The packaging is essential for all products before they can leave the factory.

Auger powder filling machine helps in packaging powdered products in agricultural, food production, chemicals, and pharmaceutical industries, amongst others.

In this guide, we shall discuss the applications of this machine, its benefits, and setbacks.

I will also take you through the different types of auger powder filling machines, and its various parts, among other related aspects.

Uses of Auger Powder Filling Machine

This machine has become relevant to many industries like chemical, food, pharmaceutical, cosmetics, and agricultural, among other industries.

Some of these uses are:

Semi-automatic bag powder auger filler

· Chemical Industry

Both reactive and mild powder chemicals are being packaged using this machine.

The filling is done in bottles and sachets.

Chemical filled through this technology includes pesticides, herbicides, and others being used in laboratories.

· Food Industry

The technology has also found it’s relevant in food processing industries.

It helps to minimize food contamination since the product does not come into contact with the human.

Also, the auger powder filler machine operates when closed, and only the final packed foods are released from the machine.

The foods like biscuits, coffee berries, spices, and dairy products, baby formula and beverages use this technology.

· Pharmaceutical Industry

This machine fills the powdered medicines accurately and quickly.

The packaging of medicines can be done in different quantities into different types of packages like glass bottles or sachets.

Because the machine works when enclosed, there is minimum wastage of the powder.

It is also ideal for pharmaceutical industries because contamination of the medicine is minimum.

· Metal Industry

The metal industry also uses Auger powder filler to package aluminum powder used for solid fuel for booster rockets.

Copper and iron powder are also packaged through this auger filling technology.

· Plastic industry

Polypropylene powder (plastic powder) is used to manufacture pails, wastebaskets, pharmacy pill containers, and dishes.

This powder can also be packaged using auger powder filler machine.

· Veterinary Industry

Some animal medicine is also made in powder form, thus making this machine useful in this industry.

The powder is dissolved in water so that the animal can take it through drinking of the water.

· Agriculture Industry

The industry uses this technology to package both powdered and inorganic products like fertilizers.

This provides an opportunity for easy transportation, handling, and sales even to remote parts of the world.

· Cosmetics Industry

This industry has also discovered the relevance of this machine.

They are using it to package baby powder and cosmetic detergents, among others.

Benefits of Auger Powder Filler

This machine has gained popularity due to some of its benefits that have been realized in the current industrial world.

A good machine for packaging products promotes good returns for industry, the safety of workers, and the environment.

Therefore, many industries have adopted their use because of the following advantages:

Auger filler

• The machine is more efficient.
• It is relatively dust-free even with fine powders that get blown off easily. This is because it operates when closed even when the product is being dispensed into various packages.
• It can be used to package both free-flowing and less free-flowing products. But the product has to be consistent during filling.
• Auger powder filler machine can be integrated into different packaging applications like form and fill machines for cans and bottles.
• There is no need to change parts when filling a different volume or since it has a large range of filling capacity.
• It is cost-effective.
• Auger powder machine has an easily portable and very condensed structure.
• The machine is made with a programmable logic controller that is used to operate it through a touch screen. The touch screen is displayed in English and other languages, thus making it usable by many people.

During operation, any problem is automatically detected and a warning given through an alarm.

• The whole machine is made using stainless steel, and this makes it safe from corrosion and any form of contamination.
• It is ideal for filling all kinds of soft powder.
• The machine offers a safe application and a gentle working process.
• This machine is easy to clean, operate, and maintain.
• It is relatively safe for human use and also for the environment.

Drawbacks of Auger Powder Filling Machine

This machine, like any other, has some setbacks, which include:

• It may not be accurate for packaging products with irregular shapes or densities.
• When products that cannot withstand compression are packaged using this machine, they may be damaged.
• It does not softly handle products. This can lead to great damages, especially for irregular-shaped products. This leads to reduced product returns.

