What is a tube filling and sealing machine?
A tube filling and sealing machine is, quite simply, a machine you use to package your food product into tubes. Imagine a super-efficient pastry chef, carefully piping uniform amounts of cream into a tube, and then sealing them without spilling a drop – that’s what these machines do!
They precisely measure your product, fill it into tubes, and then seal the tubes–rapidly and consistently–saving you time and ensuring your product looks its best every time.
These machines are ideal when your product is semi-solid or liquid, like sauces, pastes, or purees. For a food business in New Zealand, think about packing that exquisite Manuka honey into small tubes for easy use, or creating single-serve packages of tomato puree or tomato sauce. They are also ideal for packing creams and pastes for cosmetics and medical manufacturers.
How do tube filling and tube sealing machines work?
A tube filling and sealing machine follows a systematic process. The exact steps vary depending on the specific model, the basic principles are the same across all tube fillers.
Here’s a simple breakdown:
- Tube Loading: First, empty tubes are loaded into a tube holder, or are automatically fed from a tube hopper into the machine, depending on the level of automation.
- Orientation: If your tubes have a specific design or orientation (such as a cap on one side), the machine will rotate them into the correct position before filling.
- Filling: After the tubes are correctly positioned, the filling heads of the machine move into the open end of the tubes. They dispense a precise amount of product into each tube, avoiding overfilling or underfilling.
- Sealing: Once the tubes are filled, they move on to the sealing station which seals the open ends of the tubes.
- Ejection: Finally, the sealed tubes are ejected onto a conveyer or a collection tray, ready for the next stage of packaging or dispatch.
