You need a packaging machine. You pretty much know what kind of machine you like. You place an order for your wrapping equipment. Now What?

1. Show up for the Factory Acceptance Test. These guys are your partners in a successful installation.  In fact, come visit ahead, if you can, to see how it is going in the last two weeks. This is the ideal time to spot flaws or errors. Be firm about what is critical for it to work in your plant, but not nit-picky, so that the important things are correct before it arrives. Setting a tight time table can set you up for a late delivery, but it is better to make sure that the machine is correct before it leaves the hands of the guys who built it than to meet the time table and need lots of rework or downtime in your plant.
2. Read the manual. It is not art work for your office. Have others read it too. Ask for two copies so you have the spare. So that you can ask good questions, get it ahead of the FAT. A good manual is important. Make sure it comes with exploded drawings, so that if you have a questions later, you can discuss it with the manufacturer using their terms.
3. Establish a designated “owner” in your plant for your new machine. It cost your company a lot and you need to invest some personnel time in understanding how it works, so you can get the most for your money. Make sure that the new “owner” is someone on the plant floor with a mechanical understanding who will be doing the set ups for that line. In an ideal world that person comes to the FAT in the builder’s plant. Not having an “owner” means that no one will know the ins and outs of the machine and will create more downtime while different people play with different settings on the machine. This is especially important if you run multiple shifts. Have the “owner” do the set ups and instruct others.
4. Buy consistent consumables. Every time you change material, the settings on the machine may need adjustment. This takes away from your smooth operations. Sometimes material suppliers make changes without telling you. Sometimes those who sell on price make substitutions without notice. You want to control when you make changes in your material, not be reactive to unforeseen changes.
5. Ask questions. The better you understand your machine the better it will perform. Ultimately you will know your machine better than the people who built it.