Every manufacturer who deals with pasty products knows that optimizing their packaging process is as important as what they produce.
We know that finding your way around your choice of filling machines can be taxing as a newbie. So, in this article, you will understand better what you need to know about paste filling machines for your business.
What Is a Paste Filling Machine?
A paste filling machine is a special device that fills paste into a suitable packaging material.
Paste fillers are designed to fill pastes—that is, substances that are obviously thicker than water but cannot be called solid—into packaging containers. A good instance is using a paste filling machine to fill a tube with toothpaste. Paste suitable containers include tubes, bottles, sachet bags, jars, and so on.
Key Components of a Paste Filling Machine
The main components every good paste filling machine should have include:
- Hopper: It is a huge cone-like or bowl-like part of the machine that holds the paste you want to dispense into the packaging materials. Aside from holding the paste, the hopper has an agitator. Together, they both ensure the consistency of the paste is uniform as you dispense.
- Nozzle: The nozzles of paste fillers are specially designed tips that direct and dispense the paste product into your desired containers.
- Filling Mechanism: This is literally what makes paste fillers work. The filling mechanism is what moves the paste from the hopper to the nozzle tips, where it gets into packaging bags.
- Control Panel: Automatic and more modern paste fillers have a panel where you can adjust the settings of your machine. With the control panel, you can also set the filling parameters to your desired level.
- Sensors, Valves, and Safety Buttons: These are present in automated fillers to make sure that you record precise, no-drip, and consistent filling without accidents. The devices/valves you’ll find include the anti-drip device, emergency buttons, overload protection sensors, and others which will vary with the machine kind and producer.
- Conveyor system: Transports the containers (filled or unfilled with paste) to the next stage. It also ensures that the position of all containers in transit is correct.
- Support Frames: To support the paste filler.
How Paste Filling Machines Work
The modus operandi of a typical paste filling machine follows this manner:
- First, the machine operator loads the selected paste into the hopper, which has an agitator to mix the paste.
(For smaller paste fillers, you can manually load the paste or connect the hopper to a storage vat with paste using a pipe. For larger paste fillers, connecting to the paste storage vat with a pipe is better.)
- Prepare and place the containers on the conveyor. This conveying system will move the containers in a one-way route. The operator also adjusts the parameters on the control panel to their choice.
- Once a container is stable under a nozzle tip, the operator activates the filling mechanism.
- After filling the container, the conveyor system moves it to the next stage, where the container with paste will be closed, labeled, and cleaned.
Types of Paste Filling Machines
There are so many types of paste filling machines that typing them can be difficult. Nevertheless, paste filling machines are categorized based on these primary qualities
1. Types of Paste Fillers Based on Filling Mechanism
You may also refer to this classification as the principle of action. Based on the type of filling mechanism the paste filler uses, it could be:
a. Pump Paste Filling Machines
A pump filler uses a pump device to move the paste from the hopper to the nozzle tips for dispensing into containers. It works for past products that, because of the position of their storage vats, will not flow fast.
Pump fillers are also sub-typed. Common subtypes of pump fillers are the peristaltic pump, the gear pump, and the diaphragmatic pump.
In general, pump paste filling machines are your best bet when you have to change the filling speeds and volumes often. In addition, pump fillers are great for medium to high-viscosity products like lotions, peanut butter, etc.
b. Piston Paste Filling Machines
A piston filler works by pulling the paste downward into a chamber using a sucking force. Then, with a pushing force, the piston pushes the paste through the nozzle tips into the ready paste packaging materials on the conveyor system.
Because of this unique way piston fillers work, they are your best bet when you produce and have to dispense thick pastes. So whether you have thick sauces, jams, gels, or creams, piston fillers will work great.
c. Auger Paste Filling Machines
Auger fillers use a rotating auger screw to move the paste (or even dry substances) through the nozzle.
Auger fillers are great for really thick pastes or those with lumps like nut butter. It’s also a dual-purpose machine, so you can use auger fillers for filling powders, too.
When you want to precisely dispense dense adhesive-like viscous pastes, then you can opt for auger fillers.
