Various can filling machines exist for handling different packaging requirements such as product viscosities. Filling machine manufacturers in India and China can be great choice for lot of people. Piston filling machines are one of those machines. While some liquid fillers are ideal for filling free-flowing liquids, piston fillers can solve a lot of issues for high viscosity liquids (e.g. honey and sauces) or products with particulates.
Also known as viscous liquid filling machines, piston fillers are among the most versatile filling machines in the market. They can move various products from hoppers, holding tanks, and others to containers in different sizes. If you want to know more about these machines, keep reading!
5 Key Components of a Piston Filler
- The Hopper – Holds bulk quantities of the product to be filled into the containers.
- The Piston – Pulls product from the hopper to the cylinder.
- The Cylinder – Has a constant interior volume for consistent fill levels.
- The Valve – Opens and closes to allow and stop product flow through the nozzle/s.
- The Nozzle/s – Dispenses product from the cylinder to the waiting containers.
Things You Should Know About a Piston Filler
Before we proceed to how a piston filling machine works, below are the key things you should know about these machines:
- The piston’s length of stroke and the cylinder’s inside diameter will determine the fill volume of the machine. Larger cylinders can accommodate more product.
- You can adjust the fill volume on the machine by setting the piston’s stroke length usually through a handwheel.
- You can adjust the speed of the piston’s movement.
- The size of the hopper can vary depending on the size of your containers. For instance, automatic piston fillers will likely pull products from a bulk source such as a tank.
- The machine’s piston and cylinder are available in various sizes for accommodating different project needs.
- Different nozzles are also available depending on the type of product you are handling.
Working Principle of a Piston Filler
The steps below describe how piston fillers work.
- The valve, which is located between the nozzle and the hopper, opens to release the liquid product from the hopper into the cylinder.
- The piston helps fill the cylinder by pulling the product from the hopper until the empty cylinder is filled.
- Once the piston has pulled at a pre-set length, the valve rotates allowing the product to flow to the nozzle.
- The piston pushes back into the cylinder to help the product move through the nozzle.
- The nozzle dispenses the product into the waiting containers.
Piston Filler Automation Levels
Automatic Piston Fillers
- They work with several automated devices such as automatic indexing and power conveyor systems to reduce operator assistance.
- The majority of the processes are automated. The operator only needs to set up the machine.
- They are equipped with stainless steel frames with leveling legs and casters for easier integration to an existing conveyor system.
- They come with PLC touchscreen control panels for easier control of the whole operation parameters.
Semi-Automatic Piston Fillers
- They require more interaction with the operator including the following:
– Placement of containers into the machine
– Initiating each fill cycle via a hand or footswitch
– Removal of each filled container after each fill cycle. - Some are manufactured to allow easier upgrades when your production requirements increase in the future.
- They can come in tabletop versions for smaller packagers.
Advantages of a Piston Filler
#1 They can handle all product viscosities.
While piston fillers are ideal for handling viscous products and those with large particulates, you can also use them for filling thin products.
#2 They are available in various nozzle types.
The customizability of the nozzles of piston fillers adds to their versatility. Different nozzles can be designed to meet your product’s specific needs.
#3 They can handle different container materials and sizes.
Since the cylinder and piston of these machines come in various sizes, you can use piston filling machines for both small and large containers. But, do note that if you are handling tiny to large containers, you may need multiple piston sizes.
#4 They can handle particulates in the products.
Sauces and jams can have large chunks of vegetables or fruits which can clog the nozzles of piston fillers. But, with the teamwork between the cylinder and the piston, this issue can be dealt with without any problem.
#5 They produce accurate volumetric fills.
The constant interior volume of the cylinder in every fill cycle allows piston fillers to produce consistent volumetric fills with each stroke of the piston.
Modern challenges require modern packaging solutions. Auger fillers’ working mechanism is different from piston filling machines. While automatic auger filling machines are the most popular ones for handling powder products, piston filling machines are for viscous ones. For products with very low viscosities, overflow liquid filling machines are more suitable. You can find the difference between volumetric filling machines and overflow filling machines in this guide.
Whatever your filling needs are, Levapack offers flexible solutions guaranteed to meet your needs. Contact us now for your ideal packaging solution!
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