Powder Packing Machine

By functions

Depending on the function a powder packing machine performs in the production line, it is often referred to as coffee powder packing machine, detergent powder packing machine, washing powder packing machine, food powder packing machine, milk powder packing machine, flour filling machine, seasoning filling machine, spices pressing machine, masala powder packing machine, pharmaceutical powder packing machine, etc.

By designs

Based on the design, powder packing machines are further classified into two sub-classes:

• Inline powder packing machine

The powder packing machine with an inline design packs its products in a straight, orderly pattern. It means that the initial processing point and the final processing point are at the two opposite ends of the machine. Usually, the inline powder packing machine has just one infeed lane and one output. However, the machinery with such designs requires additional floor space to function. The floor space does not have to be necessarily as large as it may imply because some of the machines can occupy a reasonable amount of space. Many users prefer an inline powder packing machine because this design offers easy inspection and enhances visibility due to the linear arrangement of every processing station.

• Rotary powder packing machine

As the name implies, the rotary powder packing machine has a circular design, meaning that the initial processing point is just beside the final processing point. The circular motion and design of the machine allow an excellent operation format that is more friendly to the workers. Another advantage of this machine is the minimum occupancy of your floor space. Maybe this is why the rotary powder packing machine is more popular among the buyers than the inline powder packing machine.

The rotary powder packaging machine can perform high-speed packing; there are models with more than one output lane and in-feed lane. You can get rotary models with single, double, or even quadruple in-feed lane; however, the single in-feed lane model is commonly used. Besides in-feed and output lanes, all other processing stations are permanently fixed in a circular pattern. About 6 to 10 processing stations can exist in the rotary powder packing machine, but the number may vary in different models. The model with eight stations is common.

By weight

• Powder Sachet Packaging Machine

The bag packaging machine is mainly used to pack powder bags. According to production requirements, the machine can be divided into a multi-lane envelope packaging machine and single-lane envelope packaging machine, Patch pockets, three-side seal bags and four-side seal bags. Use a long auger or a short auger with a bowl as the measurement method.  You can perform automatic volume measurement, bag making, filling, sealing, cutting, batch number printing and simple incision cutting, continuous envelope production and finished product transportation.

• Powder Auto Bagging Machine

Automatic packaging machines are generally used to pack heavy powder bags. The weight range for these packages is 10-50kg. This machine is designed to pack the powder into finished paper/plastic bags automatically. This machine can be used for horizontal screw feeding of powder, bag opening, powder weighing and filling, heat-sealing bag sewing. It also has the functions of putting paper after sewing. ) Used for packaging 10-25kg or 25-50kg powder products, not too dusty and powdery, less than 100 mesh, such as wheat flour, powdered ingredients, milk powder, coffee powder, PVC powder, feed powder, fertilizer powder, etc. Packaging materials: woven bags, kraft paper bags, PP, PE, BOPP plastic bags and TD.

By packaging types

• Vertical Powder Packing Machine

If the bag used for packaging is not a pre-made bag, then it will be manufactured by a packaging machine. This case requires vertical packing machine as it will make process easy.

The entire packaging line consists of a vertical filling and sealing machine, an auger filler or a linear metering system, a screw elevator and a discharge conveyor. It integrates the functions of feeding, discharging, bag making, packaging, sealing, printing, punching, rechecking, etc. It has the functions of leveling and automatic control of film position during sealing. The traction mechanism adopts the servo motor for the gear box to ensure the high efficiency of the machine. This machine is reasonable for cushion pack, gusset sack and quad seal pack.

• Powder Vacuum Packing Machine

This vacuum packing machine is specialized in packing products into vacuum status and brick shapes, various kinds of powder or granules are available. It’s best to work with vertical form fill seal machine to complete the automatic bagging line, Which consisting of auger screw conveyor with vibratory hopper feeder, auger filler dosing system, automatic bag making machine with date printing unit, and the vacuum brick maker. It integrates the functions of vacuum, feeding, metering, bag-making, packaging, sealing, printing, punching and countering, has automatic film position control function. Packaging methods can be divided into double-sided suction, six-way suction and so on.

