Happy Thanksgiving

Accutek Packaging Equipment will be closed on Thursday, November 22^nd and Friday, November 23^rd in observance of Thanksgiving Day. We will reopen on Monday, November 26^th  with normal business hours.

• Post Date: 21 Nov, 2018

Your manufacturing process is stable, and you have packaging that is working for you in your competitive retail environment. Sales has forecast a massive increase in sales requiring you to triple your manufacturing capacity. It’s a good thing, but how are you going to do that?

You reach out to the sales engineering staff at Accutek and they propose a suite of packaging machines from Accutek that will do what you need. An application engineer needs to know the nature of your product and the volume of business you wish to support. The physical characteristics of your product determine the type of filling machine needed. Is your product a liquid and what is its viscosity at ambient temperature? If the product is dry, is it like sand or fine flour? These question and many more help shape the turnkey solution that the Accutek engineering team will propose for you.

   

The Elements of a Turnkey Packaging System Are as Follows:

• Bottle Orienter – Takes bulk loaded containers and sets them in line on a conveyor.
• Bottle washer – Prepare your containers for filling.
• Filling machine – Type of filling machine determined by the physical properties of the product.
• Capping machine – Bulk loaded screw on caps are in general use.
• Labeling machine – Pressure sensitive or shrink labels are most common.
• Printer – Used for printing lot codes
• Heat tunnel – Needed to shrink labels and tamper evident bands.
• Conveyor – Moves containers through the various packaging machines.
• Turn Table – Used to unscramble and accumulate containers.

    

The process of getting your product into a suitable container and on the shelf in an attractive container is complex. We offer a wide selection of powder filling or liquid filling machines. There are four filling technologies. One of these techniques will work for liquids that can be anything from watery solutions to salsa. 

    

• Timed flow fillers that deliver product for a digitally controlled time interval.
• Piston fillers deliver a measured volume of product.
• fillers fill the container to a specific level.
• Positive displacement fillers measure product as a function of pump rotations.

     

A closure or cap must be placed and secured on the container, once the product is in the bottle. Capping machines range from single cap hand operated cap tighteners to rotary chuck cappers.

Accutek also has a complete range of labeling machines, for pressure sensitive, hot glue, and sleeving machines with heat tunnels that shrink labeling sleeves around the containers.

Accutek multi-head rotary fillers and cappers are used for the higher speed packaging operations. Bring us your challenges and we will find a solution at an acceptable price point.

• Post Date: 28 Sep, 2018

Accurate level inspection of filled and sealed containers is a major issue for bottling industry quality management systems. Fill level variance is often specified by consumer protection agency regulations that cannot be ignored. These same regulations address the need for secure closures to prevent tampering or product contamination. Containers on the shelf must also be cosmetically perfect. Labels that are wrinkled, tilted or out of position cannot be tolerated in a competitive retail environment. Checking each container for fill level, closure integrity, and labeling issues is a challenge.

Current bottling lines process as many as 200 containers a minute. There are four different issues to check with each container requiring 800 inspections per minute. A bottle can be rejected for incorrect product levels, problems with the bottle closure, and missing or misplaced labels. It is impossible for a human operator to perform that many inspections. Accutek uses optical sensors, image comparators, and digital processing to solve these quality control issues.

        

The Accutek Inspection and Rejection machine incorporates all of the electronic wizardry needed to inspect your production line output at speed.  

This product performs checks for low fill, high fill, high cap and label placement. Fill levels and cap placement are checked by three separate optical sensors. A camera with a built in optical comparator checks label placement.

The optical sensors have a transmitter and receiver. The transmitter height is set to determine the fill or cap level and the receiver height is adjusted to see the beam transmitted.

The optical comparator is an amazing bit of technology all by itself. During setup a container with a good label is presented to the camera. The operator then tells the camera what areas to check and establishes tolerance parameters for different areas in the picture. The comparator sends a fault signal to the processing logic when the label being inspected does not match the specification for a good label. 

