All you want to do is buy the right liquid filling system. But no, nothing can be easy or straightforward nowadays can it? So whatever industry youre coming from, we know there are a lot of things to consider when trying to find the best solution for your needs. Today, we are going to briefly discuss the 5 Things You Must Know when looking your liquid filling machine.
One of the more important things to consider when choosing your liquid filling machine is your fill rate. How much do you want to fill per minute, per hour, per day and overall per month?
This is an important area of determination since it will also help in identifying the right level of automation for your needs. That is, filling a 5-gallon container vs a precision vial fill application is probably going to require a different type of filling solution. These types of details will also help with determining your setup options as it relates to your metering system, aka liquid filling pumps.
Sounds simple enough what type of liquid product do you have?
Being able to clearly describe your liquid product as very viscous, semi-viscous, or a very fluid, water-like product, will go a long way in helping to match your production needs with the best solution.
Your type of liquid product may also require a specific environment. A level of cleanliness, or even system design may be something that needs to be taken into consideration; especially, when you are dealing with pharmaceutical, diagnostic and biotech environments. Aseptic filling, which means the product needs to be filled within a sterile environment, vs non-aseptic filling, so those basic, but very important details should be noted within your overall application.
When dealing with specialty chemicals, you may also have to consider if the product is flammable and requires an explosion-proof filling system. There are certainly stringent rules and regulations regarding how these types of flammable liquids need to be handled in a manufacturing and production environment.
When dealing with liquid filling applications, what you put your liquid product into is just as important as the product itself.
There is a world of different bottle shapes, sizes, and types of associated caps as it relates to closing/capping requirements. You can muddy the waters even more, if you will, should your container require a fill stopper crimp cap, fill cap, press on cap, twist on, spray bottles, or even an atomizer spray all completely doable, but certainly needs planning ahead and constant dialogue amongst the project team members. Liquid packaging can have a vast array of possible and creative solutions, but also pitfalls, if unaware.
Another part of the container aspect is understanding any labeling requirements. How difficult or easy is it to label your containers surface? Also, what type of labeling solution do you want a fully-automated, integrated labeler, or a standalone system? You can certainly incorporate whichever solution you prefer, but uncovering these needs ahead of time will ultimately save you time and money as you complete your project. If youre seeing a theme, you are clearly ahead of the game constant communication and planning ahead will always serve you well.
If youve already answered your initial question, Q#1: What is your desired fill rate, youve already taken a big step in determining what level of automation is best for your application.
For example, if you are filling about 5,000 bottles a day, or roughly 10-12 containers per minute, a Benchtop solution may best fit your needs. Whether a single or dual nozzle, a handheld semi-automatic Benchtop filling machine could be an excellent solution for your needs an affordable, quality and workhorse solution.
Now lets say your production requirements have you filling about 25,000 bottles per day, or roughly 50-52 containers per minute. Here, you may want to increase your production throughput by considering a slightly higher level of automation with an intermediate inline filling system, or even a higher output scenario with a larger Monobloc design. Of course, as you increase your levels of automaton, there are certain costs associated with those greater mechanical and electrical elements
Going back to your specific filling requirements, these different levels of automation may/may not make sense. Therefore, its important for your project team to be on the same page as it relates to your liquid filling application.
Often overlooked until the later moments, another important aspect to consider when choosing a liquid filling system is your available floor space. You must accurately know your available clean room, laboratory or facility floor space. A bad scenario you purchase an expensive production line that does not fit into your clean room or overall floor space not good.
When determining your floor space, or the required footprint of your liquid filling machine, be sure to also factor in your human element as well. That is, your operators as well as any necessary space for inventory and supplies.
Of course, there are many other details to consider when looking for the right liquid filling solution for your needs. Just to name a few, lead times, available budgets, as well as specific industry requirements like fill accuracies may also help determine what type of liquid filling solution is right for you.
The best thing to do is not go on this journey alone. Do your homework, research a few companies, talk with their representatives, share relevant, appropriate details regarding your application, and be sure to prepare and understand the 5 Things You Must Know when choosing your liquid filling system. For more information on liquid filling, capping and labeling solutions, please or call 866.258.. Visit www.filamatic.com
When youre in the market for a new liquid filling machine, there are many things to consider. One of the biggest variables is cost. What is your budget? How much does a liquid filling machine cost? What type and quality of equipment can you purchase within your price range? These questions are important to both new, struggling startups and well-established factories.