• Powder Secondary Packaging Machine

When the powder is packaged in sachets, try to place these sachets into massive bags. Secondary packaging will be used at this point to accomplish the task. Transportation and palletizing also become more convenient by using this machine.

Powder secondary packaging machine is specifically to complete the completely automated packaging neatly by loading the already packaged small bag merchandise (500~1000g) into composite film plastic bags and then sealing these bags using heat according to the market demands (shape of arrangement: single or double-row horizontal grouping and many others.) to be able to recognize completely computerized operation from small sack packaging of bulk fabric to packaging of composite film, plastic baggage, save input in the workforce, fabric and monetary resources, lessen manufacturing fee for clients in addition to enhance manufacturing efficiency. This unit is widely used to pack powdery and granular Wide range of powdery and granular substances like rice, washing powder, salt, seeds, milk powder, and many others packaged by this machine unit. It is also the top priority machine of many massive businesses for secondary packaging.

• Powder FFS Packing Machine

FFS automatic film bag packaging machine can separate cylindrical film rolls into individual open bags and complete the functions of material packaging, heat sealing and finished product release. It is a heavy-duty bag packaging machine that transports packages to the packaging machine in the form of small bags.

1. The film form has a compact structure, high integration, and space-saving;
2. Bag making, filling, and sealing are performed in parallel to increase the packaging speed;
3. The filling speed is effectively increased, and the servo technology accurately controls the bag length and reduces packaging costs;
4. High temperature melting instant sealing technology, Fast cooling and solidification technology at extremely low temperature improves the sealing quality;
5. Advanced Fieldbus technology, humanized man-machine interface, providing convenient visual parameter setting, intelligent system diagnosis and help functions, friendly system interface and easy maintenance;

By automation

• Fully automatic powder packing machines

A fully automatic powder packing machine is designed to perform all the essential processes of packing operation by itself. Virtually, it does not need any human intervention during the operation. This type of machine can surprisingly reduce the labour cost of your industry; however, a reasonable sum of investment is required to buy it. Here is a short operational basis of the fully automatic powder packing machine.

The sensors and the auger screws coordinate the carrier. And the hopper filler sensor instantly seizes the ongoing filling process when the hopper gets full. Similarly, when the powdered product reaches a predetermined fill level, the hopper sensor again sends a signal to stop the filling operation.

You can guess that all these processes are totally coordinated and subsequently run automatically.
Hence, human involvement is extremely low, which makes this kind of machine very superior. And with less human intervention, the chances of human errors are way too low.

• Semi automatic powder packing machine

In semi-automatic powder packing machines, the machine performs some processes while others require to be done manually. Therefore, the human involvement required for these machines is greater than fully automatic machines.

The operational basis of a semi-automatic powder packing machine is:

The auger screw assists the machine in varying the weight, and a supervisor holds the ready pack below the filling head of the machine to fill powder. And finally, manual sealing of the filled bag is done by using a heated wire sealing.

It is apparent that some procedures are done automatically, for instance, variations of the weight, but others majorly rely on human labour. That’s why it is a semi-automatic machine.

The powder packing machine possesses multiple components which play a pivotal role in its operation. In this guide for beginners, we have focused only on the major parts of the machine. Let’s have a short glance at each component:

1. Control System

Semi and fully automatic powder packing machines employ PLC control systems to control the machine’s mechanical parts. In some models, the PLC control system is also combined with a colourful touch screen display for better control.

2. Driving Mechanism

Several mechanisms drive the machine; the most commonly used mechanism is a combination of power system and motor system.

3. Dosing System

The dosing system is the most crucial segment of the powder packing machine because it is the system that fills and packs the powder products in different packages. The dosing system is composed of two main parts: Screw elevator and auger filler. Auger filler is responsible for dispensing and filling the powder while screw elevators mechanically assist the working of auger filler.

4. Loading System

The loading system consists of bag gripping arms and feeding rollers to keep the bags stable. The machine segment is where an operator loads the bags into the feed lanes for further processing by the machine before filling.

