Table A.11: Technology sophistication in Food Processing - Packaging

||**Manual**<br>**Packing**<br>**in**<br>**Bags, Bottles, or Boxes**|**Human Operated Me-**<br>**chanical Equipment**|**Power Equipment Re-**<br>**quiring Routine Inter-**<br>**action**|**Power**<br>**Equipment**<br>**Controlled by Comput-**<br>**ers/Robotics**|
|---|---|---|---|---|
|**Functionality**|Basic functionality involv-<br>ing manual sealing of bags,<br>wrapping of products, and<br>application<br>of<br>labels<br>to<br>packages.|Functionality<br>includes<br>weighing<br>and<br>flling<br>of<br>packages, sealing of bags,<br>and<br>capping<br>of<br>bottles<br>with<br>human-operated<br>mechanical equipment.|High functionality with au-<br>tomated processes for bag-<br>ging, flling, and wrapping,<br>reducing the need for man-<br>ual efort.|Highest functionality with<br>advanced capabilities such<br>as precise handling, stack-<br>ing,<br>and packaging with<br>minimal errors.|
|**Integration**|No<br>integration,<br>manual<br>processes not typically in-<br>tegrated with automated<br>systems.|Moderate integration, rel-<br>atively easy to incorporate<br>into existing workfows but<br>still reliant on human oper-<br>ation.|Moderate<br>to<br>high<br>inte-<br>gration, capable of being<br>incorporated into existing<br>systems but requiring hu-<br>man oversight and routine<br>interaction.|High integration complex-<br>ity but can seamlessly inte-<br>grate into existing produc-<br>tion lines to enhance ef-<br>ciency and reduce manual<br>labor.|
|**Automation**|No<br>automation,<br>entirely<br>dependent on human labor.|Low to moderate automa-<br>tion, with signifcant hu-<br>man involvement required<br>for operation and control.|High level of automation,<br>but still requires routine<br>human interaction for load-<br>ing, monitoring, and occa-<br>sional adjustments.|Highest level of automa-<br>tion, requiring minimal hu-<br>man interaction once pro-<br>grammed and set up.|
|**Rank**|4|3|2|1|
|**Reason for Ranking**|Lowest sophistication due<br>to full reliance on manual<br>labor with no automation<br>or integration capabilities.|Moderate<br>sophistication<br>due to reliance on human<br>operation with limited au-<br>tomation, improving speed<br>and accuracy compared to<br>manual methods.|High sophistication due to<br>automated processes with<br>signifcant human oversight<br>and interaction needed.|Highest sophistication due<br>to advanced functionality,<br>seamless integration, and<br>full automation with min-<br>imal human interaction.|
|**Technology Examples**|Handheld<br>Heat<br>Sealer,<br>Manual<br>Wrapping<br>Ma-<br>chine,<br>Handheld<br>Label<br>Applicator|Mechanical Weighing and<br>Filling<br>Machine,<br>Foot<br>Pedal<br>Operated<br>Heat<br>Sealer,<br>Semi-Automatic<br>Bottle Capping Machine|Automatic<br>Bagging<br>Ma-<br>chine, Automated Filling<br>Machine,<br>Automated<br>Wrapping Machine|Robotic<br>Palletizer,<br>Au-<br>tomated Guided Vehicles<br>(AGVs),<br>Computer-<br>Controlled<br>Packaging<br>Line|
|**Cost**|$30 - $300|$1,000 - $10,000|$10,000 - $100,000|$50,000 - $1,000,000|
|**Launch Year**|1970s - 1990s|1980s - 2000s|1990s - 2010s|2000s - 2015|
|**ChatGPT ranking**|1|2.5|3.5|4.5|
|**Estimated**<br>**time**<br>**in**<br>**a**<br>**task**|8-12 hours|4-6 hours|1-2 hours|0.5-1 hour|

Source: The table draws upon various sources of information including desk research, and websites of companies that provide packaging solutions like ZoneSun Auto Pack. *CHATGPT estimates the time for sealing 1,000 Bags of food products, following similar characteristics of a given firm. The prompt for these estimates and CHATGPT ranking is available in the appendix.