A Packaging Machine A Day - Overflow Filler
As we move in to the second half of 2019, LPS would like to re-introduce our most popular machinery to packagers both old and new. Over the next few weeks, we will highlight one machine each day that we add to our company blog, adding a little more information than one might find on the actual product page. To start off this series, we revisit the Overflow Filler, a popular liquid filling machine across a number of different industries.
The overflow filler is unlike any other filling machine in that it fills bottles to a specified level, rather than by volume or weight. The process used by this bottle filler includes a number of different benefits both during and after the fill. Using spacers on the nozzles to reach the desired level, the fill heads will descend into the bottle and create a seal over the opening. Product will then flow until it reaches the set level, at which time liquid will be pushed from the bottle, through a return or overflow port, and back in to the tank. While the filler will handle a range of products, it is better suited for thinner, free-flowing products as viscous products run through an overflow machine will lead to inefficient fill times.
The process used by the overflow filling machine helps to lower product waste, as the liquid is recirculated when the level is reached in the bottle. The seal and overflow also work well for products that foam, essentially pushing the foam out of the bottle by simply allowing a little additional fill time. Of course, for packagers using clear plastic bottles or glass, the level fill of the overflow filler offers another benefit as well. The level fill adds an aesthetic quality to product on the shelf when bottles are see through and the liquid level remains constant.
Overflow filling machines can be manufactured for packagers both large and small. Simple tabletop fillers can be built for those with smaller production demands, while still allowing room for growth by simply adding more heads as production grows, typically up to a total of six fill heads. Semi-automatic machinery can also be built on a full frame, allowing for the addition of a PLC, control panel and indexing in the future, to upgrade to a fully automatic machine.
Fully automatic overflow fillers can be fitted with anywhere from two to sixteen fill heads and, like the other versions, can start with a lower number and add heads as production demand rises. The automatic machine will normally be one component of an automated packaging system, using a conveyor and indexing system to move bottles in and out of the fill area. Automatic machines are always manufactured with a touchscreen operator interface for easy set up and control, power height for different bottle sizes as well as missing bottle and anti-bottle backup vision systems.
To see the machines and learn even more about the features and options, visit the Overflow Filler Page on the LPS website.