Types of Auger Powder Filling Machine

To meet these divergent packaging needs, the machine comes in different types and they include:

· Automatic Auger Filling Machine

This machine is a cost-effective solution to filing requirements for many industries.

It has filing heads and a conveyor mounted on a fixed and stable structure.

Automatic auger bag filling machine

This structure has an in-built, customized, programmed logic controller that provides reliable rotations with containers positioned well for filling.

The controller enables accurate selection and adjustment of fill quantities and machine functioning.

It has an easy set-up that makes it easy to operate and monitor the filling of any product being packaged.

The automatic auger filler comes in different subtypes, including:

• Single-head automatic auger filler
• Economic single-head automatic auger filler.
• Dual-head automatic auger filler.
• Economic dual-head automatic auger filler.
• Multi-head automatic twin auger filler
• Single-head automatic auger filler with embedded check weight.

These machines can fill dairy products, pharmaceutical products, food and beverages, cosmetics, gummies, crackers, and chemicals.

· Semi-automatic Auger Filler

The type of auger filler machine has a PLC controlled servo motor that turns the screw within a tube.

Normally, the screw movement facilitates the movement of the products from the hopper down to the container bottom.

Accuracy is achieved by adjusting the number of revolutions that the screw spins.

Products that use this machine include Talc, Powder, Detergents, dried milk, Spices, Chemicals, Soil, Sugar, ground coffee, among others.

Semi-automatic auger filler

Semi-automatic auger filler has specific features that facilitate its functions.

They include:

• Fill range of about 1 to 20 ml
• Hopper capacity of 22 L 5.8 Gal
• All product contact areas are made from stainless steel or PTFE.
• It operates at a speed of approximately 50 pcs/ minute. This speed depends on the operator and the characteristics of the product.
• It is easier to clean and maintain.
• Easy to operate and is supported by casters.

· Auger Powder Filling Machine

This machine fills the products into the containers as it rotates through its auger screw.

It helps to package products faster and accurately and ensures the right quantity of a product is filled into the container.

When using this machine, the product is fed into a container called hopper and then dispensed through a filler.

This is done according to the pre-determined quantity.

During filling, the container can be hand-held or quid up for filling in an automatic conveyor system.

The machine can be used to fill containers for liquids, semi-liquids, powdery, and granules.

Powder auger filler

It packages products like sugar, salt, detergents, and spices.

It’s also ideal for coffee, dough, cosmetics in cream or powder form, food ready for consumption, and liquids.

When this machine is configured correctly, it can handle a variety of products like free-flowing and non-free flowing.

· Table Top Auger Filler

This type of machine looks like high-end auger filler, although it is smaller in size.

It can fit very well on top of a table.

Also, its small size makes it ideal for small productions.

It’s mostly used for pharmaceutical products which are either in powder or granulated forms.

It can also be used to carry out product test runs.

In addition to these, it may be very useful for companies that are just beginning their production.

The set-up of this machine is very simple and can be done within a short time.

The operator fills the product into the fillers reservoir and adjusts the speed on a touch screen.

When you change the product, you have to adjust the filling speed.

An empty container is positioned under the filler and filling is done by either foot pedal or push button.

· Galvimetric Auger Filler

This is fill by weight machine that provides accurate and faster filling of containers up-to 200 liters capacity.

It has two basic models: 1200 model filling between 0.5 to 20 liters and 1201 model filling between 20 to 200 liters.

Galvimetric auger filler

The two models are both available in either top fill or bottom fill configurations.

Top /subsurface fill mechanism uses a hydro-pneumatic drive for the lance.

The flow rate is adjustable for both bulk and dribble phases of fill.

It has features that ensure the lance doesn’t detract from the container before completion of the filling.

This machine incorporates two stages.

These are the cut-off and run-drop nose that ensures accuracy and clean filling of a wide variety of products.

All the parts that usually come into contact with the product are made from stainless steel or a suitable plastic.

This helps to eliminate the chances of contamination.

· Fill by Weight Auger Powder Filler

This type of machine helps to solve the most difficult challenges faced by industries, which include filling, customizing, and accuracy.

