Beyond Speed: Innomation Equipments on the future of high-performance VFFS Packaging

As food and beverage manufacturers invest in high-speed packaging technologies, selecting the right Vertical Form Fill Seal (VFFS) machine involves more than comparing advertised production speeds. Consistent output, packaging quality, material compatibility, operational flexibility and overall line efficiency are equally important in determining long-term equipment performance.

Speaking during Gulfood Manufacturing 2026, taking place from 3 to 5 November at Dubai World Trade Centre, Mr Harshavardhan Sripathi, Director – Sales Engineering & Operations at Innomation Equipments, highlighted the engineering considerations shaping modern VFFS packaging systems. He emphasised the need to evaluate machines under actual production conditions, prepare for next-generation packaging materials and adopt an integrated approach to production-line design.

Looking beyond advertised machine speeds

According to Mr Sripathi, one of the common mistakes manufacturers make is placing excessive emphasis on the headline speed mentioned in machine specifications. "Speed is just a number on the specification sheet. A machine may advertise speeds of 120, 150, 200, 220 or even 300 bags per minute, but that does not necessarily mean every product can run efficiently and consistently at those speeds," he explained.

Product characteristics, regulatory requirements, laminate properties and machine limitations all influence achievable speeds. Manufacturers should therefore conduct trials using their actual products and packaging materials under conditions representative of their factories.

"The important question is not how fast the machine can run, but how long it can sustain that speed with a good OEE. You also need to understand how easily operators can achieve stable operation and switch between different products and laminates," he said.

Measuring productivity and minimising material losses

Mr Sripathi believes productivity must be measured through three parameters: good bags produced against total bags manufactured, laminate consumed against saleable output, and product used against the declared package weight.

Illustrating the financial implications of product giveaway, he explained that producing 100-gram pouches at 100 bags per minute with a 2% excess giveaway results in approximately 72 tons of product lost annually.

"A 2% give-away may appear small on paper, but the cumulative loss is substantial. Even a 0.5% reduction in give-away can make an incredible difference to your bottom line," he pointed out.

Productivity must therefore account for everything consumed to achieve output, including product, laminate, utilities, manpower and managerial effort.

Testing machines under actual factory conditions

Machine trials should replicate real production environments rather than focus exclusively on continuous running. Ambient temperature and humidity, particularly when handling hygroscopic powders, can significantly affect product behaviour.

"If you are packing a highly hygroscopic powder and the machine stops for 10 minutes during the rainy season, the product may absorb moisture from the surrounding environment. It may no longer remain free-flowing, potentially affecting its characteristics and shelf life," Mr Sripathi explained.

Manufacturers should also evaluate cold starts, restart performance, roll changes, laminate variations from different suppliers, fault recovery, stabilisation time and wastage during stoppages. These trials help establish whether operators must constantly fine-tune settings or can manage multiple machines effectively.

Engineering for sustainable packaging materials

The shift towards recyclable and sustainable packaging is another important consideration when investing in new VFFS equipment. Mr Sripathi cautioned manufacturers against designing investments exclusively around their current packaging requirements.

Traditional laminates containing metallised PET or aluminium foil are generally stiffer and more forgiving of variations in film tension. New recyclable materials require more precise film handling during unwinding, transport and package formation.

"New recyclable films are much less forgiving. They require machines that are better tuned and constructed to handle the films without jerks, tension variations or undue stress," he said.

At Innomation, machine design focuses on maintaining consistent mechanical loads throughout the film-handling process. The company designs its machines to keep film-tension variation within approximately ±3–4% of the set point, including during emergency stops, alarms and machine errors.

Its machines are also designed to accommodate diverse materials, from mono-polymers, recyclable and bio-compostable films to non-woven substrates. These can require tension levels ranging from approximately 0.2 N/mm to 10–12 N/mm or higher.

Maintaining tension well within the required operating range provides manufacturers with greater flexibility to accommodate evolving packaging specifications.

Integrated production-line design and efficiency

Mr Sripathi stressed that packaging equipment must be evaluated as part of the entire manufacturing ecosystem, covering raw material handling, processing, primary and secondary packaging, end-of-line equipment and transportation.

"Ultimately, the customer is concerned about their product reaching the consumer in the way they intended it to. When we look at things only from the packaging machine's perspective, we miss the bigger picture," he said.

He highlighted how individual machine efficiencies do not necessarily translate into equivalent production-line performance. Even when machines report individual efficiencies of around 95%, the combined output of a sequential line can be considerably lower due to interruptions and operational dependencies.

"An integrated approach is the only way to ensure that you utilise your plant, setup, capital expenditure and operating expenditure efficiently," he emphasised.

Innomation advocates balanced line design with strategically positioned accumulation buffers. Rather than assuming all machines will operate continuously, buffers accommodate unplanned stoppages at different stages.

The company's approach involves progressively increasing machine speeds from upstream raw material handling towards downstream operations, while positioning buffers at potential bottleneck points. When a downstream machine stops, upstream equipment continues accumulating material. Once production resumes, downstream machines operate at higher speeds to clear the accumulated material, helping maintain theoretical line output.

Training, service and customer independence

For Mr Sripathi, installation and commissioning are only the starting points of customer support. Training is what enables customers to achieve the full potential of their equipment.

"The customer and their people should be able to operate the machine and utilise it to its fullest potential without needing any support from the OEM. That is the ideal scenario," he said.

Innomation provides structured operator, maintenance and troubleshooting training at customer facilities, supported by an extended handholding period after commissioning.

The company also invites customers' operators and maintenance personnel to its Hyderabad facility during machine assembly, wiring, programming and testing. Their participation continues through the Factory Acceptance Test (FAT), helping them understand machine components, operating principles and maintenance requirements before installation.

Beyond training, Innomation has service personnel stationed across multiple cities and is expanding its global support network. Its Service Level 3 plan assures remote troubleshooting support within one hour of initial contact.

Dedicated service professionals are available 24/7 and can remotely access the machine's Human-Machine Interface (HMI) and Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) to guide customer teams through troubleshooting and production recovery.

This combination of technical training, remote accessibility and on-ground service support helps maximise machine availability and minimise turn-around-time.

As packaging operations evolve, manufacturers increasingly need equipment that delivers more than high-speed output. For Innomation Equipments, engineering flexibility, real-world performance, integrated line design and customer independence remain central to delivering reliable packaging solutions.

 For more information, please visit - www.innomationequipments.com