Trouble-Free Tube Fillers

Tube fillers are available to suit every packager's need. Some machines are designed to fill tubes that are small or that have unusual shapes. Others fill at top speed with very accurate dosing of product. Several manufacturers offer special machines to meet unusual needs, such as filling superlarge tubes. And most machines offer a selection of closing heads, depending on the material used in the tubes.

Recognizing that a packager will have more than one size tube to fill, manufacturers have added flexibility to their machines. A quick changeover allows the packager to process a different size tube without losing a lot of production time.

An oval race track allows easy access to a robot feeder. The Nordenmatic 1002 tube-filling machine was designed with fewer components than conventional feeding systems, resulting in lower maintenance. The machine has a filling volume ranging from 1 to 300 ml and can fill tubes from 50 to 250 mm in diameter. An optional design for volumes up to 600 ml is available. Norden Packaging Company, North Branch, NJ.

An automatic tube filler designed for the pharmaceutical industry offers speeds up to 70 tubes per minute. The RT-70's features include a cam-driven fill station with a 3-hp motor, modular closure stations for ease of maintenance, and a safety guard. Drop-in tube holders and refined volume and tube-size adjustments make size changeovers quick and easy. ProSys, Middlesex, NJ.

A tube filler operates at speeds up to 90 tubes per minute for metal tubes and 80 tubes per minute for polyethylene, laminate, and polyfoil tubes. The Model C155 tube filler provides dosing accuracies of ±1%. Polyethylene, laminate, and polyfoil tubes are sealed in a variety of shapes with hot-air, hot-jaws, high-frequency, or ultrasonic sealing units. Tube-feeding options include inclined plane, cassette feeder, or ergonomic feeder. Other tube fillers offered include the C135 model, which processes up to 70 tubes per minute, and the C130 model, which processes up to 60 tubes per minute. MG America, Fairfield, NJ.

A line of tube fillers suits a wide range of needs. Unipac models accommodate all tube sizes and shapes and all tube materials. Production rates range from 1000 to 20,000 tubes per hour. Sealing options include hot air, hot jaws, ultrasonic, high frequency, and folding. The Unipac-400 is a high-output compact tube filler, while the Unipac-50 is designed for small to medium production. The Unipac-160, a medium-output filler, offers fast changeover. A rotary tube filler, Unipac-240, includes a high-capacity tube magazine and loader, electronic dosing and cycle adjustment, and main drive with an inverter for variable speed. The Silver 50 series include tube-filling and-closing machines with hand or automatic feeding. The hand-fed version can produce 10 to 30 tubes per minute; the automatic-feed version can produce up to 50 tubes per minute. Closing and sealing devices are available for collapsible metal, plastic, and laminate tubes. Romaco Inc., Morris Plains, NJ.

Precision filling and closing can be obtained with a tube filler. The K 360 offers push-button changeover from laminate to metal tubes and an output of up to 6400 pieces per hour. Optional features include secondary fill stations, mass flowmeters, and a tube feed magazine. Modular Packaging Systems Inc., Pine Brook, NJ.

A tube filler targets low- to medium-speed filling needs. The TFS 10 tube filler is designed for use by contract packagers, private label manufacturers, and small-run pharmaceutical manufacturers. The TFS 10 automatically fills metal, plastic, and laminate tubes with viscous or semiviscous product at speeds of up to 60 per minute. The company also offers an automated, integrated packaging system that combines a tube unloader, tube filler, and cartoner. Designed for efficiency in packaging pharmaceutical ointments and gels, the TFS-30/TZ 101/CPS-R combination accommodates a wide range of products and tube sizes. An integrated vision system checks accuracy and integrity of package printing to verify specification numbers. IWK Packaging Machinery Inc., Fairfield, NJ.

A semiautomatic tube filler and sealer was engineered for pharmaceutical companies that require a low- to medium-volume production machine. The Model T-30 semiautomatic tube filler and sealer is a variable-speed machine with a maximum production rate of 30 pieces per minute. Interchangeable sealing units are available for use with metal, plastic, and laminate tubes. Tubes with a diameter of 2 in. or less and up to 10 in. in length can be accommodated. Prodo-Pak Corp., Garfield, NJ.

A wide variety of tubes can be filled with an automatic tube filler. The Colibri 1001 can handle tube diameters from 10 to 50 mm and lengths of 50 to 150 mm with caps. Speeds of up to 100 metal tubes and 65 polyethylene or laminated tubes per minute can be achieved. Equipped with a 12-position turntable, the Colibri 1001 features pneumatic assistance for proper tube positioning and exact closures. Electric and safety systems are controlled by a PLC. Marchesini Packaging Machinery Inc., West Caldwell, NJ.

Built for the pharmaceutical industry, a tube filler and sealer can fill up to 110 tubes per minute. The Kx 1100's volumetric fill ranges from 1 to 400 ml. Changeover can be achieved in less than 10 minutes without tools; the machine's open design makes cleaning easy. Available closing heads include hot air, hot jaws, induction, metal, and dual. An optional touch screen control can be loaded with up to 75 product sizes and offers step-by-step changeover instructions. Kalish, DT Industries Packaging Group, Montreal, PQ, Canada.

A tube-sealing system is designed for semiautomatic operation at speeds of up to 1500 tubes per hour. The CGMmatic T-2 tube-sealing system seals polyethylene and laminated tubes. The system offers controls for heating and cooling times and a six-level power selector. Twin filling/ sealing fixtures hold four to six tubes and allow the operator to fill one set while the other set is sealing. A variety of tube sizes and thicknesses can be processed. Packworld USA, Nazareth, PA.