The program logic keeps track of each container as it passes through the row of sensors. A fault signal from any one of the four sensors will cause the container to be rejected. Rejected containers are pushed out of line by a pneumatic ram located just downstream from the inspection housing. The inspector can track up to three containers passing through the inspection stations. It is this ability to have multiple containers in inspection at the same time that gives this machine its high speed capability.

• Post Date: 25 Aug, 2018

A system of conveyors does add value to your plant and does more than move product through your plant. A conveyor system properly executed will make your processes operate with efficiency and minimum down time

The operating efficiency and long-term strategy of the factory, warehouse or distribution center can be compromised by utilizing the wrong conveyor type (or sometimes even the right type applied incorrectly) negatively impacting profitability and/or competitive advantage.

Considerations

Before specifying a conveyor system, you must know the maximum dimensions and weight of the material you are going to move. How far are you moving the material and the interface requirements of the machines that are a part of your process. The conveyors in your system must be able to move product at a speed that will meet your highest production rates.

Let the answers to these questions help you to determine the types of conveyors and packaging machines that are ideal for your operation and assist in determining where accumulation is needed in the system and how much is appropriate.

Satisfying your system needs is critical to having a successful and sustainable operation. From your packaging machines to the entire conveyance process. Developing a good relationship with your equipment supplier will greatly contribute your success.

Selecting the company that will supply your equipment requires research and thought. Useful questions to ask are:

• How long has the company been in business?
• What is the company’s reputation?
• What warranties and service options are offered?
• How do costs compare to other comparable companies?
• Does the vendor offer a full line of packaging machinery?
• What is the time and cost to integrate a full line of machines?   

Conveyors move material and product through a manufacturing or distribution process. This task must be accomplished with speed, reliability and efficiency at an affordable price. Accutek conveyors systems have the configurability needed to integrate into any production environment.

Flexible

Accutek conveyors come in several standard widths and lengths or can be customized to the dimensions you need. Line height is per customer specification. The frames are always stainless-steel with poly-plastic or stainless-steel conveyor belt material available. Conveyors are easily cleaned and can be ordered with full washdown capabilities.

There are curved, bottomless and C-frame versions available. An explosion proof option that uses a pneumatic motor to move product in a volatile explosive environment can be ordered.

Energy Efficient

Using a variable frequency drive (VFD) and a three phase motor to power the conveyor consumes a minimum amount of power.

Reliable

The rugged and simple design of Accutek conveyors minimizes problems and simplifies routine maintenance tasks.

With proper selection and design, conveyor systems can support your current process and operational needs as well as grow, expand and adapt to the future aspirations of the company.

• Post Date: 15 Jun, 2018

Labelette is a leading designer and manufacturer of pressure sensitive labeling equipment. A wide range of customers from all types of industries, including, food and beverage, pharmaceutical, e-cig, cosmetic and house hold cleaning companies.

For projects requiring label placement or those that have a unique container, Labelette Labelers specialize in these systems. Top, bottom, cantered edge, and even vial labeling are all easily accommodated by one of the labelers at Labelette.

Pressure Sensitive labels are an economical way to brand, identify and track products and containers. They come in many shapes and sizes, are available on wide range of materials, and can be printed using a variety of methods. These automatic labeling machines can be applied to most types of packaging materials and don’t so without the mess that can come from liquid glue labelers.

Each of Labelette’s labeling machines are designed for different goals. Below, I will list the machines and some information on what each machine does.

Labelette’s Pressure Sensitive Labeling Machines

APS 100 & 200 are highly reliable machines and easy to operate. Automatic Pressure Sensitive (APS) labeling machines are your ideal solution for pressure sensitive labeling of metal, fiber, plastic, and glass containers. The APS labelers can handle cylindrical and oblong containers. The speeds, versatility, and reliability are all components that Labelette takes pride in.

APS 134 Labeler is an automatic horizontal wrap labeler designed to label unwieldy round containers The label head for fully synchronized with the conveyor and can dispense labels up to 3” (7cm) tall. This machine is great for smaller containers.