2. Types of Paste Filling Machines Based on Level of Automation
a. Manual Paste Filling Machines
As the name implies, manual fillers are operated by hand. They are small and portable, so they work best for businesses or small-scale use where your production volume is low. The machines are also easier to maintain and use
b. Semi-Automatic Paste Filling Machines
For semi-automatic fillers, some procedures are automatic. Other procedures, like placing the packaging containers under the nozzle tips, need an operator’s input.
Compared to manual paste fillers, semi-automatic paste fillers have a better speed and precision. It can also be tiring, so it’s ideal for medium-sized enterprises with a fair level of producing paste.
c. Automatic Paste Filling Machines
Automated paste fillers usually come with conveyors and sensors, and every process is automated. That is, you only need an operator to monitor and supervise the process, and not the operator’s input to complete filling the paste into containers.
Automated fillers are fast, and they are the most efficient. Although they are more expensive than the other types, automated fillers are worth the price.
Benefits of Using Paste Filling Machines
- Paste fillers improve your productivity per time as they are faster manual filling methods.
- Results are uniform and consistently accurate as it narrows human errors during the filling process.
- The consistent results, as they narrow human errors, reduce the amount of waste. Paste fillers will use the raw materials more efficiently than an average human would for the same task.
- Paste fillers are more hygienic and safe to use. Around 99% of paste fillers meet industrial sanitary standards.
- You can easily increase the production volume of the machine by changing the parameters on the control panel.
- Although it requires an initial capital to purchase paste fillers, they reduce the cost you’d spend on labor and operational costs over time.
Factors to Consider When Choosing a Paste Filling Machine
When selecting a paste filling machine, the things you should never neglect include:
- Thickness of the Paste: For a thin paste, any of the filling mechanisms you choose can work. But for thicker pastes, you should go with piston or auger fillers.
- Container Type and Size: Filling jars with paste is different from filling bottles or tubes with paste, so you must factor this in, too.
- Type of Paste and Industry Standards: Peristaltic pump fillers, for instance, are preferred in applications where sterility is vital as the pump need not contact the paste.
- Filling Volume and Speed Requirements: You can set the filling volume and your required speed better with automated fillers for a more automated paste filling process.
- Ease of Cleaning and Maintenance: Usually, automated fillers self-clean, so they are easier to maintain.
- Production Scale: If you have a small-scale production or you need a paste filler for home use, then manual fillers can work. But if you have a larger-scale operation, automated fillers are great.
- Budget: How much did you budget for getting a paste filler? How long do you hope to be in the paste production business that you are currently in?
Applications of Paste Filling Machines in Different Industries
- Food: For packaging foods like sauces, peanut butter, margarine, mayonnaise, ketchup, etc.
- Cosmetics and Household Products: You use paste filling machines for packaging creams, gels, liquid detergents, shampoos, lotions, and so on.
- Pharmaceuticals: Ointments, syrups, skin creams, etc.
- Industrial chemicals and lubricants like engine oils, adhesives, etc.
Paste Filling Machines Vs. Liquid Filling Machines
The main differences between paste filling machines and liquid filling machines are highlighted below:
Paste Filling Machines | Liquid Filling Machines |
| Fills thick semi-solid and viscous substances into packaging containers | Fills thin, free-flowing liquids into containers |
| The flow rate is slower compared to liquid fillers, as the substances are viscous | The flow rate is fast as the liquids are free flowing |
| Nozzles are larger | Nozzles are thinner to control the flow |
| They are more difficult to clean, and you need to clean them more often | They are easier to clean since the liquids flow freely |
Conclusion
When choosing a paste filler, nothing beats the fact that the best way to make wise decisions is to know the types, working principles, and benefits a paste filler will give you.
Rest, knowing that whether you run a small or a large business, and you need a paste filler to optimize your business procedure, there’s a solution for you.
More resources:
Powder vs Liquid Filling Machines – Source: CAPSULFILLER
How Powder Filler and Sealing Machine Works – Source: CAPSULEFILLER
