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ACASI Machinery began it’s business as a used equipment dealer and equipment remanufacturing, troubleshooting, parts, etc.. selling exclusively in Venezuela.
After 8 years in the used equipment business, realizing that good service, part replacement for such a wide variety of used machines in the market would be impossible to achieve, the company started manufacturing it’s own equipment in a basic machine tool shop.
Since then we have invested heavily on our machine shop and now own one the best machine shops in the world for this type industry. Our capabilities include:
4 CNC Vertical machining centers (Different size tables)
4 CNC Lathes
2 CNC mills
Shearing
Pressbrake
Welding
etc….
The company based it’s first machines on equipment that already had been in business for many years, and certainly learned from the experience.
The first machine the company sold was a semiautomatic piston filler in 1998 since then it has developed, automatic inline piston fillers, overflow fillers, pump fillers, gravity fillers, automatic and semiautomatic cappers with a wide variety of cap feeding mechanisms, bottle feeders and bottle unscramblers.
In 2003 Acasi Machinery inagurated is sales office in Miami FL were the machines are assembled with all US “Off the shelf components”.
ACASI Machinery was founded with the main purpose of delivering excelent quality machines at reasonable prices, something the packaging machinery business has been missing for years.
We can offer quality designed machines through our extensive experience in the remanufacturing of bottling and packaging equipment.
All parts are manufactured in our machine shop with cnc milling, turning, shearing and bending equipment as well as first class welding and polishing.
A filling machine operator job is to run the filling section of a production line; depending on the type of liquid filler; the operator may be more or less involved.
For some liquid filling machines, technicians may need to set up bottling equipment for production and run them. At the same time, other operators will wait for a technician to prepare the filling machines for operation and only monitor the filling machine and do minor troubleshooting.
While a filling machine is running thousands of bottles during a production run, some issues may occur like:
There are many types of filling machine production lines, and depending on the type, design, and set up, it may require or not a filling machine operator job. Here are a few:
Running these automated liquid filling equipment increases efficiency and dramatically reduces production costs.
A lot of the time, it takes many different trials to find a proper setup and adjust the machines where the filling equipment is performing as desired. There are hundreds of possible setup combinations when you have packaging machinery where you can adjust machines fill speed, conveyor speed, acceleration, and deceleration of conveyors, spacing between containers, and filling nozzles height, among other possible setups.
Understanding that so many possible combinations are possible will help to realize that even when the filling machine is running well, there is probably an even better operator setup. Attention to detail and data collection will be important tools to optimize the function of the pack machine in operation.
The packaging or filling machine manufacturer has vast experience. Therefore, it would be an excellent resource to contact them. In addition, sometimes, a video showing a setup will be enough to get recommendations that will increase the productivity of the filling machine as well as provide preventive maintenance guidance to avoid shutdowns.
These machines require an operator to run, move containers, nozzles or align them or press a foot switch or a button. A capable machine operator makes a big difference; with experience, some of these filling machine operators can become extremely fast at their job.
Automatic inline filling machines don't require an operator, but you must have a stable setup that you can rely on before deciding not to use one. For these, you need:
- Good setup mechanic or technician job: Instead of having a filling machine operator, you need a good mechanic to do a great setup that you can rely on.
A good setup means that the machine can run unsupervised for a prolonged time of 15 minutes or more; if you can achieve this going from 15 minutes to hours without supervision is very close.
- Back-Up Sensor: Besides having a good setup for the machine, it's equally essential for the filling machine not to run when there are delays in the packaging equipment following the filling process. Most manufacturers offer a back sensor that takes care of that process, so if the sensor detects containers ahead at the exit of the filler, it prevents it from doing a cycle and sending bottles or containers to a stopped process
Rotary machines will work great without a filling machine operator but require an organized, skilled mechanic to set up and exchange infeed screws, starwheels, heights, and sometimes filling nozzles or pistons.
A filling equipment operator is a person operating a filling machine. Their primary responsibility is to get as much production as possible, clear machine jams and in some cases help with quality control, so they need to:
- Operate the filling machine as fast as possible; this may require moving the containers in and out as possible, minimizing motions to maximize productivity
- Operate the liquid filler to avoid spills; some bottling equipment and conveyors need cleaning if there are spills before continuing production; when this happens, filling speed goes to zero, creating significant losses in bottling production.
