Proper choosing of the filling machines is highly important to optimize the manufacturing line, increase production rate, and guarantee the high quality of production. Whether you are in the food and beverage industry, pharmaceutical industry, cosmetic industry or chemical industry, you will realize that the type of filling equipment you use could enhance your operations. The kind of machine you choose determines not only the productivity of the line that you have set for production but also the quality of the package that comes into direct contact with your products. It is helpful to comprehend the various choices that are open to you as well as the precise requirements of your sector to make a choice in harmony with your business goals and adoption of the rules of the game. This guide will also assist you to appreciate some of the essential aspects every time you are selecting filling machines as well as the importance of using capping machines in the process.
Product Requirements
The initial process of selecting a suitable filling machine is therefore to learn all the physical and chemical properties of the product you are packaging. Various consistencies and viscosity call for different filling machines on the market. For instance, a liquid filling machine is appropriate for such products that have a characteristic similar to that of water, whereas a piston or servo pump filler may well be needed for such products as creams or substances of a similar consistency. Further, think about the type or shape, and dimensions of the containers you intend to use; there are machines that are more versatile than others when it comes to the shape and size of the containers to be moved. Among them there are such factors as, for example, product foaming, the presence of particulates, the necessity of using aseptic filling technology, vacuum filling or hot filling technologies. In addition, the reactivity of the product with the machine’s materials should be looked at so that no contamination can occur, which may affect the product’s quality, or its safety, yet again. Knowing these requirements in detail will help you in the best way to choose a machine which will not harm your product and, at the same time, maintain the proper filling level and product quality in order to protect the reputation of your brand and be compliant with the industries’ requirements.
Consider Production Capacity
Size of the filling machine depends on your production capacity. Evaluate your current and future production requirements and try to buy a machine that will cater for your production capacity. The high-speed automated filling machines can be applied in large scale production facilities where time is of essence and discontinuity of production is costly. A semi automatic capping machine may suffice for the requirements of a small to medium scale production and may also be less expensive. Subsequently you can always match the event production capacities of the machine to your specific production requirements so that you run an efficient event production. In addition, looking at the aspect of capacity; this is the ability of the filling machine to graduate to a higher level, to be able to contain the increasing demands of the business. This could be selecting equipment that are customizable or sizably-expandable in order to improve capability for additional productivity or to support newer products.
Assessing the Material
Another important factor is the type of construction material used in filling machines because those companies operating under conditions that require or involve use of highly corrosive products or those industries using their machines under strict hygienic conditions require special construction material. Although carbon steel is stronger than stainless steel, the fact that the latter is rust free and relatively easy to clean makes it ideal for the food processing industry, pharmaceuticals as well as the chemical industry. Make sure also that the parts of the filling machines and capping machines which directly interface with your product are manufactured using material that meets the standards of your line of operation. Further, the construction of the machine should be maintainable and cleanable; avoid machines that consist of many corners and probable difficult-to-clean small parts to lower contamination threats and time to clean.
Customization and Flexibility
If you are supplying markets that are changing, or if you are supplying your growing product line, the flexibility to modify your filling machines can be a lifesaver. Seek for some of the machines that are easy to change from one process to the other or adjust. The flexibility of this particular design enables the changer to select another product or even a different size of the container without having to spend much time. Also, some of the filling machines have programmable controls and settable memory that allows easy change of processes from one product specification to the other thus increasing efficiency and decreasing the possibility of having to repeat a process. The various filling heads, adjustable conveyors, and other features that can also be discussed are also factors that determine the extent to which reinvestment would be required in the future.
Integration
Automating the filling operations with capping requires little or no effort; it helps in enhancing the flow of your production line. To be more precise, some consideration should be paid to how this filling machine is to interact with capping equipment. A synchronized system advances the rate of finishing the product thus increasing the efficiency and effectiveness of both the filling and the capping. This integration is critical because constant changes in the manufacturing process might compromise the sealed product, something that is undesirable in industries such as the pharmaceutical, food and beverages where the conformity of the sealed product is paramount. Its ability to co-ordinate well with the filling and capping line and its ability to manage the available resources, reduce man-power costs and increase the throughput, makes a huge difference in the packaging line.
In this way, taking into account the requirements of the product for filling, the manufacturing capacity, the material of the machine if it can be customized in any way apart from the piston, its compatibility with capping machines, an accurate decision can be made as to which filling machine will be the most useful for an industry. Selecting the most appropriate equipment means that you have a production line that runs seamlessly, complies with the required legal requirements and in addition to that improves the satisfaction of customers.
