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The Things You Love Brought To You by Filling Machines
A description of a filling machine -
The automation of product manufacturing has led to the invention of devices designed to efficiently complete labor intensive tasks such as filling bottles, cereal boxes, and other food products. Though these may have been the primary use of filling machines, their role in the distribution of products has spread to more industries requiring exact quantities with precise measurements.
A little over a hundred years ago, pharmacists would blend medicines by hand and pour them into an envelope. Later, they mixed the ingredients and put them into a bottle or capsule. Over time, the need for hand preparation of medicines was eliminated through automation. Pharmaceutical companies today use highly sophisticated equipment to precisely measure the exact weight and amount of medications. Tiny capsules are filled by antiseptically sterilized tubes that discharge the exact quantity of the medication.
Every industry that sells a product that fits into a bottle, can, box, or bag uses some type of a filling machine. Since the middle of the 20th Century, these automated devices have become an essential part in the final steps in the preparation of products for distribution. The old method of hand filing containers led to inaccuracies and errors. By using automated procedures, every customer gets the exact amount that they have been promised leading to greater customer satisfaction and protection
Though the vending machine that sets in the break room may seem to have the same function as a production filling machine, there is a wide range of differences between the two. The first noticeable one is the technology required by the industrial version. Machines used to prepare a product for deliver have to be precisely engineered to meet exacting specifications. The bottle of soda that you took from the vending machine has exactly the same amount as the one still setting in the machine. Our medications, whether they are over the counter or prescription, have to be perfect in regard to the amount and number. Cereal, oil cans, soup, milk and so on need to meet exacting and specific standards unlike your bag of chips that falls down the sides of the machine after you put in your money.
All of the products that set on the shelves of grocery stores have been counted and measured by a filling machine. Though the removal of the human factor may seem a bit callous, it is why we can be confident when we pop an aspirin into our mouth that what we are getting is what is described on the bottle. It is this type of precision that has made filling machines so valuable and irreplaceable.
Different uses of filling machines -
Filling machine manufacturers are proud to point out that any type of substance, liquid or solid, can be put through a filling machine. The process used to fill a container may seem to be very simple. The item to be filled goes under a spout and is filled to the brim. This simplification does not describe the precision required in the process, which has to be adjusted depending on the product.
When selecting a filling machine for powder, there are important factors to consider. Though powder may be used as a general descriptor, there are varieties of powder that can have different consistencies, weight, and stickiness. Manufacturers can adjust their machines to fit the many variations. A special feature of powder machines is their ability to fill any size container from a small cup to large bottles and bags. This flexibility makes them ideal for companies that produce several types of powder products.
Liquid filling machines face the same problems that powder machines do with the added dimension of weight. Though powder machines can fill any type of bag or box, liquid machines have restrictions on the sizes of containers they can fill. The luxury of liquid machines is that they do not have to be concerned about the product sticking though they do have to be conscious of viscosity. To accommodate how viscous a liquid can be, companies offer equipment with an assortment of interchangeable nozzles allowing the equipment to be used for different products.
Granular products open a completely new dynamic and include rice, beans, and grain, which are difficult to convey and move. With liquids and powders, the amount to be filled can be measured by the weight of the product. This does not apply to granular products, which have to be measured by their volume. Granular machines are similar to liquid machines since they are adaptable to any type of granular product.
How filling machines work -
With the different products that are adaptable to filling machines, there are a variety of methods used by manufacturers regarding how their machines complete the filling process. The engineering involved comes in a wide array of types and kinds depending on the product or special designs created to meet specific producer requirements.
Time gravity – In the time gravity method of filling machines, the product to be distributed is kept in a large holding tank or bin. The flow of the material is controlled by a valve that is activated by a computer. In the filling process, the valve opens and remains so until the computer determines that the exact amount of the material has been released. Gravity powers the flow. Time gravity is ideal for distributing liquids with a high viscosity such as paints, chemicals, water, solvents, and the like.
Overflow – The overflow method is similar to the time gravity method in that the product to be filled is kept in a storage container. In the case of the overflow method, the product is pumped into the receiving container until the limit of the container is reached. At that point, the excess is forced out of the container to be returned to the storage unit. Overflow fill devices are inexpensive to operate and have a very flexible design.
Net weight – The net weight filling machine is sometimes referred to as an automatic auger or corkscrew. The product is placed in a huge container with the auger in the middle. As the auger rotates, it feeds the material into the container. The turns of the auger are precisely designed to release the exact amount to fill the container.
Peristaltic – As with all of the previous methods of filling, peristaltic filling machines begin with a supply tank of the product, usually a liquid. Running from the supply tank to the container is a tube that passes through the peristaltic pump. A computer monitors the rotation of the pump to determine how much of the liquid is being moved from the supply tank to the container. As the computer counts the number of turns of the pump, it is programmed to know the number of turns necessary to fill the container. Once the limit is reached, the pump is turned off. Peristaltic filling machines are used for liquids that come in small quantities and small containers because of its very accurate control mechanism.
Piston – As with most filling machines, piston filling machines come in many varieties from tabletop models to multi-piston ones. The small tabletop models can be operated manually while the multi piston ones are automated. The supply tank for piston fillers is cone shaped. The piston is at the side of the valve opening to the cone. As the material to be filled moves down the cone, it is pushed by the piston into a tube to fill the container. When the piston moves forward, the valve to the cone closes avoiding any excess being pushed into the container. Piston filling machines are designed for use with highly viscous materials such as pastes and items containing large chunks.
Filling machines are an essential part of the packaging industry. The multiple types and varieties are capable of loading any type of container efficiently and instantly. These few examples only touch on the many uses of this device.