The importance of knowing the viscosity in a packaging line

2024-06-23

One of the most important factors to take into account when hiring a packaging line for liquids is the management of its viscosity.

We have been asked many questions about this topic, and knowing the viscosity of a product is one of the keys for a filling line to be efficient , and therefore, for your company to be profitable.

A filling line for liquid products covers many areas of application, from beverages, to cosmetics or beauty products such as shampoos or creams, cleaning products, chemicals, medications, foods such as yogurt or honey… They all have products with different viscosity levels , and knowing the characteristics of each product is necessary when having to adjust and compose a filling and packaging line.

But, in addition to the fact that these products already have a different density, within the same product there can be variations in viscosity, due to factors such as temperature, previous storage, air that is filtered, and all of this affects the Time to keep track of the filling line.

Why do we need to know the viscosity of our product before hiring a filling line

All liquids flow differently and, therefore, it is important to know the density of your product before designing a packaging and filling line , since we must adjust the nozzles, valves, pipes, and even the way of filling.

The filling technique will not be the same for a substance with a low viscosity, such as soft drinks, than with a high viscosity such as ice cream. For the first, gravity filling is used, while for the second we will need a pump or piston to push the substance into the packaging, and we should never base the filling amount on time, since they do not fluctuate in the same way.

Having the wrong viscosity in our filling line can slow down our productivity, and even cause the machinery to end up breaking down.

Advantages of knowing the viscosity of a product

• Filling efficiency : Viscosity control makes our packaging lines more efficient and precise, and allows better control of the filling level. More precise filling prevents underfilling or overfilling that could impact costs later. Overfilling may seem insignificant in a single packaging, but when we talk about hundreds or thousands of packaging daily, the cost can amount to several million euros annually and avoids constant waste.
• Flexibility: Reformulations of the substance or changes in liquids can be an impediment to adjusting the filling machinery again. However, current real-time viscosity control systems facilitate the easy adaptation of machines and allow the same filling lines to be reused with minimal changes and in a short period of time so that you do not lose production time.
• Compliance with regulations: When we talk about substances related to food or drink, as well as pharmaceutical products, the quality of the filling must be strictly controlled and assured by the company and institutions.

The automation of the filling system allows greater control of production, as well as more efficient filling conditions. The prepackaging directive stipulates a minimum filling line, that is, the container must contain the indicated amount of product. Overfilling leads to loss of money and increased waste; On the other hand, filling that is too low can be subject to penalties and even the closure of production due to bad practice.

Automation makes it possible to guarantee an efficient and fair filling process in large production.