Unit 3 - Packaging Machinery Flashcards
How should materials be delivered for use in production?
In a format suited to their use — for example, food contact materials must be wrapped and protected against contamination until use.
What is a risk of using straps and chocks during delivery?
They can damage film, which leads to increased downtime during production.
What stock rotation method should be used for materials?
Use FIFO (First In, First Out) to ensure older stock is used first.
Why is temperature and humidity control important for some materials?
Because board and paper are very sensitive to humidity, which can affect performance.
What should be checked if materials are used with automated warehouse systems?
Is the pallet the correct size for the racking?
Does the wrap cover the whole pallet, possibly interfering with detection sensors?
Why might some materials need conditioning before use?
To prevent performance issues like paper jams, film static, or poor adhesive application due to cold or moisture-sensitive conditions.
What should be checked before using materials on the line?
COC documents or in-house quality checks
Pallet size and height must fit the line
Ease of handling for operators
Suitability for automated systems
Why is traceability of materials important?
It’s a legal and BRC requirement
Some materials (like bottles or cans) carry barcodes and must be distinguishable from date codes
Must be easily traceable back to the batch or supplier
When are automatic reels preferred over manual reels?
For high-speed lines or long runs
When high consistency of supply is required
To avoid delays from frequent manual changes
What are some challenges with bulk palletisation of containers?
Bent tops and bases causing jams
Film damage from strapping
Misaligned containers
Issues from over-height or unstable loads
What are PET preforms/closures commonly supplied in?
Intermediate Bulk Containers (IBCs) — reusable, stackable, sometimes with liners, handled by lift or auto systems.
What factors affect handling of boxed closures and small containers?
Manually opened or tipped from boxes
May include protective liners or bags
Balance between box size and operator handling ease
What’s a key concern with fibreboard packaging?
May suffer damage from straps or top protectors
May become unstable if strapping is removed
Contents often hidden behind strapping — hard to identify
How is film packaging usually supplied?
On pallets with protective layers and stretch wrap.
Tension and size can vary by product type.
How are other small materials supplied?
Often in boxes, or small trays — like pressure-sensitive tapes, gaskets, or wet adhesives.
How are palletised containers typically de-palletised?
Layer by layer onto a conveyor system.
What must be done with loose packaging components before sorting?
They must be emptied into a hopper or sorting table before being moved to a sorting or unscrambling unit.
What systems are typically used to move containers during de-palletising?
Belts, rollers, or conveyor systems.
What are magnetic and vacuum conveyors used for?
Magnetic conveyors: Steel components
Vacuum conveyors: Plastic or aluminium containers (especially for moving them vertically)
Why must conveyor systems be carefully designed?
To control speed and pressure and avoid damaging containers during movement.
What are the handling considerations for different types of containers?
Heavy items: Can be moved fast but need protection from damage
Semi-rigid containers: Lower resistance to stress
Flexible containers: Need full support due to weakness in all axes
Where is the greatest risk of damage on a conveyor line?
At bends or combining sections — these must allow smooth, low-pressure flow.
What’s the issue with single-file combiners?
They increase the chance of jamming or damaging the containers.
How do pressure-less combiners help?
They allow angled entry and variable belt speeds, reducing stress on the product.
How are small components like closures unscrambled?
Using vibratory bowls, sorting discs, or waterfall systems.
What must cleaning methods be appropriate for?
The type of container and the eventual contents, ensuring no contamination risk.
What are common cleaning methods used in packaging?
Inversion to remove solids
Rinsing with water followed by drying
Rinsing with the actual product (e.g. spirits)
Air cleaning for dry products
Vacuum cleaning
What are the two main types of wet filling systems?
Constant level (gravity, vacuum, pressure)
Constant volume (piston fillers, metering pumps)
What is constant level filling and what is it best for?
Fills to the same height (measured from the neck or seal), giving a consistent shelf appearance.
Best for visual consistency in retail packaging.
What is a limitation of constant level filling?
It can cause variations in actual fill volumes, especially with glass containers that have greater dimensional variance.
What is constant volume filling and when is it ideal?
Fills to the same volume, making it ideal for high-value products or high-speed filling, where accuracy is key.
What type of products is constant volume filling especially good for?
Pharmaceuticals or agricultural products, where each pack forms a measured dose.
What’s a visual downside of constant volume filling in clear packs?
It may appear as underfilled if the container shape varies.
What is top filling?
The filling tube is inserted into the neck of the container and product flows downward.
What is a disadvantage of top filling?
It can cause foaming and entrapped air due to agitation.
What is bottom filling?
The filling tube is inserted to the bottom of the container, then raised as it fills.
Why is bottom filling used?
It causes less agitation, making it better for products prone to foaming or splashing.
What is gravity filling and when is it used?
Relies on product flowing into the container from an elevated supply tank using gravity.