5. Bag opening system

An array of suction pads has been installed that function as zipper reclosure. Moreover, bag sensors detect the bags once they arrived.

6. Conveyor Belt

Many automatic powder packing models have intermittently moving conveyor belts that shift the empty and filled bags from one point to another in the packaging line.

7. Dusting System

There are powder packing machines that integrate a dusting system in the machine layout to manage the dust. Some commonly used dusting equipment is a combination of a dust hood, dust nozzle, dust collector basin, etc.

8. Discharge System

This segment of the powder packing machine handles the packed powder bags, which may be transferred to another point for further processing.

Manufacturers of powder packaging machines may customize the design of the machine according to advanced modifications to suit the customer’s needs. So, whenever you plan to buy a packing machine, always ask for a user guide of that machine.

Despite the new modifications every day, the working principle of the powder packing machine remains the same, which is very simple.

Here, we have discussed four working modes of powder filling processes:

Bag Making Powder Packing

Auto Weighing → Film Pulling → Date Printing → Filling→ Bag Forming → Bag Sealing → Finished Product output

Pouch Powder Packing

The pouch powder filling and packing process are certainly one of the simplest and direct modes.

Here is the way the machine works.

• Premade pouches are loaded into the in-feed section. But always single out the bags to improve accurate picking.
• Each pouch is picked and passed to the grippers; this action is achieved by the vacuum suction arm of a fully automatic machine.
• The grippers hold the pouch from both upper sides of the bags and send it to the following stages in line. The grippers are made up of stainless steel material; that’s why they can endure the weight of up to 10 kg for an extensive interval.
• Codes and specifications can be printed on the pouches through an inkjet or thermal printer. But this option is not available in every machine; it is just one of the customizations.
• Next, the pouch is opened by a combination of the opening jaw, and fresh air is blown into the pouch through a blower jet to open it completely.
• When the pouch is opened completely, a precise amount of powder is delivered to the pouch using an augur filler. Be mindful that auger fillers also differ depending on the physical properties of the powder product, ie. Either it is Free-flowing or non-free-flowing.
• A dust hood, present just above the auger filler, collects the excess powder during the process.
• After that, the filled pouches are transferred to the deflator plates, where the excess air is removed from them by squeezing them gently.
• Finally, the pouches are sealed by a system of hot seal bars. The hot seal is further strengthened by a cool bar. Now, these finished pouches then drop onto a receptacle and pass next for additional processing.

Bottle Powder Packing

The process of powder filling in bottles is somewhat similar to that of pouch powder filling.

The major distinctions come in the usage of bottles in place of pouches and some other minor design modifications.

So, let’s take a look.

• Bottles are loaded at appropriate intervals in the in-feed lane. Always place the bottles in an upright position.
• Every bottle is transferred to the various stations of the machine for powder packing by a set of durable stainless steel grippers.
• Bottle-opening jaws pull the bottle tops. Meanwhile, to remove impure air, a blower jet bursts fresh air into the bottles.
• An auger screw then proceeds the bottle to the auger filler, filling the right quantity of powder in the bottle.
• The filled bottles are re-capped with an airtight sealing. And these bottles are passed to a conveyor for stocking and extra processing.

Sachet powder packing

The mechanism involved in sachet filling is the same as the pouch filling. The only difference is the use of sachets instead of pouches.

Due to growing competition in the market, many manufacturing companies should devise a way to make their brand unique as compared to their competitors. Consumers will potentially select a product with a more productive and alluring package design.

So, companies need a more efficient packing method to expand brand awareness; hence powder packing machines are a favourable option. Aside from saving you from the hassling process of manual packing, automated powder packing machines will provide you with the following benefits:

• Cost-Effective

There is no doubt that powder packing machines are a great investment, but they can lessen labour costs and time and exclude human errors from the procedure in the long run. These machines can fulfil your production demand with high efficiency.

• Improved Brand Worth

Powder packing machines offer a flexible powder packaging solution, making it easier to create numerous product designs to make your brand noticeable for your consumers because the expression of your product on the counters is a crucial factor in captivating potential buyers.

