Rinse, Fill and Cap - Packaging Machine Options
Though Liquid Packaging Solutions offers a variety of different packaging equipment, the core of the machinery produced at the La Porte, Indiana plant consists of rinsing machines, filling machines and capping machines. These different pieces of equipment may be produced as stand alone machines or as a part of a complete packaging system, but it is safe to say that one of these three machine types are always in production at LPS.
Rinsing Machines
Cleaning bottles before introducing product can be a necessity or a preference for packagers, depending on the product and the condition of the bottles when they reach the packaging line. For automated packaging lines, the inverting rinsing machine is a popular and easy way to remove debris from containers before sending them on to the filler. The inverting machine can be built as an air rinser or a wet rinser. When unique bottles present an inverting challenge, bottle vacuums will typically be used to clean containers while they remain on the conveyor.
Semi-automatic rinsing machines are also available as both air rinsers and wet rinsers. These machines will not use a conveyor, but rather allow an operator to place and remove bottles to be rinsed. Semi-automatic machines are geared toward small to medium operations with low to medium production demands.
Filling Machines
The realm of filling machinery containers many different options, and the correct one for any project will depend on the product, the speed desired and a number of other factors. Overflow filling machines use a fill-to-level system to ensure the liquid in every container reaches the same level on the bottle. Gravity fillers, piston fillers and pump filling machines are use a volumetric type of fill, with each having benefits for different products, based on the products viscosity, product particulates and other factors. Net weight filling machines can also be built to, as the name suggests, fill based on the weight of a product.
Semi-automatic filling machines, including space saving tabletop versions, are available using all of the principles mentioned above. These fillers will, like the rinsing machines, require an operator to slide bottles in and out of place under the fill nozzles, and are ideal for low to medium packaging projects.
Capping Machines
Capping equipment must be built to handle the type of closure that will be used for any packaging project. For that reason, several different types of capping machines are available from LPS. Two of the most popular machines manufactured at LPS are the spindle capper and the chuck capping machine. These two models are popular simply due to the popularity of the type of caps they tighten. Both machines handle a wide range of screw-on type caps, such as flat caps found on beverage bottles, trigger sprayers found on bottles of cleaners, pump tops and many others. Corking machines are also popular for certain industries such as wine and distilled spirits. Other capping machines include the snap capper and ROPP capping machines as well as custom bottle cappers when unique situations present themselves.
Again, semi-automatic cappers are also available in all styles mentioned above, including tabletop cappers for limited space packaging systems. Operators of semi-automatic cappers generally place the cap on to the bottle and then slide the combination in to place to complete the seal. These machines can increase consistency and reliability of seals for low to medium production facilities.
Of course, there are many other packaging machines available at LPS, including turntables and conveyors for loading, transferring, accumulating and packing bottles and products. And LPS offers custom machinery and integration to offer a one stop packaging shop for just about any project! Browse the LPS website for information on other packaging machines, or call in to the offices to discuss your own project today!