Hardware & Small Parts Packing Solutions
Screws, nuts, bolts and counted kits — dense, abrasive products that punish machines built for food. Flow wrapping moves them by conveyor into film: no drops, no lost counts.
Why Flow Wrapping for Hardware & Small Parts
Hardware is a handling problem before it is a sealing problem — and horizontal flow wrapping is a handling-first process.
Handled, Not Dropped
Metal parts are dense, abrasive, and packaged by exact count. The wrap-around process conveys them into film without drop-and-settle steps that scatter counts or jam feeds.
Count Integrity
A pack with a missing screw is a returned product. Counting and grouping sit ahead of the wrapper, in the same line, under the same control. The sealed counted pack is what the shelf expects — the default format across UK DIY fixings aisles.
Abrasive by Nature
Screws and bolts wear contact surfaces food machines never see. Wear points, guides and belts have to be specified for metal, not swapped in after the first jam.
Film Formed Around the Product
The pack is built from a continuous film web around the actual product dimensions — economical on film, compact to ship, neat on the shelf.
Benchtop to Full Shift
A five-pack sample run and a three-shift production week are different machine classes. The route stays the same; the platform scales.
Industry References
Sealed counted packs are the default shelf format at UK DIY chains — the retail endpoint of counted-kit packaging:
Rawlplug wall plugs (100-pack) at Screwfix; fischer SX Plus anchors (100-pack) and Rapierstar window-door screws (200-pack) at B&Q.
References describe publicly available retail pack formats as illustrations — they are not Path Pack customer cases.
Machines for Hardware Packaging
One engineering standard across three machine families — flow wrappers, four-side-seal sachet machines and horizontal premade-pouch lines. Every machine below is configured around the product it runs — each card links to the full machine page for detailed specs.
Flow Wrapping (HFFS) — counted parts and kits
The JC400 Desktop wraps counted small parts on a bench at 5–20 packs/min; the JC700 takes full-shift hardware duty at 50–300 packs/min with film 40–180 mm.
Four-Side-Seal Sachet Machines — flat sachets and portion packs
Flat sachets sealed on all four sides — portion-controlled, shelf-ready packs for flat products and counted single serves.
Horizontal Pouch Packing Machines — stand-up, zipper and spout pouches
Pouch formats for hardware kits and spare-part packs — configuration confirmed per kit format.
Complete the Line — cartoning, blister and sleeving
Cartoning, blister packing and bag sleeving machines that pair with the packers above — one line, one engineering standard.
How to Choose a Hardware Packing Machine
Seven decisions frame the specification. Work them in order and the machine ends up matched to your product — not the other way around.
1. Product Type
Part dimensions, weight, shape and surface. Dense or abrasive parts drive the infeed spec; sharp threads and edges drive the film spec — puncture resistance sets film gauge and seal strength.
2. Throughput
From benchtop runs at 5–20 packs/min to floor-standing lines at 50–300 packs/min — match the machine class to your shift pattern, not to a demo.
3. Film Material
Plain or laminated film sized to the pack. Film width follows product width; economy matters at hardware margins.
4. Seal Technology
Seal requirements in hardware are simple — the real spec lives in feeding and counting, not the sealer.
5. Package Format
Counted single packs, kits with instructions, or bundled sets. Format drives the grouping and infeed design.
6. Handling and Wear
No food-grade overhead — the spec focuses on wear resistance, quick access for clearing jams, and proper guarding.
7. Configuration and Delivery
Counting and feeding integration extends delivery. Lock the kit specification early so line and machine arrive together.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is flow wrapping suitable for screws and small hardware?
Yes — counted parts are conveyed into film, wrapped and sealed in one motion. The engineering work sits in feeding and counting, not sealing.
What is the main challenge packing screws and nuts?
Handling and count integrity. Dense metal parts punish sloppy feeds, and a pack missing one screw is a return. We treat counting as part of the packaging line, not an accessory.
Can hardware be packed at both small and full scale?
Yes. The JC400 Desktop covers benchtop runs at 5–20 packs/min; the JC700 covers full shifts at 50–300 packs/min. Same route, different class.
What speeds are available for hardware packing?
The JC400 Desktop runs 5–20 packs/min with film 30–50 mm; the JC700 runs 50–300 packs/min with film 40–180 mm. Match the class to your shift pattern.
Why Path Pack
We start with the product, not the machine. Every project runs through the same nine-step engineering process — product, format, film, speed, feeding, sealing, structure, integration, testing — before a configuration is quoted.
Your parts run on real machines with your film at your target speed before anything ships. Hardware lines change jobs without warning — we configure for the range you actually run, not one heroic SKU.
Evaluate your requirements with our online tools: the machine finder and bag calculator narrow the configuration before you ever talk to us.