• Extended Shelf-Life

Powder packing machines are essential in conserving the freshness of your products, which ultimately extends the shelf-life of the product while still preserving their innate characteristics.

• Improved Functionality

Powder packing machines are multi-tasking equipment that can accomplish different tasks such as filling, sealing, capping, and labelling with limited human labour. Automated machines also guarantee the reliability of the whole process with the assistance of the latest technologies.

The limitations of powder packing machine are:

• Powder packing machines are compatible only with the powder with a specific level of flow.
• Some of them are pretty versatile, but some of them only come for dedicated applications.
• Investing in a fully automatic powder packing machine can cost you more money than buying a manual powder packaging machine or a semi-automatic powder packaging machine.

The limitations of powder packing machine vary from model to model depending on the:

• Powder packing mechanism
• Design of the machine
• Working principle

Powder packing machines can be used to pack powder products in many industries such as:

Food and Beverage Industry

The machine is ideal for efficient packing of the following items:

• Flour
• Coffee powders
• Carbonate
• Powdered sugar
• Salt
• Spices
• Seasoning powder
• Masala
• Powdered milk
• Chocolate powder
• Protein powder

Chemical Industry

In chemical industries, the machine is typically used for the following products:

• Detergents
• Feeds
• Powder coatings
• Pesticides
• Non-liquid powder materials

Cosmetics Industry

Notable products packed using powder packing machine in cosmetic industries are:

• Baby powders
• Makeup products

Pharmaceutical Industry

Powdered pharmaceutical products are most commonly packed using a powder packing machine.
a

Are you planning to buy a powder packing machine, then here are some key aspects that must be taken into account:

1) Control System
The control system of the machine your buying must be friendly to you. It should be easy to use so that you can do operation efficiently. A digital PLC integrated with a suitable human-machine interface is maybe the ideal control for any machine.

2) Drive Mechanism of Machine Parts
There are various drive options available in the market for moving parts of machines such as vacuum suction, servo motor, VFD, and electric motors. For instance, a servo motor is a commonly proposed driver for the filling system of the machine.

3) Mode of Operation
According to convenience and cost, you can choose between a fully automatic or semi-automatic powder packing machine. This decision depends on the kind of service that serves you want.

4) Machine Design
The design of the powder packing machine is a significant factor; the design must be so that it should suit your industry’s operation and condition. Make the right choice between inline and rotary design by considering the pros and cons of both designs.

5) Dust and Pollution Management System
Dust is a serious issue in powder packing operation; that’s why the presence of a unit that can minimize the dust is necessary. For this purpose, the dust vacuum unit, dust hood, load shelf, scoop feeder, and dust collector are present in most models.

6) Machine Material
The product you are buying must be reliable and long-lasting; that’s why the material used in the machine’s construction must be durable and sturdy. SS 316 and SS 314 stainless steel material is best for the machine’s body, and it also prevents corrosion and rusting of the machine, ensuring a long work life.

7) Quality Standards
Ensure that the machine you are buying fulfils the practices and standards of CE, CCC, and cGMP.

8) Printing and Embossing
Printing and embossing are an additional option and customizable; it makes your final packages come out in a fashioned manner that is more attractive to customers. If you want this service, you can specify it to the manufacturer to include it.

9) Packing Rate
This parameter shows the efficiency of a powder packing machine, and it varies from one piece of equipment to another. The packing rate depends upon many factors of the machine. Buy one with a packing speed of 25-60 bags/min.

10) Buying Cost
Every business aims to make a profit. So, consider your budget and capital and be careful while making a quotation. But always remember that a powder packing machine will surely benefit you in the long run.

11) Bag Type
The type of packing (i.e pouches, bottles, and sachets) you will be using will determine what type of machine will be appropriate for your operation.

Conclusion

A powder packing machine is undoubtedly a vital machine that every packager must have to enrich the packaged products’ appearance, reliability, and quality. Now that you are familiar with every necessary detail about the powder packing machine, it will be easy for you to buy the best new one for your business.