What Are Impack Packaging's Machines? | Complete Overview [+VIDEO]

One of the worst feelings ever is when you realize that your gluing line has hit its maximum capacity.

And there is nothing you can do to make your folder-gluer produce more or at a faster rate.

You’ve tried to add more packing staff.

You’ve tried to increase your gluer’s speed.

You’ve tried to improve your palletization to simplify production.

You’ve tried to find ways to automate the turning of your boxes.

But you face the same problem over and over again: Your packing staff cannot keep up.

It can be a very frustrating reality.

The good news is that despite being a letdown, this is easily solvable.

“How?”

By adding packaging equipment to your gluing line.

Folder-gluer packaging equipment allow you to partially, or fully, automate your packing process.

At IMPACK, we design, manufacture, and install Manual, Semi-Automatic, Automatic, and Fully-Automatic folder-gluer packaging equipment and peripheral solutions.

In this article + video, I will talk about IMPACK’s 3 Main Machines and how to choose the best machine for your company.

What Are IMPACK’s 3 Main Machines?

IMPACK's 3 main machines from left to right: The Ergosa packer, the Virtuo packer, and the Everio stacker.

IMPACK’s 3 main machines are the Ergosa packer, the Virtuo packer, and the Everio stacker. 

They are all part of the group called “folder-gluer packaging equipment.”

Folder-gluer packaging equipment is an overarching term used to describe a wide range of packing systems and peripheral devices.

And this group is not IMPACK’s solution but rather a term used to describe all packaging equipment offered by different suppliers that are integrated on, and around, folder-gluers. 

Folder-gluer packaging equipment includes:

1. Pre-feeders.

2. Pre-packers.

3. Packers.

4. Stackers.

At IMPACK, we offer all 4 families. 

And each of those 4 families includes distinct solutions with varying levels of automation. 

Those levels of automation are divided into 4 categories:

1. Manual packing.

2. Semi-Automated packing.

3. Automated packing.

4. Fully-Automated packing.

IMPACK’s Ergosa and Virtuo are packers while IMPACK’s Everio is a stacker.

Let’s take a look at IMPACK’s 3 main machines and their features and capabilities:

🔍 Recommended: 

1. Learn more about “What Are Folder-Gluer Packaging Equipment & Which Machine is Best For You?”

2. Not sure what level of automation your company needs? Check out “What’s the Difference between Manual, Semi-Auto, Auto, and Fully-Auto Folder-Gluer Packers?”

Ergosa Packer

IMPACK’s Ergosa packer in its 2 main versions: The Ergosa A and the Ergosa C.

The Ergosa packer is IMPACK’s Semi-Automatic packer and is available in 2 different versions: The Ergosa A and the Ergosa C. 

Combining the flexibility of a semi-automatic packer with the performance of an automatic packer, the Ergosa series is an economical solution to help you boost your folder-gluer productivity and reach top packing speeds. 

The Ergosa is our top sold machine for the last 20 years and happens to be one of the only semi-automatic packers that exists, to date, on the market.

The Ergosa offers 3 different packing modes that accommodates a wide range of box shapes, sizes, formats, and production runs.

🔍 Recommended: 

1. Learn more about “What is an Ergosa Packer & How Can It Improve Your Packing Process?”

2. Discover the Ergosa’s 3 main packing modes by reading “What are the Ergosa Packer’s 3 Main Packing Modes?”

Ergosa A’s Features 👇

• Simple, economical, and compact semi-automatic packer that offers a big improvement in efficiency, ergonomics, and packing speed

• Compatible with carton and corrugated board

• Compatible with all folder-gluer models

• Runs small to medium box formats

• Runs any box you shoot through the folder-gluer

• Offers multi-row, multi-layer packing capabilities

• Offers 2 packing modes: Horizontal Mode and Pick & Place Mode. The Pick & Place Mode includes 1 manual packing station

• And has a pneumatic end-gate to help box accumulation and prevent box overflow

• Short setup time (<5 min)

• Speed: Over 100,000 boxes per hour

• Its ergonomic design allows the boxes to be slid into cases instead of being lifted. No loads are picked up, thus repetitive strain injuries (RSI) are reduced

Ergosa C’s Features 👇

• High-performance, versatile, and modular semi-automatic packer with the performance of an automatic packer

• Compatible with folding carton and corrugated board

• Compatible with all folder-gluer models

• Runs small to large box formats

• Runs straight lines, 4/6 corners + runs crash lock/auto-bottom boxes faster and more ergonomically than the Ergosa A

• It offers the possibility to pack big format boxes

• It offers multi-row, multi-layer packing capabilities

• It offers 3 main packing modes: Horizontal Mode, Pick & Place Mode + an optional Vertical Mode. The Pick & Place Mode includes 2 manual packing stations (2 MAE Modules) compared to the Ergosa A which has only one packing station 

• And a pneumatic end-gate to help box accumulation and prevent box overflow

• Short setup time (5-7 minutes depending on the mode)

• Speed: Over 100,000 boxes per hour

• Its ergonomic design allows the boxes to be slid into cases instead of being lifted. No loads are picked up and repetitive strain injuries (RSI) are reduced

🔍 Recommended: Not sure which Ergosa version is better for you? Check out our article “Ergosa A Vs. Ergosa C: Which Is Better For Your Production?”

