From Manual to Automatic: One Packaging Line Frees 10 Workers! (Huanlian Packaging Equipment Application)
Alyssa/October 3,2025
In the context of rising labor costs and urgent efficiency improvement needs, manual packaging lines—reliant on repetitive actions like box erecting, filling, sealing, and stacking—have become a bottleneck for many enterprises. A typical manual packaging line for medium-volume goods requires 12-15 workers, but Huanlian Packaging Group’s integrated automatic packaging line has rewritten this scenario. By combining core equipment such as automatic box erectors, intelligent filling machines, and robotic stackers, it can reduce labor demand by up to 80%, truly achieving “one line frees 10 workers” and verified by practical cases of logistics and manufacturing enterprises.
The “Labor Dilemma” of Manual Packaging Lines
Manual packaging processes suffer from three fatal flaws, which are particularly prominent in industries like e-commerce and auto parts:
High Labor Dependence: Each link—box folding (2-3 workers), product placing (3-4 workers), tape sealing (1-2 workers), and pallet stacking (2-3 workers)—requires dedicated personnel, with a total of 10-12 workers for a single line.
Unstable Efficiency: Fatigue leads to declining speed—manual packaging can handle 80-120 boxes per hour per person, while the overall line capacity drops by 30% in the afternoon shift.
High Error Rate: Manual operation causes 5-8% of packaging defects (e.g., uneven sealing, incorrect box selection), resulting in secondary rework and increased costs.
A Chinese auto parts manufacturer once faced this predicament: its 13-worker manual line had a daily output of only 1,500 packaged parts, with a 7% defect rate and monthly labor costs exceeding $20,000.
Huanlian Automatic Packaging Line: Equipment Combination That “Replaces Labor”
Huanlian Packaging Group, a leader in intelligent packaging solutions, has developed a modular automatic line tailored to labor-intensive scenarios. Its core equipment combination and labor-saving logic are as follows:
1. HL-KX60 Automatic Box Erector: Replaces 2-3 Box-Folding Workers
This device integrates “carton storage → automatic folding → bottom sealing” functions, with a speed of 60 boxes per minute—equivalent to the efficiency of 3 manual workers. It adopts Huanlian’s patented “adaptive crease technology” to match cartons of 15-50cm in length without manual adjustment. The auto parts manufacturer mentioned earlier found that this single device reduced 2 box-folding workers immediately after deployment.
2. HL-ZD80 Intelligent Filling & Sealing Machine: Replaces 4-5 Filling/Sealing Workers
Combining laser positioning and automatic tape sealing, it can complete product centering placement and upper/lower sealing in one pass. The touch screen allows presetting parameters for different product sizes, with a processing speed of 80 boxes per hour—surpassing 4 manual workers. Unlike manual operation, its sealing error is controlled within ±0.5mm, reducing defect rates to less than 1%.
3. HL-RS10 Robotic Palletizer: Replaces 2-3 Stacking Workers
Equipped with a 6-axis robotic arm and visual recognition system, it can stack sealed cartons onto pallets in preset patterns (e.g., “4×5×3”) without manual guidance. It works 24 hours continuously, with a stacking efficiency of 1,200 boxes per hour—far exceeding the 300 boxes per hour of 3 manual workers. Huanlian’s unique “shock-absorbing end effector” also avoids carton damage during grabbing.
4. Central Control System: The “Brain” of Labor Saving
Connecting all devices, it synchronizes order information (compatible with mainstream WMS) and automatically adjusts equipment parameters. For example, when switching from small to large cartons, the system sends instructions to the HL-KX60 and HL-ZD80 simultaneously, completing adjustments in 10 seconds—no manual parameter setting required.
Tangible Benefits: Beyond “Freeing Workers”
The auto parts manufacturer’s data after 3 months of using Huanlian’s automatic line tells the whole story:
Labor Reduction: From 13 workers to 3 (only 1 operator + 2 maintenance personnel), achieving the goal of “freeing 10 workers” and cutting monthly labor costs by $16,000.
Efficiency Leap: Daily output increased from 1,500 boxes to 4,800 boxes, with a 220% growth in capacity.
Cost Saving: Defect rate dropped from 7% to 0.8%, reducing rework costs by $3,000 per month; packaging material waste (e.g., excess tape) decreased by 15% due to precise equipment control.
24/7 Operation: The automatic line runs continuously with only regular maintenance, breaking the limitation of manual work hours.
For enterprises struggling with labor shortages and low efficiency, Huanlian Packaging’s automatic line is not just “equipment replacement” but a “production capacity revolution”. It transforms the heavy manual labor of packaging into intelligent, efficient operation—proving that automation is the most direct path to reducing costs and increasing benefits in the current industrial environment.
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