For the best bang for your buck, we recommend contacting a manufacturer you trust to help you determine what type of liquid filling machine is the right choice for your production line and budget.
However, before you make the call, you want to make sure youre prepared for the conversation. Thats why weve outlined the basics for you here.
Liquid filling machines vary widely in price becausejust like any other productthere are many different sizes, types, styles, and manufacturers, all of which affect the final cost.
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Generally, most liquid filling machines can be grouped into three categories that can help you determine where they fall on the price scale.
Hobbyists, home enterprises, micro businesses, and small business owners with a limited production line can benefit from small, manual liquid filling machines. These models are on the end of the price scale, with off-the-shelf machines as low as $250 and up to around $1,000. Its recommended to choose a company that provides service and parts for these machines to avoid future complications.
Note that if your budget becomes more flexible, some manual machines allow you to add automation packages to meet increased demand.
Semi-automatic liquid filling machines are used by small businesses and companies with production lines that are too demanding to be served by a manual tabletop liquid filling machine.
You can find semi-automatic machines for a few thousand dollars, although they often lack some features. On the higher end of this category, you can expect to spend $20,000 or more; these models come with many different options, such as additional heads and increased product versatility.
Large, fully automatic liquid filling machines are intended for highly robust production lines.
Automatic equipment with basic functions that only support one type of liquid product start at around $25,000. From there, the price range extends to tens of thousands of dollars for systems with more options, hundreds of thousands of dollars for larger machines with multiple heads, fill thousands of units an hour.
The cost of a liquid filling machine is influenced by a variety of factors, from the level of precision and accuracy to the build quality and speed. As you search for a liquid filling machine within your budget, keep these elements in mind to determine if you are getting the best equipment for your production line at the right price.
Liquid filling machines can vary in qualitywhich can significantly affect the price.
Cheaper machines may use inferior materials that are not as durable as their more expensive, higher-quality counterparts. Lesser quality materials can result in a shorter lifespan and lower accuracy. Replacement parts may also be more difficult to source.
The other end of the price range comes with benefits. These machines are easier to clean, sterilize, and maintain, are more durable, and last longer than less expensive machines.
If your industry or product requires high levels of precision and accuracy, you may have to invest in a more costly liquid filling machine that can distribute exact volumes. Lower cost equipment may not be as precise and are therefore unsuitable for some industries.
Off-the-shelf liquid filling machines are more affordable than their customized counterparts. However, for established small businesses, large factories, or industrial production lines, an off-the-shelf machine usually doesnt meet their needs.
Many manufacturers offer customization options. Companies can build liquid filling machines to meet your exact specifications. While a higher level of customization leads to a higher price, some businesses find these specialized functions to be worth it.
Speed is another important factor to consider. Quicker liquid filling machinesthose with higher outputstend to cost more than slower equipment. The increased cost is due to these more efficient machines being built with more filling heads, more moving parts, or higher quality materials.
Automatic liquid filling machines are the most expensive, followed by semi-automatic machines. The most affordable machines are manual, tabletop models.
You have to assess the state of your production line and determine what level of automation you need to maintain peak productivity and if the additional upfront costs will be worthwhile over time.
More advanced liquid filling machines are usually more versatile. They can handle different types of products, containers, and caps that other types of equipment cant handle. If you are working with tricky liquids or thick pastes, especially small or large containers, or unique cap shapes, you may need to invest in a more versatile systemwhich will come at a cost.
Many liquid filling equipment manufacturers offer support services for an additional fee such as routine maintenance or part replacement. Companies that produce more expensive machines are more likely to provide services since they are then covered by the higher price of the equipment.
If the manufacturer of the liquid filling machine you choose doesnt provide those ongoing services, you will need to factor them into the long-term cost of your equipment.
As a leader in the packaging solutions industry, Accutek is dedicated to creating high-quality, easy-to-use packaging machines to meet the needs of your production line. We offer a wide variety of packaging equipment, including liquid filling equipment, that can be tailored to your product. Whether you need custom machinery to accommodate your product or are looking for an addition to your existing production line, we can help.
Request information about our packaging machines or contact Acccutek today to get started.
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