is dragging your OEE down.

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Productivity comparison graphs of non-vertical startup and vertical startup

Secondary Packaging 101

Vertical Startup: Why It Matters

Vertical startup is the achievement of stable throughput and quality within days of going live, not just the installation event. Understand the difference and how you can plan for this success.

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Predictive vs Preventive Maintenance article header graphic - PF Curve

Secondary Packaging 101

Predictive vs Preventive Maintenance: How Do They Differ?

Learn how to tell which type of maintenance your high-value assets need and where traditional maintenance still makes business sense.

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Colorful charts and documents on wall

Problems / Challenges

Packaging Equipment Project Timelines: Why They Range from 4 to 18 Months

Understand which dependencies are on the critical path and the cost/benefits of timeline compression so you can negotiate timelines that protect both schedules and production success.

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Two engineers collaborating at a desk

Secondary Packaging 101

URS, FDS, and FRS: A Buyer’s Guide to Packaging Project Specifications

Understand the roles of these three core specification documents and when each one is required so that you can save your project from FAT failures and costly rework.

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Operator reach into machine to adjust magazine infeed

Problems / Challenges

The Overlooked Link Between Packaging Materials, Machine Specs, and Line Performance 

Learn how packaging material variability impacts line performance, how frequently missing specs affect OEE, maintenance and safety, and what alignments prevent recurring losses.

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Mechanic adjusting parts inside machine

Problems / Challenges

The Hidden Ergonomic Problem with Mechanism-Heavy Automation

Learn why mechanism-heavy automation often creates frequent operator intervention and how robots can (and can’t) simplify automation that improves operator safety and health.

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Bottles of juice being metered on a conveyor belt

Comparisons, Secondary Packaging 101

The 4 Types of Tamp & Load Infeeds Explained: Speeds, Costs, and Best-Fit Applications

Learn what tamp and load infeeds actually do and which configuration makes the most sense for your product and your budget.

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Three technicians doing hands-on training on a piece of equipment

Problems / Challenges

Best-in-Class Training for Secondary Packaging Equipment: What Should You Expect?

Break down the five elements that separate basic machine instruction from performance-driven training programs.

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Two men talking in a production setting

Secondary Packaging 101

Raise Your Expectations: What a Great Packaging Automation Partner Looks Like

Learn what a great packaging automation partner should look like — before and after the purchase order — so you can move forward with clarity and confidence.

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Product being discharged from Shrink tunnel

Cost & Price

How Much Does a Shrink Wrap System Cost? Budgetary Pricing & Key Factors That Impact Price

Learn the budgetary price ranges you can expect, along with the specific factors that drive those prices.

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