- Each bottler is different, but when you have a manual operator, sometimes they need to spend 7 to 8 hours running the machine. This type of job is not for everyone; it's essential to realize that and don't be afraid to try new workers for the job.
A setup mechanic is a person adjusting and tweaking the bottling machinery so it runs as reliably, without spills, and as few misses as possible; they need to:
- Setup liquid filling machines and explain what they need to do to the operator. Then, depending on the operators' ability to run the bottling line, these mechanics get called to help constantly to solve any issues during production.
- They set up multiple machines in addition to helping with peripheral equipment like pumps to feed liquid filler, cap elevators to feed capping machines, mixers, labeling machines, and conveyors.
What bottling equipment operators make varies drastically depending on:
- Ability - Worker Characteristics: Most filling machine operators will start close to the minimum wage or minimum available rate in their area so the level of education is not a factor and very few companies ask for a school diploma or equivalent. But all bottling facility managers will increase their salary quickly to an operator they can rely on and get more production at the end of the day.
Workers who pack food are always needed, and depending on the job responsibilities there may be more or less room to grow.
- Location: Each city has a different base depending on the current situation, unemployment rate, and States minimum wages, among others. So the average salary will fluctuate substantially. The Department of Labor will have wage data from the state or city is widely available and it can be a great resource to take an educated decision.
- Type of machinery: If an operator is running a manual filler, their ability brings an opportunity to get paid more if they can perform at high speeds versus an operator running a machine where the job requires mainly supervision.
Liquid filling machine operators don't need to be highly qualified, and the average salaries reflect this. The best road for growth and higher wages is to become a Setup Mechanic; this is a viable road for all filling machine operators since they are very familiar with the machinery; they just need to be attentive, learn and apply themselves.
The specific bottle size and shape, and labels –perhaps the most important– are an integral part of your product’s branding. You have dedicated significant time and resources to designing a great-looking label that conveys your product’s story. The next challenge is how to apply the label to your bottle and make it look great. Because incorrectly applied bottle labels always look terrible, no matter how well-designed they are. You can apply pressure-sensitive labels either by hand or by using a machine.
Labeling by hand is simple. You peel the adhesive label from the roll and apply it to the bottle with firm pressure. This method can be time-consuming and can lead to frustrating results, however, if the label is applied crooked or if there are bubbles in your application. Because it’s a repetitive task, often machines will do the job far better and more reliably. It can also become expensive as your production needs grow due to increasing labor costs.
If you do small jobs a manual or semi-automatic labeler can work when applying container labels. For larger volumes, you may want to consider an inline or rotary labeling machine. This will not only help keep production costs down but will also make your process more efficient. In general, a machine will be capable of applying different label shapes, including oval labels, rectangle labels, round labels, etc. The label size and material are also important to take into consideration. Standard labels will typically be able to apply mate labels, printed labels, and others. The machine may need specific sensors to be able to apply metallic labels, clear labels, or other labeling materials to your containers, bottles, and jars. Your bottle’s shape will determine the type of labeling machine you will need to consider. Generally speaking, for cylindrical or round bottles you will use a wraparound labeler.
A wraparound labeler applies the first part of the label to the bottle and then spins the bottle around until the rest of the label has been applied. Some machines also allow you to apply 2 labels from a single roll on the same bottle. For this, you will need a 3-point turn system that includes sensors or some other mechanism to identify the correct placement of the labels to the bottle and dispense them accordingly.
For bottles that are not cylindrical a different type of labeling machine will be needed. For square/rectangular and oblong-shaped bottles, a front/back labeler is often the machine needed. These apply the labels to the front and/or back face of the bottle. A front labeling machine will have one labeling head whereas a front and back labeling machine will have two separate labeling heads. The labels for these types of applications will come in individual roles (one for the front label and one for the back label). Some front/back labeling machines offer a wrap station. These machines are very flexible and capable of labeling a wide variety of bottles including square, rectangular, and cylindrical bottle shapes. For tapered bottles, your labeling machine needs to be able to tilt the labeling head so it can properly apply the labels on these types of bottles. Keep in mind that this is typically an option that does not come standard with the machines.
For other applications, like neck labels, top/bottom labels, etc. a different kind of labeling machine is needed.
