What to Consider When Buying a Bottling Machine

Like most other businesses, manufacturing firms are constantly looking for new ways of creating superior products in the market. Manufacturers of liquid products can achieve improved product quality and profitability by improving their bottling process. If you are such a manufacturer, you need the right bottling equipment. When you set out to buy a bottling machine for your manufacturing company, there are a number of things you need to consider for you to make the right choice. Here is a brief look at some of them.

• Think about the impact the bottling equipment will have on your products. The viscosity or state of the liquid can be inadvertently altered as a result of the construction of the bottling machine you use. For instance, running a liquid through additional pumps, pipes and elbows can alter the viscosity and make the liquid too thin. High speeds also have an impact on the liquid product. You need to put the products characteristics into account when choosing bottling equipment.

• How easy will it be to clean the bottling equipment? When filling bottles, it is important to keep the nozzle clean. When it comes to the ease of cleaning, the simpler the design of the bottling machine, the better. Give preference to bottling equipment that does not have too many nooks and crannies that can harbor microorganisms.

• Consider light-weighting. Plastic bottle light-weighting continues to be a popular trend, and with sustainability and cost advantages. This trend is not about to go away anytime soon. Therefore, make sure you look for filling and unscrambling technologies that can accommodate progressively thinner bottles – thinner than what you currently have, at the very least. With “feature bottles” down to just 7 grams of plastic for a half-litre bottle, with a short skirted cap, you need to consider gentler, kinder filling and unscrambling. Some products, especially personal hygiene products, have completely done away with bottles and are typically sold in stiff plastic bags. Can your bottling machine go that lightweight?

• Pay close attention to product giveaway. If a bottling equipment seller tells you that they have a certain percentage variation in weight, a general average is not enough to base your choice on. You need to find out what that percentage is at the actual container level you intend to run now and in the future. Giveaway can actually be different at various container sizes.

• Avoid complexity – complex bottling equipment may amount to complex maintenance needs. The simpler the technology, the less maintenance you will be required to conduct training for, and less parts to be kept in reserve. Keep an eye out for components or parts that have the potential to easily break off. Click here for more information.