Solutions for Filling and Capping CBD Oils

The popularity of CBD oils continues to grow as the liquid is seen as an elixir for a variety of ailments both physical and mental. While growing popularity can lead to increased variety in packaging, there are still some common filling and capping solutions that will be employed when dealing with the oil.

Many CBD oils are still packaged in smaller tincture-type bottles with droppers, with 30 ml being a common and popular size in the industry. While the smaller containers and fill sizes will rule out some filling principles, there are two machines that are typically used for CBD oils packaged in these common containers. Both piston fillers and peristaltic pump filling machines allow a sanitary fill while being able to release small amounts of product into a 30 ml bottle with high volumetric accuracy. While piston fillers use a cylinder and piston to push product through the nozzle, peristaltic pump fillers use tubing and rollers, meaning the product only travels through tubing and does not come in contact with the pump or pump components at all. Peristaltic pump filling machines also offer an advantage to those packagers preparing several different products or flavors. While a piston filler may need to be disassembled and cleaned when products are switched over, the tubing on the peristaltic pump filling machine can simply be changed out to avoid cross-contamination.

As with filling, there is growing popularity in the way CBD oils are sealed or capped. However, the 30 ml bottle will often be sealed in one of two ways. A dropper cap, which requires the dropper to be inserted in to the bottle, is the first solution. While the cap itself may screw on to the bottle using a continuous thread, simple chuck or spindle cappers will not always work because of the insertion of the dropper. For automatic machinery, a pick and place type capping machine may be necessary to achieve an efficient and reliable seal. While semi-automatic chuck or spindle capping equipment may be used where an operator of a packaging system is inserting the dropper.

The second common sealing technique involves inserting a plug with an overcap. The plug will be pushed down into the bottle, allowing for drops to be squeezed out of the bottle, while the cap over the plug will simply twist on, or thread. Again, when sealing by putting something in to the bottle versus threading on the outside of the bottle, typical chuck and spindle cappers may not be the best solution, or even an option. Many of the inserts also may not work with delivery systems such as elevators and bowls, which once again makes a pick and place capping system the best solution for automatic machinery. Just like the droppers, chuck and spindle cappers may work in semi-automatic processes where an operator is inserting the plug.

Both filling and capping machinery for CBD oils are available in semi-automatic and automatic models, with single or multiple filling or capping heads, depending on the process. As noted above, while these are the most common machines used with typical CBD oil projects, other types of packaging for CBD oils may require different machinery, depending on bottle and cap type and size. To discuss a solution for packaging your own CBD oils, contact Liquid Packaging Solutions to speak with a Packaging Specialist today.