It can be used to fill any quantity and different types of packages.

These may range from small containers, bags, boxes to big drums.

The machine has a digital scale and loading cell component that enables it to provide accuracy of -1% to 0.25%. This characteristic gives it an advantage of being the ideal filler for packaging high-cost ingredients.

It is also very useful in packaging products with weight variation where any slight loss can affect product profit.

Furthermore, it is accurate and efficient and has many customized features like button-up fill container lift and a dust collector tray.

Its net weighers can be automated with numerous conveyors so that production speed is increased.

This machine can package food and beverages, cosmetics, and pharmaceutical products, among others.

· Multiple Auger Filling Machine

These types of filling machines are available with many control options that can match different products.

It has a flexible programmable logic controller and a touch screen.

This machine can perform extensive data calculations, generate reports, and even be able to provide interfacing applications.

The good news with this type of machine is that it can use separate alternative controls at each filling position.

It helps in direct selection and control of fill revolutions.

You can also modify it to fit special purpose applications and requirements.

This machine works fast, and it is also very precise.

It has multi-position for dispensing of powder.

It has individual servo fill motor placed at each dispensing position.

This enables the accuracy of filling, repeatability, and control of the machine speed.

Multiple Auger filling machines can be used to fill pharmaceutical products, food items, cosmetics, and chemicals.

Parts of Auger Powder Filling Machine

Auger powder filling machine

· Double Screw

The double screw facilitates the movement of the products from the hopper down to the container bottom.

It ensures accuracy in the filling of the products without any deviation.

· Clamp Leaves

This part of the machine facilitates the efficient function of fill level sensors.

·  Weighing System

It can also be referred to as the measurement scale.

These parts are used to automatically weigh the filled or empty packages during the packaging process.

· PLC Automation System

This is the system that has programs of all settings in the machine.

It has both start and stop buttons.

Normally, this is where you make adjustments on the machine.

· Load Cell

It is the part that helps to support the excess weight of the packaged products, thus relieving the gripper from stress.

It becomes necessary when there are large quantity packed bags.

· Auger Shaft

It’s used to extend the reach of the auger drive.

This is done in a few seconds to heavy-duty constructions with three different adjustments.

It enhances the flexibility of the machine and helps to extend auger reach dipper digging.

· Drive Assembly

This is composed of motor and transmission.

It also has on and off buttons for accurate filling of products.

They are available with both clutch and brake or servo system.

· Tooling System

These are parts that can be replaced to suit the products being packaged.

They are normally made up of auger agitator, a funnel and other filling components.

There are different types of tooling. For example:

• Self-feed, which is used to fill and compress thick paste and fine powder like flour, cornstarch, and baking mixes.
• Straight feed, which fills granules and product that cannot flow freely. For example, oregano and instant coffee.
• Free flow, which is a type of tooling that is used to fill free-flowing granules like coffee beans.
• Double knife tooling, used for soft processed foodstuffs like stews, salads, and cooked rice.
• Liquid tooling is ideal for liquid and creamy products like oil, lotions, honey, and creamy cosmetics.
• Support structure-This is the framework on which the whole machine stands. It consists of all parts put together to make up the entire machine.

· Feeder

The passage through which the powder products being packaged pass into the bag, box, or even bottles.

· Servo Motor

It generates the force required to rotate the product. It produces the energy that drives the entire process.

There are alternatives for servo motors.

These include a stepper motor, vacuum suction, VFD, and an electric motor. However, the servo motor is the most popular.

· Bearing

This is the part of the machine that controls the movement of the machine.

It can be adjusted to move according to pre-determined settings.

· Cylinder

Products are compacted here so that there can be consistency in powder density.

This promotes the accuracy of filling.

· Hopper

This is a vessel that holds the products being filled.

It is the part that sends the product to the tooling part.

· Level Sensor

There are two types of level sensors: continuous level sensor and point level sensor.

