Quality controls have advanced so much in recent years that the industry is constantly working to develop options that improve processes and preserve the packaged product until the time of use.
Smart packaging includes those packs that allow the user to know the state of the packed products without having to manipulate them.
It is the reason why currently there are applications and control software that allow us to know the material the packaging is made of, its durability as well as intelligent solutions that provide data in real-time.
New technologies applied to packaging monitoring
Knowing the location and specific status of a shipment is a complex process. In such a globalized world, each package goes through several stores, platforms and suppliers until it reaches the end customer.
In certain segments such as food, pharmaceutical or cosmetics, many times it is not only interesting to know where the shipment is but also the condition it is in.
Below, we show you some of the technologies that have been recently implemented for packaging monitoring.
- Mobile apps: allow knowing what is in the containers, which in turn have coded labels with data that is obtained by radiofrequency. The location is done through GPS and the record is sent to a database that the user can access in real-time.
- Integrated detector devices.
- Radiofrequency devices: allow the reading of almost a thousand labels in less than a minute and at a distance that can exceed 10 meters.
- Temperature and humidity devices: determine the temperature the load has been exposed to and for how long. There are indicators of both rising and falling temperatures.
- Impact devices and roll-over technology. These indicate if the packaging has suffered angle inclinations that are not allowed or if it has suffered any damage. This reduces losses in products that are fragile.
- In the case of medications, there are already companies that make it easier for the patient to interact with the packaging itself via a Bluetooth or NFC connection. So, the patient knows in detail how to take the medication and receives notices and reminders.
- Perishable food. Some packages are designed to know, in real-time, in what condition the products are as they move. This technique is ideal for products that are fresh and for which minimum conditions must be guaranteed. In the food sector, this technique has been a breakthrough.
The brands yearn to connect with their customers and for them to make these purchases, so, some programs have been designed for manufacturers to communicate directly with the consumer and let them know about the conditions in which the products travel and when they will receive the purchased product.
New packaging monitoring techniques are more ambitious every day and involve a change of mind-set and time optimization.
