To make a filling operation work at its optimal efficiency, the rate-critical step needs to be identified, and the remaining equipment should be scaled to avoid a "bottleneck" at this stage of the process.

Typically the critical stage is when material is fed into the packaging, such as beer into a bottle via a rotary filling unit or snacks into a packet via a vertical-form-fill-seal machine.

UKES have standard "V curves" which set the design speeds for the individual equipment around the key stage, and help ensure prior to equipment purchase, that the appropriate investment is being made

Packaging types play a large role in defining the most suitable equipment. UKES will ensure the client's pack types matrix is complete and valid, and encourage "blue skies" options to make the investment future-proof.

From this matrix, key details can be included in the equipment quotation process;

• Method of handling pack - bottles via neck or base
• Pack sanitisation prior to fill - rinse methods, gas purge,
• Complimentary stages to aid filling - gas flush, vacuum pack, snifting, pressure balancing
• Cleaning regimes - asceptic filling requiring Clean In Place & Sterilisation In Place, or simple swap out change-parts, to be cleaned off line.
• Operator access  & change parts
• Supply of packaging materials - PET blow-moulded bottles via overhead conveyors, to print-registered film rolls & splicing/joining systems.
• Processs Design for the supply of goods to be packaged
• Integrated communication systems - Fieldbus, 4-20mA signals, I/O handshakes

UK Engineering Services have extensive experience designing different filling formats:

Aseptic ~ Hot Fill ~ Cold Fill ~ Rotary fillers ~ Vertical Form-Fill-Seal ~ Linear Flow-wrapper ~ Bag-in-Box ~ Inverted / Puck ~ IBC

Supporting Infrastructure design is key to optimising the capital investment, while ensuring the smooth operation of the fillling equipment.

• Build standards for clean rooms, including wall & floor finishes, Class 100 air quality / HEPA filtration, extraction / positive pressures for equipment and room
• Thermal & relative humidity stability for products.  
• Recycle or overflow systems to  balance material flows without loss of product
• UPS power supplies for essential equipment  and data management processors

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