Flexible packaging is becoming increasingly sophisticated. Brand owners and consumers expect more personalised products, longer shelf life and improved usability, while converters are being asked to manufacture increasingly complex structures incorporating features such as laser easy openings, windows and resealable applications.
This evolution creates an important production challenge. It is no longer enough to optimise printing, laminating or slitting individually. Converters also need to consider a fundamental question: what happens to the reel once it leaves the slitter?
This is where end of line automation becomes increasingly relevant. Automating reel handling, identification, packaging and logistics can remove non-productive steps, reduce errors and improve overall production efficiency. But successful automation does not start with robots. It starts with organisation.
More SKUs make slitting efficiency increasingly important
Greater product customisation inevitably means more SKUs, shorter production runs and more frequent job changes.
For converters, this means that slitters must be capable of handling increasingly complex jobs while maintaining the highest possible Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE). In this environment, changeover time becomes critical.
A basic cantilevered slitter can be operational for only around 30% of the available time. Adding technologies such as double turret rewinders, automatic knife positioning, automatic core positioning and automatic taping can increase this ratio significantly — by up to 70% according to the operating scenario described by Comexi. The Comexi S1 DT is one example of how these automated processes work together on a single platform.
But optimising the slitter itself addresses only part of the challenge.
After slitting, reels still need to be unloaded, identified, weighed, labelled, packed, palletised and eventually transported to the warehouse or dispatch area. Every manual step adds time before the finished reel leaves the production plant.
A properly designed roll handling system can connect these operations and reduce the downtime between them, helping the entire production flow operate as one coordinated process rather than as a sequence of isolated machines.
The golden rule of end of line automation: organisation comes first
Automation is often associated with robots, autonomous vehicles and sophisticated machinery. But successful end of line automation starts much earlier. The first step is understanding how your production process works today and identifying where automation can deliver real value.
The principle is simple: organisation precedes automation. Automating a poorly organised workflow does not remove inefficiencies; it risks reproducing them automatically, and at higher speed.
That does not mean converters have to solve this challenge on their own. At Comexi, the process starts by working alongside the customer to analyse the existing production flow: how reels move through the plant, where bottlenecks appear, which operations require manual intervention and which processes can be simplified or standardised.
From there, Comexi helps define what should be automated, where to start and how the solution can evolve over time. This ensures that the technology responds to the real needs of the plant rather than simply adding automation to an inefficient process.
The objective is not to sell an isolated robot or machine. It is to help build a more organised, efficient and scalable production environment in which every element works together.
This advisory approach turns packaging automation into a broader production strategy. By combining process knowledge, engineering and modular automation solutions, Comexi supports customers from the initial analysis through implementation and future expansion.
Because the right automation solution does not start with choosing the technology. It starts with understanding the process — and having the right partner to guide you through it.
What can be automated after the slitter?
End of line automation can cover virtually the entire flow between the slitter and the warehouse.
Depending on the production environment, automated systems can manage:
- Reel unloading
- Weighing
- Labelling
- Packaging
- Palletising
- Pallet wrapping
- Pallet labelling
- Autonomous transport towards the warehouse or truck
Comexi approaches this process through flexible and modular robotic systems. Instead of requiring a complete plant transformation from the beginning, automation can start with the operation where the investment is expected to generate the greatest return and then expand progressively. Slitters such as the Comexi S2 DT can be configured with automated reel unloading and palletising options from the outset.
This modular approach is particularly important in flexible packaging, where production requirements vary significantly between converters.
Ultimately, a reel handling system should be capable of growing alongside the production environment.
Integration also extends beyond physical reel movement. Comexi can connect information from the machine through the customer’s ERP, the slitter and the robotic system before returning the data to the ERP. This closed-loop approach creates a turnkey system in which production and information flows remain connected throughout the process.
The business case goes far beyond labour savings
Labour cost reduction is one of the most immediate arguments when calculating the ROI of automation. Repetitive processes can be transferred to automated systems while employees focus on tasks that require expertise, decision-making and human judgement.
But labour savings are only part of the equation.
Reducing human error
Repeated manual operations inevitably introduce a degree of error through fatigue or distraction. A label may be incorrectly applied, or a reel may be assigned to the wrong lot.
These mistakes become particularly important at the delivery stage. As quality requirements from brand owners increase, automation provides a route towards zero-defect delivery, reducing the possibility of an incorrect or defective reel reaching the customer.
Improving quality control
Machine vision and automated inspection technologies can further reinforce this process. According to the Comexi technical article, automated quality-control systems can detect 100% of errors within the inspection process while maintaining consistent detection performance.
Improving ergonomics
Reel handling and packaging involve repetitive operations that can place physical demands on employees over long shifts.
Automating repetitive or tedious movements can therefore improve ergonomics while allowing operators to concentrate on higher-value activities.
Connecting production information
Automation also increases access to production data.
Rather than treating each machine as an isolated element, integrated turnkey solutions create a broader view of the production process. Standardised HMIs can also make equipment easier to operate and reduce the training required for employees.
This reflects a wider shift in investment decisions: the total cost of ownership increasingly matters more than the initial acquisition cost.
Frequently Asked Questions about end of line automation
What is end of line automation in flexible packaging?
End of line automation connects and automates the processes that take place after slitting. It can include reel unloading, weighing, labelling, packaging, palletising and internal logistics, creating a continuous production flow that reduces manual intervention, downtime and the risk of errors between individual production stages.
Which steps can be automated after slitting?
Converters can automate reel unloading, weighing, labelling, packaging, palletising, pallet wrapping and pallet labelling. Autonomous vehicles can also transport finished pallets towards warehouses or loading areas. These operations can be connected to the slitter and production-management systems as part of an integrated end of line solution.
Do I need to automate the whole plant at once?
No. A modular approach allows converters to automate individual operations first and expand progressively. The best starting point is generally the process where automation can generate the greatest return. Additional modules can then be integrated as production requirements evolve, ultimately creating a more comprehensive automated production environment.
How does automation improve delivery quality?
Automation reduces the manual operations that can lead to incorrect labels, misplaced reels or errors in lot identification. Combined with automated inspection and integrated production data, it creates a more consistent and traceable workflow, helping converters reduce mistakes and move towards zero-defect delivery to their customers.
Flexible packaging requires flexible automation
There is no single automation model that fits every flexible packaging plant.
The right approach begins by organising and simplifying the production process, identifying the operations with the greatest improvement potential and introducing automation progressively.
From individual reel-handling operations to a fully integrated turnkey solution connected with the ERP, the goal remains the same: reduce downtime, improve productivity, increase quality and create a production environment capable of adapting to future requirements.
Because a system designed to control flexible packaging should itself be flexible.
And the value of that system does not end once it has been installed. Comexi complements its automation solutions with 360º Service technical assistance and spare-parts availability, helping customers maintain reliable operation throughout the equipment lifecycle.
Looking to optimise what happens after your slitter? Discover how Comexi end of line automation solutions can help create a more organised, connected and scalable production flow.
