Southern Manufacturing Review PPMA Show Review – Introduction Feature: eCommerce Delivering sustainably New developments answer growing eCommerce fulfilment sector needs

As sustainability becomes a mainstay and an inherent aspect of eCommerce fulfilment operations’ business development, the focus has switched from simply sourcing sustainable materials to how to combine sustainable packaging with productivity.

To this end, Autobag is automating eCommerce order processing with a just launched compact, and easy-to-use vertical bagging machine. This Autobag 850SP has been designed for packaging single and multiple orders of ready-towear, accessories and sports goods in paper bags.

In operation, the system prints the shipping label matching the order to be packed directly onto the paper bags. It then presents the opened and printed bag to the operator, who only has to slide the order inside and then trigger the sealing process using a touch-sensitive button. In terms of speed, the 850SP bagger can process up to 8 bags per minute (depending on the application).

The Autobag brand paper bags used on this bagging machine are 100% curb side recyclable and fully compatible with the paper stream. They are currently available in two formats:

355 mm (width) x 480 mm (length) and 480 mm (width) x 600 mm (height).

Another company that is offering new equipment to handle paper packaging for eCommerce customers is Robopac with its Technoplat PW semi-automatic wrapper and the automatic Technoplat 3000 PWJ option that works as a standalone unit or that can be integrated into production lines. Meanwhile, Acrovision has developed a series of vision and identification solutions aimed at meeting the production needs of the eCommerce environment using a range of Cognex products.

Barcode scanning read rates are all-critical when it comes to the throughput/ efficiency of an eCommerce inbound operation. Image based barcode readers have superseded traditional laser-based readers when it comes to speed and accuracy of decode, so 99%+ read-rates are now achievable even with damaged/ smudged barcodes at extreme angles, allowing for fewer scanners in an array.

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In terms of packaging optimisation, using the Cognex 3D-A1000 dimensioning system automates the volumetric measurement of picked products allowing operators to select the best packaging option, reducing manual handling and measurement time, increasing operator efficiency, and reducing shipping costs. And this 3D-A1000 dimensioning system, which features a 3D and 2D camera system, also offers gains in terms of tote-fill optimisation as it calculates tote capacity and fill heights and compares those values to established target values.

When a user is picking and packing up to thousands of items a day, every fraction of a second per transaction counts, and so using image-based readers that read both 1D and 2D codes omnidirectionally and with the ability to read poorly printed or shiny codes at angles is a massive advantage in optimising the read-rate/ throughput.

“We have developed a pick and pack station that provides the user with a front-end screen and desktop printer/ software to integrate with the readers to automatically print out associated labels,” explains Paul Cunningham, managing director of Acrovision.

At the same time, Engelmann & Buckham (E&B) has selected eCommerce and warehouse solution manufacturers to become its partners in the UK and Ireland to meet the needs of its customers for efficient intralogistics solutions. The company already represents Italian manufacturer of sortation equipment Sitma. And to meet sustainability needs, Sitma has developed a paper wrapping solution for a leading, global eCommerce business – which effectively uses minimal packaging materials while still creating a robust and compact parcel.

E&B’s three new manufacturers in this area include Scallog, that offers robotics and software solutions and AMR moveable shelves for the automation of eCommerce, retail and industrial logistics platforms; the Skilled Group that offers materials handling and end of line equipment, and Trascar, that offers automatic industrial warehouse kit.

W www.acrovision.co.uk

W www.aetnagroup.com

W www.buckham.co.uk

W www.sealedair.co.uk