If you are new to the world of packaging and automation, trying to decide the best liquid filling machine for your product can sometimes feel confusing and overwhelming with the various options and machines available. You know what you want – enhanced levels of efficiency, consistent levels of quality, and increased throughput across your production schedule – but how do you find the right solution for your needs?
Let’s start out with the simple understanding that every project is unique and every application has its own set of requirements. From there, we can take a fresh look at one solution that gives you multiple filling machines with quick and easy changeovers in one system… enter stage right, the DFS Trolley Solution.
The trolley concept is a portable, caster-mounted mobile rack that can hold a variety of metering systems, as well as nozzles and wetted parts so they can be quickly disconnected/connected from the actual filling unit. A scalable solution, you can easily increase the system’s flexibility with multiple trolley’s with separate, dedicated fluid path systems at the ready to make changing your production line (changeover times) from one product to another in minutes rather than hours. In essence, the DFS Trolley Solution gives you several machines in one layout with multiple metering systems. More specifically, “the trolley format can be an optional upgrade to the standard DFS filling line to increase throughout for your production line”, says Lou Mason, Document Manager, FILAMATIC.
What makes the DFS Trolley format or the trolley concept so popular? There are many reasons ranging from quick changeover times, ease-of-use, to getting multiple filling machines in one unit that make the DFS trolley system such a popular filling solution. But primarily, it’s because businesses can now better predict and manage their manufacturing and production schedules – that’s the name of the game.
That is, the trolley system encapsulates all the necessary components (eg, nozzles, tubing, a variety of metering system options) all within a single rack that can be rolled into place and locked to the base of your filling unit. It’s easy to see how the DFS trolley system can provide such high levels of efficiency through its processes. Giving companies the control to dispense a wide variety of products all on one machine – water-like, semi-viscous, to heavy viscous products with ease by rolling in different trolley racks with different metering systems. Lou notes, “allowing the wetted parts to be easily and ergonomically removed and replaced without tools and usually in under 10 minutes.”
Another reason why the trolley format is popular is the detachable action when considering industry requirements, compliance issues, and addressing safety issues as being a top priority. The trolley format helps system/floor operators move the sometimes bulky wetted parts including tubing to a cleanroom to provide an area to focus on cleaning. This setup also allows eliminating opportunities for cross-product contamination.
Why does this format work so effectively? Lou reiterates the primary function of the trolley format, “when using multiple trolleys, it allows entirely different sets of pumps (eg, piston, peristaltic, gear, lobe, and flow meters), as well as unique manifold needs, tubing requirements, and nozzles to be Cleaned-Out-of-Place (COP). With COP, the contact parts can be readily and rapidly flushed and cleaned to be used with the next product to be filled. When utilizing a COP process, your production line can continue filling product as the wetted parts are being readied for the next batch production run. A traditional process without using a trolley can take hours or even a full-day to perform this type of required changeover. With FILAMATIC’s DFS Trolley Solution, you can continue to operate your packaging line, minimize downtime, increase throughput, and keep your production on schedule.
If you are interested in handheld semi-automatic filling machines, turnkey automatic fill-cap-label systems, or our fully automated Monobloc solutions, contact our Customer Service team at info@filamatic.com. To learn more about the DFS Trolley liquid filling system, please call 866.258.1914 or email info@filamatic.com.
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