Things to Consider when Choosing a Liquid Filling Machine
Your choice of liquid filling machine makes or breaks the efficiency of your production. If you’re looking for a model that can endure long, continuous hours of production or streamline the production process of your cottage business, there are various qualities to look into to find the equipment worth investing in.
Besides basic and practical considerations like budget, physical dimensions, tech integration and compatibility, scalability, and longevity, these factors will let you determine the most suitable machine for your needs:
Product viscosity
How fluid or viscous is your product? This is the first thing to think about when acquiring in-line filling systems of any scale. Runny liquid needs a different set of nozzles than thick, viscous liquid. There’s also the matter of product content: is it entirely fluid or are there particulates like beads in facial cleansers or bits of food in soup and batter?
The product dictates what kind of machine you need. A high-viscosity liquid filling machine with a piston filler, for example, is ideal for viscous products that need a bit of force to push them out of the dispensing nozzle.
Watery products don’t need a piston machine because the liquid can exit the nozzle merely by gravity. What they do need are leak-proof valves that ensure the correct volume of liquid is dispensed every time.
Container or Receptacle
The container, specifically the shape of the opening, also matters when choosing a small liquid filling machine. Bottles have narrow mouths and can have narrow necks as well. These will need precision-controlled nozzles that fit perfectly into the opening.
In baking, the dispensing machine could deposit fluids into semi-finished food products like pie crusts or doughnuts. Each needs a different kind of filling machine.
For pies, a traditional piston filler with a wide-nozzled dispenser that pumps filling from above is a common choice. For doughnuts, a funnel dispenser with one or more thin, needle-like nozzles positioned vertically or horizontally is commonly used.
Degree of Automation
If your production line is mostly manual, a semi-automatic liquid filling machine will suffice. Take our example above for liquid filling machines for doughnuts. Bakeries that sell a hundred or so a day don’t need a fully-automatic system complete with conveyor belts.
The manual component might even be necessary, such as when you need the flexibility to switch from one product to another as quickly as possible.
Regulation Considerations
Liquid filling machines for the food industry must meet the FDA’s health and consumer protection guidelines. For example, the paths for the filling, soups, batter, syrups, drink, etc. should be non-corrosive, sealed, and designed to prevent moisture buildup. Machine fillers that dispense toxic or potentially explosive products should also adhere to the safety standards of the industry.
Take your time in choosing a liquid filling machine and consider all these factors carefully. (You might even have a few more to add to this list). Every piece of equipment you buy is an investment, and we’d be happy to help you make the most of it.
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