Common Operator Interface Screens on Automatic Filling Machines

Adding efficiency to the packaging process as a whole is one of the main goals of automatic filling machinery. One of the ways to help to ensure an efficient process is simplifying and centralizing controls for the filling process. Almost every automatic filling machine manufactured by Liquid Packaging Solutions includes a touchscreen operator interface that allows for quick and easy adjustments of settings and manual control of the components of the machine to add efficiency to production, setup, changeover and maintenance.

MANUAL TOGGLE

The manual toggle screen allows the operator of the liquid filler to manual control the different components of the machine. From indexing pins to head dive, conveyor control and optional components such as drip trays, the operator can control a single component with the touch of a button. The manual control of these components can help an operator set up a machine, perform maintenance and even clean the equipment.

FILLER SET UP

The filler set up screen lets an operator of a filling machine set the controls to be used when the filler is running production. The indexing type and sensor readings can be set, as well as turning on and off options such as the drip tray and bottle neck grabbers. These settings can be changed at the touch of a button for packagers that run multiple bottles, some of which may use an option of bottle locators and some which may not. Setting up the indexing, sensors and functions with the touch of a button makes start up and changeover quick and efficient.

ADJUST PRE SETS

Each cycle run on a filling machine is made up of a number of delay and duration times. These may include, in addition to indexing and fill times, a few seconds for processes such as head dive or delay dive. The adjust pre sets screen allows an operator to adjust each of these times that make up the fill cycle as necessary to create the most efficient and reliable fill cycle possible.

RECIPE

Reading through the set up and pre sets screen descriptions above, a new packager may start thinking that all these controls and settings seem complicated. The recipe screen takes all of these times and saves them to the PLC, allowing the times, settings and controls for any bottle and product combination to be recalled at the press of a button. Add to this the fact that most recipes will be saved during testing, installation or training by Liquid Packaging Solutions when product and bottles and supplied, and the only task left for the operator is using this screen to recall the correct recipe, making set up and changeover as easy as pressing a button.

ALARM

Sometimes bottles tip, machines are moved, the wrong recipe is entered or other unforeseen issues lead to less than ideal production. When a filling machine malfunctions, it may need to be shut down, even when the problem may not be immediately obvious. The alarm screen provides assistance to the operator in identifying the issue and clearing the problem, allowing the machine to return to production.

Different filling machines may also have different screens on the touchscreen operator interface. In each case, however, the main objectives of the filler screens are to both centralize the controls of the machine and provide efficiency to set up, troubleshooting, changeover and production itself.