Flexibility and productivity for end-of-line packaging: the reliance on motors, gears and controls

Online retail demand shows no signs of slowing. In February, the Office for National Statistics reported that 28% of all retail sales are made online. With an equivalent growth in the UK’s warehousing, property expert Savills said last year’s total represented a 15% year-on-year increase. In line, this has driven acceleration in demand for end-of-line packaging solutions.

End-of-line packaging applications such as void filling, pallet wrapping, case sealing, and on-demand systems, are designed to group and secure products for distribution. The crucial requirement is flexibility as these machines must continuously adapt to different packaging sizes, varying loads, and changing material behaviour, such as film tension or fill density.

These machines rely on movement, and to effectively respond to real-world changes in motion conditions, this depends on a capable drive system. Centred around the motor and gear, the drive system must feature a wide torque and speed range, enabling the machine to manage a scale of packaging sizes, configurations, and weights. Torque density is key as it allows a machine to handle a wider load range while retaining a compact footprint, with a design that also minimises energy use.

To achieve drive system flexibility, scalable torque and speed must be accompanied by sufficient precision to ensure packaging quality and material use efficiency. As a result, characteristics such as low motor inertia and low gearbox backlash, combined with efficient integration to precise sensor and control technology, must be considered.

While flexible capability allows a single machine to handle a wider range of packaging formats, maintaining high productivity in real‑world operating conditions is critical. That makes drive system reliability fundamental. The motors must withstand frequent start–stop operation and sustained high‑torque demands over long operating hours. If they are not properly designed, manufactured, and tested for these conditions, the cost is not just component replacement, but unplanned downtime.

The design integration of motors, gears, and controls can be enhanced and streamlined with specific expertise. As well as achieving the most effective drive system for requirements, this approach can also free up OEM engineering time. Parvalux engineers are well placed to provide design advice as they are supported by the full range of technologies, including permanent magnet (brushed) DC motors, brushless DC motors, and AC motors, as well as various gear types including geared motors – plus motor and gear customisation. Parvalux also provides control solutions with a wide range through partnership within the maxon Group.

Parvalux manufactures thousands of drive systems every year at its state-of-the-art UK facility in a process qualified by years of use from applications around the world. To achieve the drive systems integral to smart, flexible, and dependable end-of-line packaging machines, ensuring quality in design and manufacture is essential.

Shrink film wrapping machine. Wraping packaging of jars. Food industry

To assist drive system selection for your end-of-line packaging machines, read the guide: https://uk.maxongroup.com/-packaging-automation-uk