Case Study: Award Winning Space Technology Mattress Manufacturer
Award Winning Space Technology Mattress Manufacturer Increases Productivity and Reduces Maintenance by Switching to Mosca
Background
A US plant of an internationally award-winning mattress and pillow manufacturer needed to replace strapping machines that had reached the end of their productive lives. Their legacy supplier had been acquired and the machine model they were using was no longer available. So they began a search for a new supplier.
Challenge
At the completion of the production process, the mattresses, made from NASA’s groundbreaking viscoelastic materials are placed in a telescoping box and conveyed horizontally down a conveyor line where a wide-track bottom seal strapping machine ties the 2-piece box closed. While the machines in the line had served the customer well, their reliability was declining and maintenance costs were increasing, prompting them to find a new supplier.
The Company’s first new supplier candidate was a well-known competitor who performed a trial in the plant. The outcome was disappointing, leading them to make an inquiry at Mosca GmbH in Germany. The lead was passed to EAM-Mosca who made contact and performed an application survey.
Solution
The EAM-Mosca team recommended a trial with a Mosca ROMC6-Sonixs strapping machine with 2600 mm wide x 600 mm high strap track. Its basic footprint was similar to the equipment the plant was using, but the Mosca Standard 6 Strapway and SoniXs ultrasonic sealing system provided an opportunity to make a significant performance upgrade.
The EAM-Mosca sales team recommended converting from the 12mm wide Polypropylene strap that the manufacturer was using to an 11 mm wide Polyester (PET) strap whose resistance to elongation would better secure the heavy, high-value mattresses for shipping and handling. In addition, PET’s greater stiffness would increase feed reliability in the large track strapper and its low dusting characteristics would reduce everyday cleaning and maintenance requirements. While the plant wanted to switch, they were unable to change without corporate approval. Because the SoniXs sealing system can run PP and PET equally well, an EAM-Mosca technician reset the seal cycle and strap guides to work with the PP strap and the trial began.
Results
The trial went very well. The system ran efficiently with the competitor strap until approval to switch to the PET was received. After the conversion to PET, the promised feed reliability, cleanliness and security of the product were all realized. Productivity is up and maintenance time is down. EAM-Mosca offered the manufacturer a Performance Guarantee if they purchased the strapper, but they saw no need for it given the trial results.
A year after the trial, the plant has 5 Mosca ROMC-SoniXs-2600 machines, and a second plant has recently installed their first Mosca strapper. In fact, while the plant was initially unaware of it, several other plants in a separate but related corporate division were already using the ROMC- SoniXs for their end-of-line packaging applications. Other plants in the corporate structure are now prospects for Mosca strapping systems and the beginnings of a long-term performance-based customer-supplier partnership are in place.