Bottle Filling Machine FAQ's
Liquid Packaging Solutions manufactures a range of filling machines for many different industries. While each project will include several specific questions regarding the best solution for that specific project, there are a number of questions that are, and should be, raised by a packager regardless of the industry or the project. Below are a few frequently asked questions regarding filling equipment and a brief general answer.
Can your filling machine handle my product?
As noted above, LPS manufactures a range of filling machines. So in almost every case, as long as the product is a liquid, the answer will be yes. The follow-up question is which filling machine is best for a specific product. The product itself, viscosity, fill principle (such as fill-to-level, volume, weight) and other variables will help identify the best solution for almost any product.
How fast are your filling machines?
This question is often answered with another question. How fast do you need to run? LPS builds simple tabletop filling machines that will run a handful of bottles every minute to fully automatic inline equipment that can run in excess of a hundred bottles a minute. The speed will be matched to the need, with equipment running up to around 120 bottles per minute.
Can your filling machine handle all of my bottles?
LPS understands that few packagers run one bottle and one product all the time. As consumer wants and needs change, products and their packaging may also need to change. Filling equipment is built with flexibility in mind, allowing for quick and easy adjustments to handle a range of bottle sizes and widths. In most cases, power height adjustments and simple hand knobs allow these adjustments on automatic machinery. While simple tool-less adjustments and hand cranks allow for the adjustments on semi-automatic fillers. While the machines will have their limits, most bottle fillers can handle a wide range of bottle sizes and shapes.
How easy is the filling machine to run?
Semi-automatic filling machines will typically use a simple hand or foot switch to initiate the fill. Set-up and changeover will seldom require any kind of tools and depending on the type of filling machine, a very simple touchscreen interface or even more simple dial will be used to set the fill time. Automatic machinery will also use a touchscreen operator interface as well as power height adjustment, as noted above. While there are more settings and features on the automatic equipment, the machinery also includes a recipe screen that, once set-up, allows an operator to recall all settings for the bottle and product combination. LPS filling machines are built to make operation easy, and training and installation are also offered to ensure efficient production from Day One.
How easy is the filling machine to clean?
The ease of cleaning and maintenance for any filling machine will depend in part on the type of filling machine used for a given project. Automatic machinery may include a Clean-In-Place (CIP) system, which makes the cleaning of the tank and the product pathway as easy as pressing a button on the operator interface. Semi-automatic equipment can typically be cleaned by simply flushing the product pathway at the end of the day. When engineering packaging equipment, LPS always aims to make cleaning and maintenance as simple as possible.
Of course, these are general answers to general questions. Each filling project will include unique characteristics. By working with the packager to understand the packager's needs and desires, LPS can answer these and any other questions precisely in order to deliver a consistent, reliable and efficient filling solution to the production floor.