Multi-talent: It is especially important today for tube filling machines to be flexible in use. There are more and more products, resulting in an increasing variety of tube shapes. (Photo: Norden Machinery) |
Downtime-free Cleaning
Among the newest developments in packaging technologies are the piston filling machines of the FLK 8000 CIP Plus series from the German packaging and process specialists Bosch Packaging Technology. Piston fillers are used especially for filling products with liquid, viscous, and paste-like consistencies. According to Bosch, the FLK increases production efficiency and output and thereby lowers production costs despite rising prices. The new Bosch technology convinced L’Oréal, the French cosmetics group. It ordered this equipment in order to optimize the filling processes for its makeup lines.
Sights set on innovation: Packaging machinery manufacturers like Bosch Packaging Technology are constantly working to improve the efficiency of their products. (Photo: Bosch Packaging Technology) |
Cleaning makeup machines is considered to be especially difficult, because most products contain water-resistant and oily substances which are intended to remain in contact with the skin as long as possible. L’Oréal previously used manual cleaning processes for which certain machine parts had to be dismounted. This resulted in production downtimes that sometimes lasted several hours. The new Bosch line, on the other hand, works with three tanks that are cleaned independently of one another, so that two tanks are in operation at all times. “This eliminates downtime and increases throughput,” says Sigonneau.
No Leak Remains Undetected
Beauty specialists: At Interpack 2011, the companies of the Italian Coesia Group presented numerous new machines for the production of cosmetics packaging. Coesia is also lined up for Interpack 2014. (Photo: Messe Düsseldorf/Constanze Tillman) |
Interpack will take place from May 7-14, 2014 in Düsseldorf, Germany. |
“There are many inspection systems, but none that enables the 100% result ours provides,” says Hans Söderström, technical director at Norden. During the process offered by the Swedish company, the tube is filled with the product along with a tracer gas, harmless hydrogen, and sealed. Then slight pressure is applied to the sides of the tube. If even the slightest amount of gas escapes, this is immediately registered by hydrogen-sensing equipment, the heart of the inspection system—and the defective tube is ejected from the production line. Such innovations ensure that high-quality packaging can continue to be manufactured despite the rising cost of energy and raw materials.
At the Interpack 2014 trade fair, set to take place from May 7 - 14, 2014 in Düsseldorf, Germany, both Bosch and Coesia will be presenting their newest innovations for the pharma and cosmetics industries. In total, almost 900 of the expected approximately 2,700 exhibitors have stated that their portfolios include products and solutions for this target group.
About the Author
Sascha Rentzing is a freelance journalist.