Special Machines

A bespoke machine is designed around a specific container, line and production rate, instead of adapting the process to equipment that already exists. It makes sense when the format is out of the ordinary, when the space available on the line dictates the design, or when labelling has to be combined with another operation.

At Etima this is a core part of our work, not an exception. Flexibility is what allows us to compete with much larger manufacturers: they can adapt, but their production model does not make it easy for them.

It makes sense when the container falls outside the range of the standard models, when the customer’s requirements justify it, when labelling and another operation have to be combined in the same machine, or when the physical space calls for a dedicated configuration. Outside those cases, a standard model is quicker to obtain and more economical. We say so even when it is less in our interest.

Not necessarily. In most cases we can make an initial assessment based on the technical information about the container, the label and the production requirements.

However, for special formats, unusual materials or applications with specific requirements, physical samples may be needed to validate the proposed solution.

In any case, the final offer and the machine’s performance guarantee will always be linked to validation with real container and label samples, since factors such as manufacturing tolerances, container geometry, surface finish or label behaviour can only be verified under real conditions.

That is precisely the territory of a special machine: atypical geometries, very unstable or very small containers, or containers carrying several labels in unconventional positions. Feasibility is decided by testing with the real container, before committing to any design.

The required production rate, how many labels each container carries, whether the format has to be oriented first, the level of inspection and rejection, and how much integration with the existing line is needed. In regulated sectors, the qualification documentation package must be added, and it is not a small item.

A useful rule for comparing offers: always ask for a breakdown between machine, integration and documentation. They are three items with different logics, and that is where quotations vary the most.

When volume makes labour and manual errors weigh more than the investment. Or when the sector demands a traceability and verification that simply cannot be guaranteed by hand. In pharmaceuticals, the second reason almost always comes before the first.