They detect the quantity of powder that the machine uses to fill the packages.

It is this part that ensures that accuracy is achieved as the timers do tracking of the operation process.

· Touch Panel

This is the screen where the settings are displayed.

You set the machine as desired by keying in your settings on the touchscreen interface.

It also helps to ensure there is accuracy in filling since the adjustments are clearly shown on the panel.

The operator has to look at the display on the touch panel before running the machine for the correct setting.

· Speed Control

Has both the start and stop controller buttons, and is used to set the filling speed of the machine.

It is located in a box that accommodates all the power and controller buttons of the machine.

This part has a digital PLC with a good HMI that makes it user-friendly.

· Fill Height Adjustment System

This is made of steel. It consists of legs that support the auger machine.

Its height can be adjusted according to the operator’s desire.

· Inverter

The inverter is used to convert direct current into the alternating current for use by the auger powder filling machine.

· Sensor

This is the part of the machine that checks the efficiency of the machine.

It will sense if the bag has griped and the product has filled the package in the right quantity.

If there are deviations, the sensor will indicate, so that the operator can make appropriate adjustments.

Auger Filling Machine Principle of Operation

This machine is safe and also easy to operate and is used by many industries.

Once oriented, the operator can use it for packaging a variety of products depending on the settings.

Below is how it operates.

• The operator manually loads the bags into an in-feed magazine at pre-determined intervals. Do this carefully to facilitate proper filling once the machine is switched on. If you are using bottles, you will need to place them into a conveyor system.
• The bag feeder roller the transports the bags inside the machine one after the. For automated machines, a robot arm using a vacuum grasps each bag and moves them to the grippers.
• Dates and batch numbers are then printed on the bags if needed to appear on the packaged product. This is the work of inkjet or thermal printers, which are integrated into the machine.
• Next, place the products on the loading area and switch on the machine.
• The filling motor drives the auger at a pre-determined speed, facilitating the pushing of the products out of the tube.
• While this is happening, the mixing motor also rotates the stirring bar attached to the agitation bar. This happens in a counter-clockwise direction to the auger.
• The bags/pouches have a zipper, which is first detected. The bags are then gripped on the lower side, and the opening jaws open the top part gently.
• Air is pushed out of the container being packaged to create space for the product to be filled into the container.
• The auger filler then dispenses the product into the bags/ containers in pre-determined quantities.
• It is the work of the agitation bar to make sure there is consistency in filling of the auger flights. The consistency facilitates the continuous trickling down of the products into the funnel through the trap door. This results in filling of the readily open containers.
• A dust hood placed above the filling machine contains the spread of the dust particles. Regular cleaning is necessary to ensure the machine functions correctly.
• Any air that might have remained in the package is slowly squeezed out using a deflator.
• The machine then seals the bag and allows it to cool. It then discharges the sealed bag from the filling area to a receptor.

Key Features of Efficient Auger Powder Filling Machine

To get the right machine, you have to check the quality compliance standards of the device before purchasing it.

Below are some of these key features.

• It must have a filling accuracy of ±1% and a filling range of ≤1000g.
• The machine capacity should be 25-35 fills per minute. Anything less compromises the accuracy of products being filled.
• The recommended power needed to be supplied to run the process is 220v/ 380v; 50-60 Hz, 1.4kw
• Machine size should be 780*730*1690mm.
• ISO/TC 313 – an international standard that auger filling machine should have.
• CE Mark, which is a safety standard that indicates that the machine is safe for both human health and the environment.
• It must have RoHS- a guideline, which indicates that the machine prohibits the filling of dangerous substances.
• CGMP-This is a minimum requirement indicating that the manufacture of the machine guarantees the safety of the users of the machine.
• FDA Compliance- This is a certification showing that the machine is safe for packaging foods and beverage products.

Alternative Powder Filling Technologies (Apart from Auger Powder Filler)

Packaging of processed products is very crucial.

Apart from Auger powder filling machine, there are other alternative technologies.