When using a machine to label your bottles a very important thing to consider is the roll’s wind direction. Wind direction is the orientation of your label as it is coming off the roll. It is very important because it determines the correct placement of your label on the bottle and you do not want to end up with labels that are upside down or sideways. There are 8 wind directions to choose from, but more than likely you’ll only need to consider options 1 through 4, with 4 being the most common for wraparound labeling heads. Wind direction depends entirely on your labeling machine’s specs. Your labeler provider should be able to make the rolls according to the wind direction required by your labeling machine.
In the bottling and packaging industry, a filling machine refers to the device that manufacturers use to help them fill all sorts of different products into bottles, boxes, or any other container that needs to be filled. As one can imagine, thousands of various applications may require a filling machine.
Although there are many types of filling machines for many industries, I will focus on the bottling industry. That is the area I work on a day-to-day basis and have more knowledge about.
You need a filling machine if the process of your bottles or containers getting filled is taking too long and/or labor costs start being an issue.
Some manufacturers start very small, home mixing, filling, and labeling and can manually produce a few hundred bottles; at this point, you may not need any filling equipment.
But as soon as your production increases and quality, speed, fill level accuracy, cleanliness becomes an issue, you will need to invest in a filling machine.
Higher capacity requirements need further automation like automatic bottle feeders (bottle unscrambler). This makes economic sense when you have at least one full-time employee feeding bottles into production lines all day.
You can purchase a bottle unscrambler for typical containers that can feed 60 bottles per minute for less than $40,000. So if adding these machines eliminates one employee earning $12/hour, your payoff will be around 15 months, two employees 7 to 8 months.
There are many types of filling machines, and the best filling machine for your needs will be unique. The main factors in determining which machine will be best for your needs are:
Depending on how many bottles you need to fill per day, you may need a handheld filler, semi-automatic, automatic inline filler, or a rotary filling machine. Typically, the faster the filling machine, the higher its price.
You can start manually producing with any system for a few hundred dollars and make a few hundred bottles per day. Still, more significant investments will be required when you require higher speeds, cleanliness, and accuracy.
Unfortunately, no single technology currently works best for all types of products; the most flexible filling machines have a high-cost disadvantage.
Each filling project is different, and although the best machine for a particular application may be an overflow filler, the recommendation to the customer changes completely if he wants to fill higher viscosity products in the future. Here are some scenarios and typical recommendations.
Overflow filler: If you are only doing water-thin to very light oil type viscosity, we recommend overflow fillers because they work fast, accurately, and the cost of these machines is less than most other filling technologies.
Overflow filler explosion-proof: This filling machine is basically an overflow machine for flammable products. Great attention is taken to ensure that all electrical components, motors, and sensors can’t create a spark, among other things, explosion motors, intrinsically safe sensors, and barriers, cement-filled electrical boxes, and many pneumatic systems to reduce electrical use.
Piston filler: Piston fillers have been available in the bottling industry for more than 100 years because of how flexible they are and the wide range of products they can fill. With this type of filler, you can produce thick products like mayonnaise and water-thin products with the right type of nozzle.
Cost: These machines can be very expensive because they require tight tolerance parts made in 304 and 316L stainless steel with a high cost and are difficult to machine.
Cleanability: There are a lot of parts, so thorough cleaning will be a lengthy process.
Range: Most manufacturers will only guarantee accurate fill levels to 10% of your total piston fill volume, so if you have 100oz pistons on your machine, you won’t be able to fill below 10oz without a piston change.
Flowmeter filler: This type of fill technology has gotten a lot of track, and more manufacturers are using them every time because they are very accurate, can fill a wide variety of products, and it’s the easiest machine to clean and change products.
The current disadvantage is the cost since each nozzle requires one dedicated flowmeter, and for flexible systems, you need a mass flow meter that tends to be very expensive.
Pump Fillers: These machines use positive displacement pumps, and some customers like them because of the wide range of volumes and viscosities they can handle.
Cost: They are among the most expensive systems because each fill nozzle is connected to one positive displacement pump driven by a motor with an encoder, a stepper motor, or a servo motor.
Accuracy: To obtain consistent fill weights, great care needs to be taken in fill tank height, settings, room temperature, among others. Even with the highest quality pumps and servo-driven systems, each nozzle will have a different setting and may need to be adjusted throughout the day.
To answer the question of how to cap a bottle I would need some basic information like, what type of cap, type of bottle, speed requirements, torque requirements, sterilization, among others. So I’ll try to simplify it as much as possible with what I estimate will cover 95% of the capping done in the world.
