Solutions by Industry

Problem: A manufacturer of reflective paint signs for roadways and walkways, needed to use the efficiency of a semi-automatic case sealer to seal five panel folder boxes. The boxes were 1 ½" high, by 18" to 36" wide, by 36" to 48" long. Once packed with “surface communication signs,” the packages weighed between 30 to 50 pounds.

The customer needed a case sealer to be included as part of the processing production line. Their production process begins when bead, paint and sand are extruded into rolls approximately 1/8" thick. Lettering, arrows, lines, or other symbols are then die cut from these rolls to form markings, which would ultimately be placed in pavement for road or walkway markings. An operator with a packing order then places a box on a pack table, picks the required signage and places each letter or symbol directly into the box. Each item is protected with padding. Once the box is full, the flaps are folded and the box is introduced to the case sealer for sealing.

Solution: The cumbersome, difficult handling required of this product provided an opportunity for the Little David Special Application model LD-15W, a semi-automatic case sealer. This model fulfilled the case sealing efficiency needed for their production line. Its single mast design provided the desired combination of operator safety and easy access to the unit parts and components.

The LD-15W was capable of handling the large, low box dimensions. The unique design for the tape tab holds the tape in place to effectively wrap the seal around low height boxes. The wide pack table was included with this unit to assist the production process and provide an assembly area for the operator. Results: Three LD-15W case sealers were placed at the customer’s facility. Each machine uses a single piece of 3” tape to seal five panel folder boxes. The process engineer estimated a production gain of approximately 40% in the packaging area and attributes this gain to the efficiencies of the new equipment placed there. Traditionally the packing area was a bottleneck, but since the equipment has been in place, packaging has “broken every production record.”

Market Opportunities: The LD-15W case sealer would be a solution for most companies that use low profile boxes and five panel folder boxes. According to industry experts at the Fibre Box Association and box converters that we interviewed, these types of boxes can be used in many industries. Some of the more common industries that use five panel folders include shade, blind, rod, and wallpaper manufacturers, umbrella manufacturers, light fixture manufacturers, golf club manufacturers, promotion or specialty fulfillment houses, and wooden furniture and wooden toy manufacturers. We have also seen these boxes used in the computer industry. Suppliers of photographic equipment & supplies, plate making services, and x-ray, film, and graphic arts suppliers are good candidates for the low profile boxes.

Little David Special Application Model LD15W Case Sealer efficiently tapes boxes and folder/mailers with heights as low as 1/4". For more information contact our Special Application Division at 1-800-572-3434.

For more information, please contact Loveshaw's Little David Special Applications Division at 1-800-572-3434.