Keeping Packaging Machinery Parts Kits in Stock Reduces Downtime

Packaging machinery works to prepare liquids and other products in a variety of manners. From tightening components like caps and other closures to efficiently moving bottles into place and placing liquid into those bottles and much, much more. In order to accomplish the rinsing, filling, capping and other processes required by this machinery, moving parts and contact parts are used on almost every machine. Keeping wear parts and certain other components on hand at the packager's facility can help to reduce machinery downtime and keep the entire packaging process running smoothly and efficiently.

As an example, an overflow filler uses unique nozzles that seal over bottle openings to provide a level fill for each bottle run through the machine. The seal on the nozzle that covers the bottle opening will come in contact with the lip of the bottle with each cycle. Over time, these seals will most likely need to be replaced due to the wear of the constant contact with the bottle openings. Keeping an extra set of nozzle seals on hand at the production facility helps to ensure that there will be no delays in replacing wear seals from supply chain issues, shipping or other factors. Instead, the packager can simply pause production, change the seal and be back up and running within minutes. While multiple head filling machines can usually be run at less than full capacity, turning off one or more heads while waiting for replacement seals will lower output on a daily basis.

Spindle cappers use spinning disks that contact the closure to thread and tighten caps as the bottle and cap combination move through the machine. Like the nozzles, the constant contact with the closures will likely cause the spindle disks to wear over time, requiring replacement to keep the capper running efficiently. By keeping the tightening disks on hand, a packager can quickly and easily replace the disks when they become to worn in order to avoid inconsistent tightening or dropped caps. Unlike the overflow filling machine, the spindle capper requires matched sets of disks to perform efficiently. One worn disk could shut down the equipment until a replacement arrives, making it even more important to keep spare disks on hand.

Of course, different machines use different components and parts. Wear parts will not always be obvious by simply looking at the machine. Packagers that have questions about which parts should be kept on hand can contact the Liquid Packaging Solutions Parts Department to acquire a list of suggested spare parts to keep on hand or a spare parts kit for their specific machinery. To contact the Parts Department, simply use the Quick Connect form found on each page of the LPS website or contact the Parts Department at 1-219-393-3600 x 310 to speak with a technician.