One of the best ways to push your business into the future and boost productivity is to embrace automated packing lines. They can simplify your business operations and let you and your team focus on more important parts of the manufacturing process, but there are some mistakes you can make with your packing. Your automated packing lines must be ergonomic because failing to account for ergonomics can hurt your packing line’s and team’s efficiency.
Worker Efficiency
One of the biggest and clearest reasons packing lines should be ergonomic is that it boosts worker efficiency. Automation will take the burden off workers so they can take their skills elsewhere in your business, but you’re still going to have people on the packing floor. They’re either working on or monitoring the packaging process or doing other tasks in the vicinity, and if they want to be efficient, your packing line must be ergonomic.
If you don’t properly plan out your packing line, you could end up with one that awkwardly sits in your facility, getting in the way of workers trying to do their jobs. It’s important to consider how you configure your packaging system to make it easier, not harder, for your team to take care of their responsibilities.
Ability To Adjust
Another reason your automated packing lines need to be ergonomic is that you can easily adjust them if needed. Businesses don’t typically operate at the same size throughout their entire life. Instead, they’ll shrink and, hopefully, grow. Keeping up with changing business needs can be challenging, but it’s even harder when you don’t ensure your packaging machines are ergonomic.
Something that’s not very intuitive or adjustable is not ergonomic, and your business’ efficiency will suffer as a consequence. Ergonomic equipment that is easy to use and adjustable will make scalability a non-issue for your business going forward.
Reduction in Workplace Injuries
Before you implemented an automated packing line, you had a team of workers who did all the packaging. They were efficient, but so much heavy lifting and bending over adds up over time, leading to different musculoskeletal disorders that can hurt them and your business. An automated packing line should circumnavigate these issues, but only if you ensure it’s ergonomic. If your system still requires your team to put themselves in harm’s way, your business will hurt as a result.
Your business’s automated packing lines should be ergonomic because not designing for efficiency with your packing lines will only hurt your business later down the line. Designing ergonomically can be tricky when first creating your packing lines, but when you work with us at OK Corp, we’ll take care of things. Our turnkey packaging lines can dramatically simplify your packing process, making your space more comfortable for workers and more efficient overall.