Replacement Parts - Filling Machine Nozzles

Liquid fillers are typically manufactured with anywhere from one to sixteen fill heads.  This number, of course, depends on the needs of the individual packager.  The type of fill heads and nozzles used on any given machine will also depend on a number of factors, including filling principle, product, container size and a few others.  Regardless of the number or type of nozzles being used, there will likely come a time when replacement or maintenance will be necessary.  While many packagers call looking for new filler nozzles, a complete replacement is not always necessary.

Many nozzles will use some type of O-ring or seal to keep the product flowing through the pathway and avoid leaking fill heads or nozzles.  Whether these o-rings are found in the nozzle tip of an overflow nozzle or the ball valve of a gravity filler, over time, they may stretch, break down or fail to perform effectively for other reasons.  In some cases, changing out the component itself may be the best solutions (purchasing a new ball valve).  In other situations, simply purchasing a new O-ring or seal and replacing the old seal will effectively increase the life of the nozzle itself.  In other words, a leaking nozzle does not necessarily mean a completely new nozzle is necessary.

A different type of seal can be found on overflow nozzles.  The nozzle seal on the overflow filler creates a seal over the opening of the bottle.  These seals, normally rubber or foam with a diameter slightly larger than the largest bottle being run, allow the product to overflow after reaching a certain level without spilling or splashing out of a bottle.  Over time, the repeated sealing on the bottle will cause normal wear and tear to the rubber or foam disks, and some products may exacerbate this process.  Again, replacing these nozzle seals on an overflow filler offers an economical alternative to complete nozzle replacement.

Sometimes a change in production may warrant a change in the nozzles being used.  Even in these situations, there are often ways to avoid the complete replacement of the nozzles.  As a simple example, a company may move from large containers to a smaller size bottle.  With certain filling machines, nozzle tips may be replaced or changed out to accommodate the change in production.  A simple round nozzle tip with a 1" opening may be replaced by the same type of tip, only using a 1/2" or 1/4" opening for the smaller containers.  The flexibility of easy changeover for certain nozzle tips can also allow multiple containers to be filled efficiently on the same liquid filler.

While it is possible to replace these and other components to increase the life of the nozzle overall, accidents do occur and there are some occasions when a new nozzle will be necessary.  However, even when a nozzle is physically damaged, there is the possibility that the body or tube may be replaced without purchasing a full assembly.  Other times, an additional nozzle may be added to an existing machine to increase productivity.  As noted above, filling equipment can typically be manufactured with anywhere from one to sixteen fill heads.  Machinery will fewer than the maximum number of nozzles will often be manufactured with the ability to simply open up an additional port and add extra fill heads, allowing the machinery to grow as the company grows.

For help choosing the right filling machine or nozzles for your project, or to inquire about modifying an existing machine for new products or container sizes, contact a Packaging Specialist at LPS today.