Sealing the e-commerce deal

E-commerce has been around for a while now, but the fulfillment environment that supports it is still a pretty hectic, unpredictable place. As the orders flood in, employees dart around scanning bar codes, packing orders and getting them out the door at lighting speed.

With customers expecting orders faster than ever, e-commerce fulfillment is also a high-stakes game where delayed orders, missing inventory and other errors can have far-reaching consequences.

Knowing this, manufacturers are continually innovating, upgrading and enhancing the packaging equipment that streamlines packaging, increases productivity levels, minimizes damage and eliminates manual processes.

Take case sealers, for example. Used to seal boxes, keep products secure and prevent damage during transit, case sealers integrate with other packaging equipment and help create a seamless workflow on the warehouse or DC floor. Products like Signode’s latest LDX-RTB 4.0 Premier semi-automatic random case sealer can help minimize downtime while processing a wide range of case sizes at high speeds.

Building upon the success of its LDX-RTB Standard, Deluxe and Premium models, Signode’s latest model features a smart guarding system. It also holds two Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory (OSHA NRTL) certifications for its electronic components.

With belt speeds of up to 155 feet per minute, the LDX-RTB 4.0 Premier was designed for fast-paced environments like e-commerce and retail. Signode’s correlating CaseLocker series tape cartridges each feature a patented locking knife guard system, and offer pinch point prevention, pneumatic assist for high-speed operation, and a simplified threading path for tape loading.

Drew Wenrich, Signode’s equipment sales manager, Americas, says the new case sealer was developed in response to customer demand, which turns out is fairly typical for the manufacturer. “Most of what we do and develop comes from the ‘outside in,’” he explains, “and is based on market requests or unmet needs.”

To develop the LDX-RTB 4.0 Premier, Signode took an existing, 3.0 product and “enhanced it largely around risk reduction for operators,” says Wenrich. The NRTL certifications validate that the machine is safe to use from an electric redundancy and mechanical design standpoint.

“It uses interlock guarding that reduces the risk of [operator] entanglement or other potential issues,” says Wenrich. Signode also collaborated with one of its customers to come up with a second e-stop for the machine’s moving tape head.

“We wanted to disincentivize the operator from movement toward the head; the guarding pushes them away from the head and restricts their movement,” says Wenrich. “That way, they won’t be able to make an unconscious decision to reach their hand into the danger area.”

These safety considerations are critical for a case sealer that boasts belt operating speeds of up to 155 feet per minute, which Wenrich says are currently the “fastest on the market.” The product also features a patented pneumatic top-tape cartridge that uses air power to drive both the rollers and the cutter.

“The tape is always applied accurately and cut precisely regardless of package weight,” says Wenrich. “This is important in e-commerce fulfillment, where there are millions of SKUs and a limited number of box sizes, and where not everything can be right-sized for each package.”