Packaging is a crucial step in the manufacturing process for a variety of tubed products, including creams, cosmetics, adhesives, sealants, greases, and even certain pharmaceuticals. The nature of the packed products calls for simplifying the process to make it quicker and more effective. Therefore, technical and safety measures are necessary for the tube filling and sealing machine to function properly—that is, to carefully and precisely distribute materials into tubes or containers.
Here are some precautions, regulations, and solutions for tube filling and sealing machines to ensure they work efficiently.
Safety Regulations
- The parts of the filling machine are clean and free of any debris.
- Do not use liquids of any kind to clean the electrical components.
- Unusual noise from the tube filler requires quick shutdown for examination.
- Cover long hair whenever possible.
- When cleaning, always use protective gear such as work clothing, gloves, glasses, etc., to avoid damage from harsh acids and alkalis.
- Wearing loose clothing or accessories that might get caught in moving parts (such as scarves, bracelets, watches, etc.) is prohibited, and all safety equipment must be tested and shown to work correctly.
- Someone has to be watching over the machine at all times while it’s operating and use no tools or other things to try to fix it while it’s running.
- Unrelated persons should not be allowed near tube filling and sealing devices; they must be controlled by a specialized professional.
Installation Precautions
- First, after unpacking the tube filler, ensure that all of the necessary equipment and electrical instructions are there, that all of the fragile components are present, and that the machine is in working order.
- Install and configure the feeding and discharging parts in line with the workflow.
- Every lubrication point on the device receives fresh oil per the equipment’s technical manual requirements.
- Shake the handle to see whether the machine is turning in the right direction (counterclockwise when looking at the motor shaft), and make sure it is adequately grounded before using it.
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Operation Precautions
Issues are likely to arise when operating the tube filling and sealing machine. This demands that we keep the following in mind as we go about our daily operations:
- When ready to use the tube filler, please clean the area around it. Avoid harmful items and other extras materials.
- Don’t risk injury by using aftermarket or unofficial replacement parts unsuitable for the machine’s function.
- The operator’s overalls have to be lightweight and thin. Keep in mind that work attire sleeves must be fixed and cannot be rolled up.
- When you’re certain that everything is set up as it should be, turn on the machine’s master switch and give it a few gentle turns to look for signs of unusual vibration or behavior.
- A lockable stainless steel door protects the primary drive system at the unit’s base. An operator or maintenance man must open it and make the necessary adjustments to the load capacity. Ensure all doors are in working order before turning the machine back on.
- Over the tabletop, a clear plexiglass door secures the tube filling and sealing device. No one can access the machine without permission while it is regularly operating.
- Please use the red emergency stop button in the event of an emergency so that the problem may be resolved quickly. If you must restart, do so only after you have confirmed that the problem has been fixed. Press the emergency button again, and restart the machine.
- As per regulations, only trained and qualified individuals should operate the tube filling and sealing machine. The device must not be accessible by anybody else to prevent accidents and machine damage.
- Perform a 1-2 minute idle test before each filling to ensure that every part of the machine is rotating correctly. Work efficiently, run without unusual noise, all regulating mechanisms function correctly, and all sensors and meters function consistently.
Poor Sealing Causes & Solutions
The tube filling and sealing machine may have a poor sealing issue during operation. When this kind of problem comes up in the manufacturing process, you might look at the problem from different points of view to find and fix the root cause. With poor sealing in mind, here are some reasons for the problem and possible solutions.
Possible Causes
- Either the suction or blowing volumes are too high.
- The hose-filling and -sealing equipment does not have a high enough heating temperature.
- There is an issue with the sealing temperature, which is very high.
- Neither the air pressure nor the flow rate is enough.
- The machine’s heating, sealing, and cutting stations are at different heights.
- There is dirt on the tube wall.
Solutions
- To ensure that the blowing volume is larger than or equal to the suction volume, adjust the blowing volume and the airflow meter’s size.
- Increase the heating temperature properly.
- Temper the heating time and temperature appropriately.
- Raise the heating temperature as necessary.
- Change the air pressure to the desired level.
- Height-adjust the heating belt and the sealing belt.
- Raise or lower each station with care.
- Make sure the tube wall is clean.