Despite its versatility and low cost, skin packaging has one major drawback: long cycle times. Utilizing templates in the loading stage can lead to much faster and more accurate skin packaging. A simple template can be made from your existing board. Simply take a sheet that has just been packaged with all pieces perfectly in place. Using a razor knife, cut through the plastic and paper, leaving a hole in each position for product placement. For extra durability and height, adhere the cut board to a piece of corrugated with the same outside dimensions. This finished template can be used by placing it over a new skin sheet. The products are placed in the cut out holes, the template is then lifted off (in the case of side loading machines, slide the whole assembly into the machine to help stop product movement and then remove template) and a regular cycle is run. The use of templates will result in a more uniform, and faster skin pack..