Below are some of the alternatives to the auger powder filler.

· Rotary Powder Filling Machine

This machine has a simple design, provides reliable filling and weighing.

It can be integrated with check-weigher to ensure accuracy in quantity during the packaging process.

 Rotary powder filling machine

Change-over is simple since you do not need tools for fastening.

All product contact parts are made from stainless steel, making it more durable and hygienic.

It can be integrated with other filling systems like auger systems, cup fillers, or high-speed combination weighing system.

It works faster, safely and it can fill products into containers that have different sizes, shapes, and types that are rigid

Food products that can be filled using this machine include spices, nuts, cheese, infant formula, baby food, and pet food.

It can also be used by other industries like pharmaceutical, agriculture, and cosmetic industries.

Advantages of Rotary Powder Filling Machine

• It ensures a hygienic process.
• Easy to clean and maintain.
• Has a simple changeover.
• It has a gassing cover with an optional dust collector.
• It is safe for human operation.
• The machine is also efficient.
• Has a long working life.

Disadvantages of Rotary Powder Filling Machine

• Packaging of bulky products is relatively low and can compromise accuracy.

Pre-made Pouch Rotary Packaging Machine

These machines have a width range of between 80-240mm and 160-350mm.

Its structure is made from stainless steel, and it has grippers that can be adjusted through the screen.

The PLC has a graphic interface.

This machine has an automatic grease lubricator with an extra-ordinary pouch loader.

It is used to fill and package various products like cosmetics powder, coffee powder, and sugar powder.

Advantages of Pre-made Pouch Rotary Packaging Machine

• It has a long working life.
• It is accurate in filling the desired product quantity.
• It has an automatic grease lubricator that does so any time the machine signals.
• This machine has a PLC touch screen with graphics that guide on how to use the machine. This helps to achieve product desired results.

Disadvantages of Pre-made Pouch Rotary Packaging Machine

• Irregular products may be damaged during the process.

How to Improve the Accuracy of Auger Powder Filling Machine

This machine is considered to be efficient if the products being packaged arrives at the final stage quickly and safely.

For this reason, it is very crucial to work towards improving its efficiency.

There are several ways by which we can improve the accuracy of the machine, including:

Powder auger filler

· Using the Horizontal In-feed Screw

This is a unique technique.

It ensures the hopper consistently maintains the same and controlled required fill level all through the operation process.

The control is done from the level sensor in the auger hopper.

During the filling process, when the fill level goes lower than the recommended, the feed screw automatically turns on.

It then fills the hopper to maintain consistency in filling the right quantity of the products.

· Improve Hopper Fill Level

Inconsistency infill level results in varying weights of the product.

This compromises the quality of the product fill and therefore, requires more attention from the operator.

Thus, the auger tooling should be adjusted appropriately, cleaned and maintained to get the desired results.

· Ensure there is the Maximum Speed of the Auger

The recommended rotation of the auger should be three to four times for it to be able to fill a bag.

A good speed will promote accurate weight control.

Because the auger tooling is an essential part of this process, ensure it is working correctly.

Agitator must be set for a speed that can work best with the product being packaged.

Agitators are designed for specific products. For example, some can only work for non-free flowing products.

It guides and aids in pushing the product to the flights of the auger screw.

Once the agitator rotation speed is set, the accuracy of the fill is achieved.

Correct setting prevents the product from accumulating along with the hopper.

· Cleaning of the Machine

Dust accumulation on the machine can impede the machine function.

Therefore, regular cleaning of the machine also helps to improve its accuracy.

Auger Filler for Powder Metering Principle

There are two metering principles: structure and simulation results.

Structure of Auger Filler

The structure of an auger powder filler is made up of five parts.

These parts include the Drive motors, hopper, blenders, auger and auger funnel.

Servo motor powers the rotary fill of the auger through the power that is transmitted between them.

Several rotations are controlled by the PLC program controller depending on the weight value set.