APS 004 Labeler features an adjustable 4” (10cm) label head that is self-contained. It is capable of labeling at any angle within a 90 degree range and can convert from a side labeler into a top labeler. This machines unique feature is that it can roll up and be adapted to any existing conveyor in your line.

APS 104 Labeler is designed to top label containers with labels to a 6” tall and up to 11 3/4” long. This machine comes equipped with a height adjustable 4 ft. variable speed belted conveyor, a stopper motor drive for label dispensing, power assisted web take up, full tamp station, auto speed adjust (all motors) and photo eye (non-contact).

APS 236 Labeler is a specialized two headed labeler for top and bottom applications. The easy to use design makes it simple to change container and label sizes. Due to its split conveyor design it has the ability to label the top and bottom of the container at the same time.

These machines are technically used to place stickers on containers. Different types of sticker labeling machines are used in most of today’s container labeling process.

• Post Date: 13 Sep, 2017

Labelette SL Shrink Sleeve Labelers have flexible film shrink sleeve labels placed onto bottles using a sleeve applicator or sleeve labeler. The sleeves are then held in place by shrinking them using hot air or steam from a heat tunnel. Labelette manufactures a variety of shrink sleeve labelers / sleeve applicators and heat tunnels for both full body sleeve labeling and tamper evident bands.

Sleeve Labeling and Safety Sleeve Banding Machines are a new addition to the Labelette line of products. These items were added to the Labelette brand with the acquisition of American Packaging Products and its line of sleeve labeling equipment and Phase Fire heat tunnels. 

Labelette’s Labeling Machines 

AccuSleever

provides accurate and efficient temper evident banding. Printed shrink sleeve labels are a great way to add high impact color labels onto your container. Labelette’s AccuSleever is a compact-c frame design; servo powered and has a powered height adjustment. The AccuSleever can run film ranging from 16mm – 150 mm Lay Flat by 16mm – 200mm Cut Length. With Tamper evident seals you have the option of perforations for easy removal, multi pack bundles and attention to color and detail.

Labelette’s SL1

series sleeve labeling machines are automatic shrink film sleeve applicators that can apply both tamper evident bands and full body sleeve labels. They are designed to handle a wide variety of container sizes and speed ranges. With an H Frame design, mounting to an existing or crowded conveyor line is accomplished with ease. Features include touch screen controls; servo drive motors, film registration, and high speed film apply wheels. Advantages include the highest efficiencies in the market, reduced consumables due to high accuracy of sleeve placement, and quick change over time with low tooling cost.

Labelette’s SL2

Sleeve labeling machines are designed to handle high-speed applications. These machines feature a B frame design. This design has all of the advantages of the SL1 series machines but it is capable of much higher speeds and larger container sizes. These machines can dispense up to 600 sleeves per minute in tamper evident shrink bands and 450 sleeves per minute in full body sleeve labels without customization. Options include multiple film rolls with splice detect, Vision inspection with automatic rejection, Horizontal and Vertical Perforations, Date Coding, and shaped film bullets. Shaping the film bullet allows the customer to reduce the film that uses shrink sleeve labeling with full body or safety sleeve banders that can reach speeds of 600 containers per minute, in conjunction with technologically advanced heat shrink systems.

• Post Date: 13 Sep, 2017

Since 1953 Labelette Labeling Machines have been around and have been manufactured with the highest standards. They are constructed of the highest quality materials and craftsmanship. Standard features included are a heavy-duty frame or stand, label guides that can accommodate a variety of different sized label stacks, full wrap around labeling, quick change over controls, and an easy use interface.