Best for free-flowing, low viscosity liquids.
It’s a slow process with minimal agitation.
What is a vacuum filler and how does it work?
The container is sealed to the filler, and a vacuum draws in the product. Excess product is recirculated back to the supply tank.
What are the drawbacks of vacuum filling?
Can entrain air and is unsuitable for agitation-sensitive products
Only suitable for rigid containers (lightweight ones may collapse)
How is the fill level controlled in a vacuum filler?
By the height of the vacuum tube (no elevated tank required).
What is a pressure filler and when is it used?
Similar to a vacuum filler but uses a pump to move product.
Best for viscous products with minimal agitation. Heating can reduce viscosity.
What is a counter pressure filler used for?
For carbonated drinks. The container is pressurised with CO₂ to match the product pressure, preventing fobbing (foam).
What is a piston filler and how does it work?
Uses a reciprocating piston in a cylinder to dispense a defined volume of product.
Ideal for accurate filling across a range of viscosities.
What is a metering pump filler used for?
Operates for a set number of cycles to deliver measured amounts
Best for low-speed applications
Common for aerosol propellants and single-portion sauces
Fill volume is controlled by adjusting the number of revolutions
What are flow meter fillers best suited for?
Medium and high-speed filling, especially when non-contact and cleanability are needed.
They tolerate solids and are suited for both water-based and non-aqueous products.
How does a water-based flow meter system work?
Uses an inductive flow meter: liquid flows through a magnetic field, generating an electrical current proportional to the flow, which controls the fill valve.
How does a non-aqueous flow meter system work?
Uses the Coriolis principle: vibration of a tube is altered by flow rate; this change is measured and used to control the valve.
What is a weigh cell filler and how does it work?
Each head has a load cell to monitor fill weight
Container is weighed during filling, then the valve shuts at the correct weight
High accuracy (±0.2%)
No contact between valve and container
What type of products is hot filling used for?
Microbiologically-sensitive drinks — it reduces the need for preservatives.
At what temperature is the product filled during hot filling?
It’s filled at 90°C, then sealed and cooled.
Can all filling systems be used for hot filling?
Most filling systems can be adapted, but the container must be suitable for high temperatures.
Why must glass bottles be pre-heated for hot filling?
To prevent thermal shock, which could cause the glass to crack — usually done with steam.
What happens when a hot-filled container is cooled?
It creates a vacuum inside.
Plastic bottles are often designed with panels that distort in a controlled way to handle this vacuum.
What is aseptic filling and when is it used?
An alternative to hot filling, especially when sensitive flavours need to be preserved.
The product is pasteurised or sterilised, cooled, and filled cold into sterilised containers.
How is the aseptic filling unit sterilised?
Using peracetic acid or gaseous hydrogen peroxide.
How is the aseptic filling environment maintained?
The filler-capper unit is enclosed in a positive pressure chamber to prevent contamination.
What happens if the aseptic unit breaks down?
It must be opened and completely re-sterilised, which can take up to 24 hours.
How do linear fillers operate?
They feed in containers, stop to fill them, then move them out — one stage at a time.
How many filling stations do linear fillers typically have?
Around 13 filling stations.
How do rotary fillers work?
Containers continuously move under filling heads mounted on a rotating turret, allowing for higher speeds.
How many filling heads can a rotary filler have?
Typically around 240 filling heads.
How are tubes typically supplied for filling?
They are wet filled, usually with the cap already on, and the bottom left open for filling.
How are plastic tubes sealed after filling?
By heat sealing and trimming.
How are metal tubes sealed after filling?
By folding and crimping.
What are the two main methods of aerosol filling?
Cold fill process
Pressure fill process
What happens in the cold fill aerosol process?
The product and propellant are cooled to -60°C, the container is filled, and the valve assembly is crimped in place.
How are aerosol packs checked for leaks after filling?
They are passed through a water bath at 55°C to detect any leaks.
What happens in the pressure fill aerosol process?
The product is filled and crimped, and then the propellant is added through a valve.
What is a 2-stage filling process?
A process where product is filled in two parts:
One solid phase
One liquid phase
What are examples of products that use 2-stage filling?
Sweetcorn in water
Pet food chunks in gravy
Two-phase products like mouthwash
When are puck fillers used?
When a container is unstable or has an unusual shape, making it difficult to fill or handle on standard equipment.
What is a puck in packaging?
An injection-moulded plastic carrier that matches the lower profile of the container, providing support during filling and handling.
What are the three main principles used in dry filling?
Volume
Mass (weight)
Count
What is a common example of a product that uses puck fillers?
Perfume bottles – they are often small, narrow, or fragile.
How does product density affect dry filling?
If the density increases and packs are volume filled, the filled weight also increases.
What is the formula for calculating filled weight in volume-based dry filling?