The volume is then calculated according to product density.

This machine then rotates to complete individual metering and filling process.

Stirring motor works continuously as the product loads in the hopper through a conveyor.

The first thing that happens is that the drive motor waits for the fill signal to arrive.

It then starts rotating and ends the fill, weighs the feedback and calculates the next rotation angle of auger

Simulating Results

There are three principles here which include:

• Velocity and pressure fields within the Auger groove
• The effect of Auger rotating speed on the filling amount, and
• Optimization of Auger parameters.

Let me shed more light on each one of them below.

Velocity and Pressure Field in the Auger Groove

The speed of the product placed in the Auger machine can be seen clearly during the rotation of the machine.

This is a bit complex since it does not comply with the speed mathematically calculated in the model.

This results in some shortcomings in the analysis.

Effect of Auger Rotating Speed on the Filling Amount

The higher the rotation speed of the auger machine, the more efficient the whole process of filling.

This is because the density between the powder particles decreases as it rotates faster.

Furthermore, it also increases the accuracy of product filling.

Optimization of Auger Parameters

During the packaging process, the main auger parameters are Auger thread distance, Auger thread angle, and Auger thread depth/diameter.

The auger thread distance is usually set to fit the actual fill quantity.

The auger thread angle determines the measurement efficiency of the machine.

With the consistency of auger thread distance and angle, it means the auger threads with varied angles acquire better angles. This may range from 16-25 degrees.

Different powder fillers which have different characteristics are supposed to have the individual specific adjustment of the three-parameter.

Two parameters are first pre-set, then the remaining is optimized to achieve the best measurement effect.

Sainty Co Auger Powder Filling Machines – Your Trusted Supplier of Powder Filler

Sainty is the leading supplier of auger powder filling machines, with four different types.

Our filling machines are very reliable since they are accurate and have long working life.

They include WF-1050 10-50KG Semi-auto bag powder auger filler and SAP-450B 0.1-10KG Semi-auto bag powder Auger filler.

Others are SAF -350B 0-1KG Semi-auto Bag powder Auger filler, AF-550 5-25KG Automatic Big bag powder Auger filler.

· WF-1050 10-50KG Semi-auto Bag Powder Auger Filler

The machine is ideal for packaging both powder and small grains.

It can be used to package powdered milk and metal powder. Products from the agricultural industry and other chemical raw materials also use this machine.

Its design is simple, and product contact parts can be disassembled during cleaning.

Also, the machine has a very reliable PLC controller.

· SAF-450B 0.1-10KG Semi-automatic Bag Powder Auger Filler

This type of machine is made with a reliable PLC of Panasonic 1.5W.

It also has a touch panel where the settings are pre-determined before the machine is set to run.

Apart from these, it has a weighing system which indicates the quantity of the product filled into the package.

Its structure also entails a bearing, servo motor which drives the rotary and a level sensor.

· SAF -350B 0-1KG Semi-automatic Bag Powder Auger Filler

SAF-350B is easy to operate, has low maintenance costs, and can be used for a long time without developing faults.

It can be set to run at different speeds depending on the nature of the product being filled.

Due to long-time research, the company has been able to design a unique hopper.

This machine is simple to use, safe for human use, durable and good looking.

· AF-550 5-25KG Automatic Big Bag Powder Auger Filler

This machine has a reliable PLC of Panasonic 1.5W.

It has a weighing system which indicates the quantity of the product being filled into the package.

In addition to these, it has a servo motor which drives the rotary and a level sensor which helps in turning the fork.

It is mainly used by pharmaceutical companies.

Conclusion

Auger powder filling machine is a vital machine in the current fast-growing industrial world.

This machine has made packaging easier, cheaper, and more efficient.

There is reduced human labor, and the returns are high since it works at a very high speed.

For good returns to be realized, the choice of a good machine is very crucial.

Therefore, it is a solution to many industries producing powdered products like pharmaceutical, cosmetics, agriculture and food industries.