There are thousands of bottle and caps designs out there but the principal for this capping is the same, you have to somehow place the cap on the bottle and screw it in with enough torque so you seal it and/or snap the safety ring on the bottle, so how do you do this, well depends among other things how many you want to do and at what speed, so I will break it down into industry categories:
Solution: At this stage normally you would just do it by hand, no need for machinery
Solution: At this point it’s convenient to use a hand held capper that will be priced between $300 to $1000, it’s a good way to start and eliminates the tedious un-reliable capping by hand. With these simple machines you can achieve good torque and placing the cap manually is not an issue for the operator unlike torquing by hand which can cause blisters, wrist problems, among other things.
Solution: If you have a single bottle that you need to do large production runs, for a few days then it makes economic sense to invest on an automatic capper that will place the caps and torque them automatically. For that solution there are 2 primary technologies, inline capping or chuck capping. Here you can look at an article to guide you a little better on common capping problems.
On the other hand if you are producing a total of 10,000 bottles but you are doing many changes, of bottles and caps and only run a 1,000 or so per type it would probably be better to invest in a cap tightener - retorquer. The investment for this machine is a lot less and changeover from one bottle to another takes less than 10 minutes
Solution: When you are capping more than 50 bottles per minute and up to 120 bottles per minute you need to look at an inline capping machine or a multihead chuck capper. The advantage of the inline capper is cost and flexibility versus the chuck capper that will give you better torque control and less cross-threaded or miss-capped bottles at a higher price requiring also expensive changeparts.
Solution: At this speed the best solution is a multihead chuck capper unless you are doing several types of bottles then it might be convenient to have several bottling lines. These machines are great but are very expensive and each bottle requires changeparts like star wheels, infeed screws, etc..
High end rotary chuck cappers average 2000 bottles per hour per head, so if you need to do 120 bottles per minute = 7200 bottles per hour / 2000 = 3.6 heads. So you would need at least 4 capping heads, this is only a starting point and each project is different. If your container is large (gallons or so) or difficult to handle you may want to buy a machine with more
In the plastic cap area you also have among others:
Automating the capping process of these type of capping systems normally requires large investments because handling them requires complex part handling as well as a very elaborate system for correct placement. Most small to medium bottlers and copackers hand place these type of caps and have inline tighteners that can torque the bottles eliminating the tediuos and tiring hand torquing process.
Trigger sprayers, pump sprayers, droppers and measuring cups are more common and a lot of technolgy is already developed so there are machines and designs out-there. Certain custom caps and diificult application will require specilized sorting systems and robotics to handle them and those machines tend to be very expensive and not very reliable because of the lack of previous experience - testing.
After visiting more than one hundred manufacturing facilities I’m always surprised by the lack of bottle unscramblers being used in bottling and packaging production lines
After asking if they would consider adding a bottle unscrambler most of the times I’m met with resistant with this claims:
Before disregarding this idea I would argue:
A good bottle unscrambler would changeover faster than a capper and having your bottles being fed by a machine and not a human will increase your production offsetting x 10 cost of setup
2.Changeovers would take too long
If you document your changeovers and use the indicators changeover should take no more than 10-15 minutes
3.It’s a large investment
If you have one person working 8 hours per day feeding bottles a 35K bottles unscrambler would pay for itself in 1.5 years (just on labor costs), if you have 2 persons the payoff is less than 9 months
4. I don’t have space
There are some places where you can simply not add any more equipment, otherwise the effort to put in the machine will pay for it self quickly
If you are running production at least 30 hours per week at 30 bpm or more you should seriously consider adding a bottle unscrambler to your production line, not only will you save in labor costs but your production will increase by being more efficient on your bottle feeding.
Bottle unscramblers don’t go to the restroom, chat with their buddies or work slower because of a bad hangover.
One of my favorite manufacturing quotes by Henry Ford:
"If you need a machine and don't buy it, you will ultimately find that you have paid for it and don't have it."
One of the productivity factors that is frequently overlooked by companies has to do with bottlenecks at the beginning of the production lines running plastic bottles.
Often companies focus solely on automating the filling, capping, and labeling processes while relying on manual labor to load the bottles to the line. While this may be an acceptable setup initially, it may quickly become unsustainable on the long run, because of unreliability and the potential impact it will have on the company's overall production capacity.
Adding an automatic bottle unscrambler to the line will significantly improve production and utilization of your available resources.
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