Filled weight = Density × Volume
How is volume adjusted in a cup filler system?
Using adjustable or interchangeable cups.
How does a cup filler operate?
A rotating plate moves cups under the feed hopper to be filled, then rotates again to move the filled cups to the discharge station.
What types of products are cup fillers best suited for?
Products that don’t generate dust, like rice or frozen peas.
How is dust managed in cup filling (e.g. cocoa powder)?
A vacuum can be used to compact the product and reduce dust issues.
How do auger fillers measure and dispense product?
By rotating an auger screw for a predetermined number of revolutions to discharge the required volume of product.
What does the upper part of the auger do?
Acts as an agitator to keep the product free-flowing.
What is the main benefit of auger fillers?
They control dust during filling, making them ideal for powdered products.
How does net weight filling work?
It uses a weigh cell to measure the product before packing.
What is a common issue with net weight filling systems?
Product may still be falling into the pack after the target weight is reached, causing overfilling.
How can overfilling during net weight filling be reduced?
By using a bulk and dribble system, which slows the fill near the target weight.
How do modern multi-stage weighing systems improve accuracy?
They drop 20–33% of the product into buckets and then a computer selects the right combination to reach the correct pack weight.
What is the benefit of multi-stage net weight systems?
They provide much better fill accuracy.
What are the pros and cons of perforated disc counters?
They are cheaper but less flexible.
What do counting machines measure?
The exact number of discreet items, such as fruit, screws, or biscuits.
What type of counting system is ideal for larger items?
Photoelectric eye counting systems – they are simple, flexible, and allow fast changeovers.
How do perforated disc counters work?
A revolving plate with sized pockets collects the correct number of items, which are then deposited into a feed chute.
How are tablets or pills typically counted?
Using machines that measure from chutes or channels – items move in single file through channels to be counted precisely.
What is VFFS used for and how does it seal?
Vertical Form Fill Seal seals the pack vertically, plus top and bottom seals.
Used for free-flowing materials like liquids.
What is HFFS used for and how does it seal?
Horizontal Form Fill Seal makes seals along the underside and ends.
Best for discrete items and products in trays.
What is the seal pattern for sachets?
Three seals: around the sides and top (and bottom).
Used for powders or liquids.
How are pouches sealed in FFS?
Sealed around the sides and top, but the base seal is formed during manufacture, not during FFS.
Also used for powders or liquids.
What is roll wrapping typically used for?
Products like biscuits, which are wrapped using a pre-cut length of film, sealed along the length, and folded at each end.
What convenience feature may be added to roll-wrapped packs?
A tear strip for easy opening.
Why are lap seals difficult in roll wrapping?
Because of the fragility of the product – fragile items can break under the pressure needed for lap sealing.
What materials are used in in-line thermoforming?
Both the container and lidding materials are supplied on a roll.
How are the packs finished after forming and filling?
They are cut (punched) into individual packs or multi-packs that can be snapped off by the consumer.
How is the container formed during in-line thermoforming?
The machine forms the container using vacuum or pressure, usually with a plug assist. The pack is then filled and lidded.
What types of products typically use in-line thermoforming?
Products like yogurt pots, sauces, and jams.
What are the main categories of pack closing methods?
Mechanical
Adhesive
Temperature
What are examples of mechanical closing methods?
Interlocking (e.g., can seaming)
Interference fitting (e.g., push-on closures)
Folding / twisting
Stitching
What are examples of adhesive-based closing methods?
Tape
Hot or cold adhesives
What are examples of temperature-based closing methods?
Direct heat sealing
Indirect heat sealing (e.g., ultrasonic sealing)
What makes a good registration mark?
It should have strong contrast with the surrounding area to be easily detected.
When is a registration mark needed?
For any reel-fed printed material that requires the print to be registered to the pack.
What is a visible registration mark?
A small block printed in a contrasting colour, often hidden under a fin seal flap.
How can graphics be used for registration?
By using a defined object in the artwork.
✅ Advantage: No visible mark
⚠️ Disadvantage: Requires custom set-up for each job
What’s the purpose of UV ink registration marks?
Invisible to the human eye
Requires UV detectors
Adds extra cost due to additional colour
When is container alignment important?
It matters when a container is:
Profiled
Has a recessed label panel
Has an embossed logo
On plain round containers, label position doesn’t matter.
What are the two methods for achieving container alignment?
Mechanical alignment
Optical recognition
How does mechanical alignment work?
Uses a profiled lug (usually on the base) that engages with a matching feature on the labeller.
⚠️ Must be part of the pack design and may affect appearance.
How does optical recognition alignment work?
Uses machine vision to detect a specific feature on the container.
✅ Does not affect design
⚠️ Requires greater setup skill
What materials are fibreboard multipacks made from?
They are formed from carton board or corrugated fibreboard.
How many units do fibreboard multipacks typically hold?
