Editing Packaging (section)

==Packaging machinery==
{{main|Packaging machinery}}
[[File:Budweiser Plant.jpg|right|thumbnail|Beer [[bottling line]]s]]
Choosing packaging machinery includes an assessment of technical capabilities, labor requirements, worker safety, [[maintainability]], serviceability, [[reliability engineering|reliability]], ability to integrate into the packaging line, capital cost, floorspace, flexibility (change-over, materials, multiple products, etc.), energy requirements, [[Quality control|quality]] of outgoing packages, qualifications (for food, pharmaceuticals, etc.), throughput, efficiency, productivity, [[ergonomics]], [[return on investment]], etc.

Packaging machinery can be:
# purchased as standard, off-the-shelf equipment
# purchased custom-made or custom-tailored to specific operations
# manufactured or modified by in-house engineers and maintenance staff

Efforts at packaging line [[automation]] increasingly use [[programmable logic controller]]s and [[robotics]].

Packaging machines may be of the following general types:
* Accumulating and collating machines
* [[Blister pack]]s, [[skin pack]]s and vacuum packaging machines
* [[Bottle cap]]s equipment, over-capping, lidding, closing, seaming and sealing machines
* [[Box]], case, tray, and carrier forming, packing, unpacking, closing, and sealing machines
* [[Cartoning machines]]
* Cleaning, sterilizing, cooling and drying machines
* Coding, printing, marking, stamping, and imprinting machines
* [[Converter (industry)|Converting]] machines
* [[Conveyor belt]]s, accumulating and related machines
* Feeding, orienting, placing and related machines
* [[Filler (packaging)|Filling machines]]: handling dry, powdered, solid, liquid, gas, or viscous products
* [[Inspection|Inspecting]]: visual, sound, metal detecting, etc.
* [[Label dispenser]]
* Orienting, unscrambling machines
* Package filling and closing machines
* [[Pallet]]izing, depalletizing, [[unit load]] assembly
* Product identification: [[label]]ing, marking, etc.
* Sealing machines: [[heat sealer]] or glue units
* [[Slitter|Slitting machines]]
* Weighing machines: [[check weigher]], [[multihead weigher]]
* Wrapping machines: stretch wrapping, [[shrink wrap]], banding
* [[Vertical form fill sealing machine|Form, fill and seal machines]]
* Other specialty machinery: [[slitter]]s, [[perforate|perforating]], [[laser]] cutters, parts attachment, etc.

<gallery mode="packed">
Image:SSF Costco bakery pastry packaging line.JPG|Bakery goods [[shrinkwrap]]ped by shrink film, [[heat sealer]] and [[heat tunnel]] on roller [[Lineshaft roller conveyor|conveyor]]
Image:Auto Sorting Packages.jpg|High speed conveyor with stationary [[bar code scanner]] for sorting
Image:4051 lpa.jpg|[[Label printer]] applicator applying a label to adjacent panels of a [[corrugated box]]
Image:Factory Automation Robotics Palettizing Bread.jpg|[[Robotics|Robots]] used to palletize bread
Image:Stretch wrapping machine.jpg|Automatic stretch wrapping machine
File:Molding packaging from straw, k9837-1.jpg|Equipment used for making [[molded pulp]] components and molding packaging from [[straw]]<ref>{{Cite journal|last = Wood|first = Marcia|title = Leftover Straw Gets New Life|journal = Agricultural Research|date=April 2002|url = http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/AR/archive/apr02/straw0402.htm}}</ref>
Image:Rotary Arm Freedom 6500.jpg|A semi-automatic [[rotary arm stretch wrapper]]
File:Jsc2008e038873 SFSL Lab Pack Room.jpg|Equipment for thermoforming packages at NASA
File:Pol Roger labelling line 2.jpg|Automated labeling line for wine bottles
File:Shrink-wrapping_machine_by_OCME_S.r.L.jpg|Shrink film wrap being applied on PET bottles
File:Laboratoires Arkopharma - Chaine de conditionnement remplissage piluliers.JPG|Pharmaceutical packaging line
File:Remplisseuse bag in box.JPG|Filling machinery for [[bag-in-box]]
</gallery>