A few months ago, we got a call from a mid-sized food packaging company in Coimbatore. Let’s call them Fresh Pack Foods. They were running a production line that packaged spices into small pouches. Business was good — demand was growing, and their machines were running almost 16 hours a day.
But there was a problem.
“The pouches are tearing sometimes… the filling isn’t consistent,” the production head told us.
“We’ve been tweaking the air pressure every week, but it just doesn’t stay stable. Our sealing section has been down three times this month.”
They were using pneumatic actuators — a standard choice in the industry for years. But as they tried to scale up, the limitations started to show.
The Turning Point
We visited their facility. The machines were solid — reliable builds, well-maintained. But the lack of fine control was clear. Each time the machine started, the pneumatic actuators responded with a jolt. The seals? Inconsistent. The filling? Not precise. The machine operators had become used to making manual adjustments during every shift.
That’s when we suggested a change.
“What if you could control every movement digitally — the speed, the force, the position — all from your HMI?”
“And what if you didn’t have to touch that air compressor again?”
They were intrigued but cautious. Pneumatics had been their go-to for years. Was switching really worth the investment?
Enter Electric Linear Actuators
We retrofitted one of their filling stations with a compact electric linear actuator. No compressor. No hoses. Just a clean setup with a motor, a controller, and a display unit.
Within a week, the difference was undeniable:
- Filling accuracy improved by over 30% — no more complaints about underfilled pouches.
- Sealing pressure was consistent — not one faulty pouch reported that week.
- And most importantly, the operators didn’t have to stop the machine to make manual adjustments.
We moved on to the next station. Then the next. Within a month, they had converted their entire pouch packaging line to electric actuation.
What Changed for FreshPack?
It wasn’t just better performance. It was the control they now had:
- They could set different motion profiles for different pouch sizes.
- The system alerted them before any actuator reached wear limits — enabling predictive maintenance.
- And they noticed something unexpected: their electricity bill dropped. Without the constant running of compressors, they were saving nearly 18% on energy consumption.
The Bigger Picture
FreshPack’s story isn’t unique. Across industries — from food and pharma to cosmetics and chemicals — manufacturers are realizing that electric linear actuators aren’t just an upgrade, they’re a transformation.
They offer:
- Precision without compromise
- Clean, hygienic operation
- Energy efficiency
- Seamless integration with modern control systems
If you’re facing similar issues — inconsistent output, high maintenance, or rising energy costs — it might be time to explore electric actuation.
At Kathir Sudhir Automation India Pvt Ltd, we don’t just sell actuators. We help manufacturers rethink how motion works in their machines. With years of expertise and 100% focus on electric actuator solutions, we’re here to make your packaging smarter, smoother, and future-ready.