Important Ways to Combat Dust in Your Packaging Process

Airborne and dust particulates can be a great threat for the most advanced packaging process because these at some point in time stop the functioning of the machine and increases the downtime. Nothing can be worse than increased downtime for manufacturers so it is important to have a look at it.
                                          

Dust emissions mainly occur when products are passed through transfer points in the packaging system. The products packed are also responsible for dust emissions as products like coffee, sugar, flour, protein powders and pet food create a good amount of dust that goes into your packaging environment. You can reduce the effects of dust emissions by employing the given measures:
 

Dust Proof Enclosures – It is vital to house the electrical or pneumatic components in an enclosure protected against dust. This ensures proper functioning of the machine. You have to take extra care when purchasing packaging machinery for a dusty environment. Always check the ingress protection rating of the machine. The ingress protection rating mainly consists of two things, which indicate how dust and watertight an enclosure is.
Enclosed Jaw Drives – Operating in a dusty environment is full of risks. The moving parts that drive the sealing jaws on your packaging machines need to be protected from airborne particulates. Make sure the machine you purchase has a fully enclosed jaw drive.
 

Dust Hoods – Even some machines come with dust hoods above the product dispensing station. This feature reduces the dust emissions to a great extent. It is advised to purchase only that machine, which comes with a dust hood above the dispensing station. 
 

Proper Preventive Maintenance – Whether you are using simple packaging machines or automated ones maintenance is necessary for both types of machines. The maintenance should be proper preventive maintenance and must include cleaning and inspecting of components for residue or dust. Please  note that automated packaging solutions require maintenance less frequently than the simple machines so going with these is a better option.