Between 4 and 24 individual units.
What determines the maximum number of units in a multipack?
A balance between physical size, weight, and retail price.
What are some common styles of fibreboard multipacks?
Open-ended wraps (e.g. for small bottles – neck passes through top)
Neck or top grip packs (e.g. for yoghurt pots or cans)
Fully enclosed wraps (e.g. for pet food sachets)
What is a key limitation of shrink film multipacks?
They have limited structure once opened and face recyclability concerns.
Why are thinner films used in shrink wrap multipacks?
To allow lower heat sealing temperatures, avoiding fusion with the primary pack.
What is a unique advantage of banded multipacks?
They allow different products to be packed together (e.g. sauce + spices).
Why are plastic neck grip multipacks under pressure?
Due to recyclability concerns.
What are the limitations of plastic neck grip multipacks?
Typically limited to 2–3 bottles
Difficult for people with limited hand mobility
Usually applied manually with a hand tool
What are plastic web carriers?
Early method using plastic rings stretched around cans to collate them.
What are the disadvantages of plastic web carriers?
Poor shelf presence
Limited branding
Interferes with barcode scanning
Pressure to remove due to plastic waste and wildlife impact
How do adhesive bond multipacks hold products together?
They use a peelable adhesive to bond the packs.
What information does Julian coding show on a product?
Best Before End (BBE) date (month & year)
Production date, which must be included for traceability/recalls
What is a limitation of Julian coding?
It only covers 10-year lots.
Decode this Julian code: 2009 H3 14:53
2 = Production year 2022
009 = 9th day of the year (consider leap years!)
H = Plant or line code
3 = Line shift
14:53 = Time in 24-hour format
What does tray and shrink film secondary packaging require from the primary pack?
The primary pack must have good stacking strength, such as cans or bottles.
How is tray and shrink film packaging applied?
Primary packs are collated in a tray, wrapped in shrink film, and then heat-shrunk in a tunnel.
What does the design of tray and shrink film packaging depend on?
Need for print or branding
Inclusion of BBE or traceability info
Primary pack design
What are the benefits of shrink film-only secondary packaging?
It is the most basic and cost-effective secondary packaging method.
What are the limitations of shrink film-only packaging?
Not shelf-ready
Cannot be used for glass (due to impact and side loads)
What must the primary packs have when using shrink film-only packaging?
High impact strength to withstand handling without a tray.
📦 What are the three main palletisation methods?
Manually
Semi-automatically
Fully automatically
🤲 When is manual palletisation appropriate?
Only realistic for very low-speed operations
Offers high flexibility
🎯 What’s critical for good stability in manual palletising?
Alignment of cases on the pallet is crucial — an alignment guide should be used.
⚙️ What is the advantage of fully automatic palletising?
Higher speeds
Accuracy and consistency
🧱 What is the “layer assembly” method in automatic palletising?
Each layer of cases is built outside the stacking area, then moved onto the pallet.
Alignment devices use air pistons but have limits on speed.
What is the “pick and place” method in automatic palletising?
A robot packs the pallet and can adjust for different pack sizes.
Only works with cases that are aligned the same way.
What are key factors to consider for pallet stabilisation?
Weight of products
Strength and profile of primary packs
Number and strength of secondary packs
What happens if stabilisation force is too low or too high?
Too little force → Load will move
Too much force → Product inside may be damaged
What are pallet bonding adhesives used for?
Stabilising cases with large flat contact areas
Preventing lateral movement while allowing vertical removal
Applied manually or automatically (water-based more common for safety)
What is the most common pallet stabilisation method and why?
Stretch wrapping: widely used due to material range and flexibility
What are the three methods of stretch wrapping?
Manual: handheld, results vary
Semi-automatic: robots or turntables, still need manual cutting/removal
Automatic: integrated in the line, adjusts pattern automatically
What is a pallet stretch hood?
Fully automatic
Stretchable bag is cut, rolled, and stretched over pallet
Seamed top provides dust and splash protection
Ideal for large, stable loads like sacks of flour or feed
What is a pallet shrink hood and how does it differ from stretch hood?
Applied like a stretch hood but shrunk with heat
Fuses to PE base sheet for excellent water protection
Ideal for items like cement and bricks not affected by sunlight
Why are barcodes essential for cases and pallets?
Barcodes are a requirement for traceability and logistics management.
What are the two main options for applying barcodes?
Pre-printed as part of the packaging artwork (low flexibility)
Pre-printed or print-on-demand labels (can include batch/date info)
What affects the speed of print-on-demand labelling machines?
Speed depends on time taken to print and apply the label — high-speed lines may need multiple label applicators.
How many labels are required on a pallet?
Two on a long side
One on a short side
What must be regularly checked in pallet labelling?
Code print quality must be regularly checked to ensure scannability and accuracy.