Virtuo Packer

IMPACK’s Automatic packer: The Virtuo Packer - A high performance automatic packer, and one of the only packers on the market that can handle both carton and corrugated board.

The Virtuo packer is IMPACK's Automatic packer and one of the only packers on the market that can handle both carton and corrugated board.

The Virtuo is a high performance automatic packer and the most compact auto packer that exists on the market.

Adding the optional Auto Case Feeder (ACF) Module to the Virtuo packer is what pushes the Virtuo’s level of automation into the fully automated category, hence making the Virtuo a fully auto packer with a fully automated process. 

🔍 Recommended:

1. Learn more about “What is a Virtuo Packer & How Can It Improve Your Packing Process?” 

2. Conflicted on whether you choose a Semi-Automatic packer or an Automatic packer? Read the article “Semi-Automatic Vs. Fully-Automatic Packers: Which Should You Choose?”

Virtuo’s Features 👇

• A high performance automatic packer and the most compact auto packer on the market

• Compatible with carton and corrugated board

• Compatible with all folder-gluer models

• Runs medium to very large box formats

• Offers one-row, one-layer packing capabilities

• Short setup time (<10 min)

• Speed: Up to 8 cases a minute

• High-precision laser counter

• Includes a case loader

• Includes a touchscreen interface

Everio Stacker

IMPACK’s Everio: A fully automatic stacker to stack and band your boxes coming from folder-gluer(s) or rotary die cutters.

The Everio Stacker is IMPACK’s fully automatic stacker to stack and band your boxes coming from your folder-gluer(s) or rotary die cutters.

The Ergosa and Virtuo are folder-gluer packers that facilitate a case packing process. 

In contrast, the Everio is a folder-gluer stacker that meets bundling needs. 

A stacker is similar to a packer in the sense that it takes a shingled stream of folded cartons, counts them, and bundles them, but the output batches don’t end up in a case.

Instead of packing the boxes into a case, as done with a folder-gluer packer, a stacker accumulates the boxes vertically and then sends them for banding/strapping.

In other words, depending on your production processes, you either pack your boxes into cases (case packing) using a folder-gluer packer or stack your boxes to be banded/strapped together (box bundling). 

It is either one or the other; however, some clients do both processes on the same folder-gluer.

🔍 Recommended:

1. Learn more about “What is an Everio Stacker & How Can It Improve Your Packing Process?”

2. Wondering whether your company needs a packer or a stacker? Compare Folder-Gluer Packers Vs. Stackers in this article. 

Everio’s Features 👇

• Fully automatic stacker with a super compact footprint

• Compatible with carton and corrugated board

• Compatible with all folder-gluer models

• Runs medium to large box formats

• Runs straight lines, 4/6 corners, and crash-lock/auto-bottoms

• Compatible with pre-inverted batches (Alterna-MFA)

• Compatible with many brands of automatic banding machines, such as ATS, Mosca, or SMB/Signode

• Short setup time (<10 min)

• Speed: Up to 20 stacks a minute

• High-precision laser counter

• Includes a touchscreen interface

Which Machine is Right For You & How Do You Choose?

Here is your answer in 20 seconds ⏱️:

👉 If you’re exclusively doing case packing, then either the Ergosa packer or the Virtuo packer is the best solution.

This is because the Everio is a folder-gluer stacker and not a packer. It cannot do case packing.

👉 If you’re exclusively doing banding/strapping, then the Everio stacker is the best solution.

👉 If you’re doing both case packing and banding/strapping, then the Ergosa packer is the best solution. Otherwise, a custom solution could be considered.

Having said that, all folder-gluer packers and stackers need a box turner.

And the choice of a box turner all depends on the packer or stacker you select.

Now that you have a clear overview of IMPACK’s 3 main machines, your next step would be to compare the capabilities of those 3 machines.

Our article “Ergosa Vs. Virtuo Vs. Everio: Which is the Best Folder-Gluer Packer?” compares those 3 machines on 3 key points:

1. Their scope of automation.

2. The type of process they involve.

3. What machine is best fit for what production.

By the end of the article, you’ll know exactly which machine is right for your company.

Plus, you’ll know what box turner is best fit for your chosen packer or stacker.

Next Steps:

• Compare the Ergosa Vs. Virtuo Vs. Everio to know exactly what machine is right for your production.

• If you’re still not sure whether investing in packaging equipment is the right move, read “Do I Need to Invest In Packaging Equipment to Improve My Folder-Gluer Productivity?”

• If you’re curious about how much a packer or stacker can cost you, check out “How Much Does a Folder-Gluer Packer Cost?”