Labelette manufactures a variety of tabletop and semi-automatic hot-melt and skip glue labelers. These machines are designed to apply paper labels to cylindrical containers made of glass, metal, plastic, or fiber. They are a very cost effective solution for small startup operations, but also work well with a variety of other applications or businesses that require versatility. Customers can actually print up their own labels and apply them using one of these machines

Labelette’s Glue Labeling Machines

Labelette’s HG Hot Glue – Glue is melted and applied to paper labels just before being placed onto the container. The newly applied hot glue adheres to the label as well as the container. Hot glue labeling is a very cost effective method of labeling. Paper labels are much cheaper than pressure sensitive labels and shrink sleeves especially when purchased or made in lower quantities. Features include one knob adjustment for glue thickness and label thickness, digital thermostat for longer adhesive life in glue pan with the options of stackable container guide, cold glue kit and a 7-day timer.

 Labelette’s SG Skip Glue – Like the hot-melt glue machines glue is melted and applied to paper labels just before being placed onto the container. However, only a small amount of glue is applied to the paper labels. It is only applied to the leading edges of the label, conserving or saving glue. This is beneficial for many reasons. Like standard hot glue labeling Skip Glue labeling is an economical method of labeling that provides rotary clutch for longer life and simpler maintenance and 360 degree rotary glue seals to keep glue in the pan. You have the option to synchronize registration for molded handles or lugs, multiple unique applications and thermal transfer label printing.

Labelette’s FS – Semi-Automatic F-style labeling machines are hot glue labeling systems designed to eliminate the problems associated with labeling canisters and rectangular products. The FS Labelers are standalone labelers that apply paper labels to rectangular containers. These machines can accommodate both metal and plastic containers. With the hot glue machine you can customize can holders; you get a touch screen PLC control system, adjustable skip glue pattern and other feature that will propel your process.

• Post Date: 13 Sep, 2017

We will be closed May 29 in observance of Memorial Day We will reopen for normal business hours on Tuesday, May 30th. We also would like to honor those who serve or have served in the military by saying, “Thank you.”

• Post Date: 26 May, 2017

The filling machine is an integral part of any beverage bottling line. The vast majority of the beverages that you see on the store shelves are filled by big beverage companies. Big beverage companies in the beverage industry use high speed rotary filling equipment to fill their products. Rotary filling machines can fill at rates up to 1000 containers per minute.

There is a sizeable market for slower speed semi-automatic benchtop fillers and automatic inline filling machines for specialty beverages and regional distribution of some beverages.

Small beverage companies use semi-automatic benchtop filling machines to fill their products. Benchtop fillers can fill at rates up to 60 containers per minute.

Small to medium sized companies use automatic inline filling machines to fill their products. Automatic inline filling machinery can fill at rates up to 200 containers per minute.

There are three common types of filling machines used in the beverage industry. The first is counter pressure. Counter pressure fillers are used to fill carbonated beverages (sparkling water, soda, and beer). The other two types of filling machinery are used for filling non-carbonated products, they are timed flow volumetric filling machines (also called timed pressure or time pressure) and overflow filling machines (also called pressure overflow).

Timed flow volumetric fillers are best suited for volumetrically filling beverage products that are thin, flowable liquids such as bottled water, flavored water, juices, sports drinks, tea, liquid sweeteners and nutritional supplements. These filling machines can be used to fill beverage products that are hot or cold into a wide variety of container sizes and types including bags and jugs.

Overflow filling equipment is probably the most common type of filling machinery in the beverage industry. Overflow Filling Machines are a “fill to level” filling machines which means that the product will always appear to have the same fill height in the container regardless of the manufacturing (and volumetric) variations of the container. They are also well suited for filling beverage products that are thin, flowable liquids. such as juices, flavored water, bottled water, sports drinks, nutritional supplements, liquid sweeteners and tea. They handle foamy products exceptionally well, and if there are variations in the products containers then the fill levels will appear better visually on the store shelves.

Accutek can provide all three types of beverage filling machinery as well as all of the ancillary packaging equipment such as bottle unscramblers, bottle rinsers, conveyors, capping machines, labelers, etc. for a complete beverage bottling line. Accutek manufactures a several styles and types of beverage filling equipment to accommodate a multitude of speed ranges and the wide variety of beverages out there.

• Post Date: 02 May, 2017