CDA designs and manufactures packaging machines. Since its creation, the company has developed and commissioned numerous solutions in many different businesses around the world.
Before a machine leaves the manufacturing workshops, an essential phase takes place upstream: the work of the Engineering Department, which collaborates closely with the sales teams, customers and technicians.
The Engineering Department: a technical partner for CDA’s sales teams and customers
The Engineering Department is the service that supports projects from their very early stages, particularly during the pre-sales phase, by providing direct assistance to the sales teams.
Each project manager within the Engineering Department (BE) is specialised in a particular field – filling, labelling or monoblock solutions – and works hand in hand with the salespeople.
Their mission: to analyse the customer’s needs and turn technical constraints into concrete solutions.
When a salesperson meets a customer (in the food, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, chemicals, wine industry, etc.), they can call on the Engineering Department to:
- Carry out a preliminary layout study for the future packaging line,
- Assess the technical compatibility of a CDA machine with the customer’s production / packaging environment,
- Or validate the feasibility of a project.
Thus, even before a quotation is approved, the Engineering Department brings real technical expertise to help choose the right equipment and configuration for the packaging line.
From customer need to technical solution
Each CDA machine is the result of close collaboration between the customer, the salesperson and the Engineering Department.
The BE is responsible for drawing up the layout of the machine or complete line, taking into account a number of parameters:
- The available space in the workshop,
- The existing flow of packaging operations,
- Maintenance and operator-access constraints,
- And the specific requirements linked to the product to be packaged.
The project managers then define the most suitable technology:
- A volumetric or peristaltic filler for liquid products,
- A capping or screwing system for closure,
- A semi-automatic or automatic labeller for the different container formats,
- Or a monobloc, combining filling, capping and labelling on a single compact machine.
The Engineering Department can also support customers who have not yet finalised all the elements of their packaging (cap, label, material of the bottle, etc.).
They carry out compatibility tests and packaging trials to validate the project and ensure that the chosen solution will work with the customer’s containers and products.
Technical validation: a key stage before manufacturing
Before any manufacturing starts, each project undergoes a rigorous technical validation.
This step, led by the Engineering Department, is used to check:
- The overall feasibility of the project,
- The compatibility between the different modules of the line (filler, capper, labeller),
- Electrical, pneumatic and mechanical constraints,
- And compliance with safety standards.
Technical validation is carried out according to the customer’s needs:
- Remotely, via videoconference,
- Or on site, at CDA’s premises in Narbonne.
This exchange ensures that every detail is validated before production starts: dimensions, speeds, options, ergonomics, type of conveyor, etc. In many cases, the process is completed electronically (email confirmation, signed scans), which optimises lead-times.
Launching manufacturing and managing orders
Once the project has been validated, the Engineering Department launches the manufacturing process.
The project manager coordinates the various departments:
- The machining workshop (CDU), which produces the mechanical parts,
- The purchasing department, which manages external suppliers (for electronic components, sensors, motors, touch screens, etc.),
- And the internal assembly teams, which assemble and adjust the machine in CDA’s workshops.
Each project manager monitors the build from start to finish, ensuring that all the technical specifications defined upstream are respected.
The BE therefore acts as the technical conductor of the project, guaranteeing the coherence, quality and reliability of the future packaging equipment.
Inspection, validation and communication with the customer
Before shipment, the machine is tested in CDA’s workshops. The project manager in charge of the machine:
- Checks its technical conformity,
- Controls its speed, filling accuracy or label / cap application,
- And validates the overall operation of the packaging machine.
The project manager sends photos and videos of the machine in operation at the end of the adjustment phase.
Before delivery, a FAT (Factory Acceptance Test) or a technical acceptance test can be organised on CDA’s site, in the presence of the customer’s teams.
This final step confirms the packaging machine before it leaves for the customer’s site.
Handover to After-Sales: support right through to commissioning
Once the machine has been approved, the Engineering Department prepares a Customer File for the After-Sales Service.
This file contains all the technical information needed:
- Mechanical drawings,
- Electrical diagrams,
- Parts lists (bill of materials),
- Specific settings,
- Photos of the machine,
- And test or validation documents.
This documentation is used by CDA’s technicians during on-site commissioning and for any technical support in the future.
CDA can therefore guarantee full traceability for each machine and fast intervention in the event of maintenance.
FAQ – CDA Engineering Department
What is the main role of CDA’s Engineering Department?
The Engineering Department designs, adapts and validates packaging machines (fillers, cappers, labellers, monoblocs) to meet each customer’s specific needs.
Does the Engineering Department work before or after the sale?
Both. It supports the sales teams in the pre-project phase to define the technical needs, then supervises the manufacturing and validation of the machine right up to commissioning.
Does the Engineering Department customise machines?
Yes. Each project is the subject of a tailor-made study: layout, drawings, choice of technology and tests are all adapted to the customer’s product and workshop.
What happens after the project has been validated?
The Engineering Department launches manufacturing, monitors assembly and validates the final settings before handing over a complete file to the After-Sales Service for installation on the customer’s site.
Does CDA offer complete packaging lines?
Yes. CDA designs complete packaging lines integrating filling, capping, labelling and conveying, all coordinated by the Engineering Department.
