Setting Up a Tabletop Packaging System
Most requests for tabletop packaging systems come in from people looking for a filling machine for lower production demands. A number of these people are surprised to learn that tabletop equipment extends beyond filling machines, allowing packagers to rinse, cap, label and more right on the same or a series of tabletops. Almost any tabletop will work, provided that enough room exists for the different packaging machines desired. Some machinery, such as manual rinsing machines, can also stand alone on an independent frame next to a tabletop to provide quick access to multiple machines. Below we will walk through a simple tabletop system that allows a packager to rinse, fill, cap and label bottles to show how the system works.
The rinsing machine in our example would be manufactured on a small, stand alone frame, while the bottle filler, capping machine and labeler would all be built to work from a tabletop. By positioning the bottle rinser next to the table, an operator can quickly rinse and fill containers. The operator for this system would place empty bottles on the rinse nozzles and step on a foot switch to activate the rinse cycle. Once completed, the bottles are removed by hand and placed under the fill heads of the tabletop filler. Once the bottles are in place, the operator would again step on a footswitch to activate the fill. Filled containers are then removed from the filling machine, where a cap can be added and each bottle will be placed under the capping head. For our example, we will assume a screw on cap is being used with a tabletop chuck capping machine. The operator simply places the bottle and cap under the capping head and the head will descend to tighten the lid onto the bottle. Once capped, the bottles are removed and placed into a nest that allows the tabletop labeler to smoothly and consistently apply the label.
This system can be manned by one or multiple operators depending on the speeds needed. While the system only requires one operator, that operator can only perform one task at a time. Therefore, to increase efficiency, a packager may use one operator to rinse and fill, one to cap and one to label. Other equipment, such as accumulating turntables may also be used to allow an operator, for example, to rinse a larger number of bottles before moving to the filler to introduce product. Minimizing the movement from machine to machine can also speed up the process.
Of course, the above set up is only one example of a tabletop system. The equipment used on any given system will depend on the needs of the packager and the space available, among many other factors. Liquid Packaging Solutions can design tabletop systems in nearly as many formats as we design our automatic packaging lines, accommodating a variety of bottle shapes and sizes, products, caps, labels and other components. To learn more about the versatility of tabletop packaging systems, contact LPS today to speak with a Packaging Specialist.