In the field of liquid filling equipment, there are numerous distinct machines and processing tools that meet the demands of numerous different industries. If you operate in the beverage industry, you are aware that there are particular requirements you must follow in order to guarantee that your product is of the highest quality when it reaches the shelves. And in fact, the beverage industry is a multi-billion dollar industry which uses a lot of machinery to make the beverages.

Meeting the needs and requirements of the beverage industry is actually simple. And this is particularly possible if you use high quality machinery. For instance, if you are to set up a new packing line or update an existing one—perhaps your current line is not totally automatic—you will need a number of machines to get the job done.

In fact, this industry has a variety of equipment that was created to simplify operations for those working on the manufacturing side. As a result, various beverage production equipment is needed for distinct beverage production procedures. A production line typically consists of numerous pieces of equipment — consisting of water treatment equipment, bottle washing equipment, filler and sealing equipment, sterilization equipment, CIP on-site cleaning devices, filtration equipment, packaging machines, and so on — to process a variety of drinks.

In this day and age, businesses with high-quality processing equipment are sure to have the parts, equipment, and services to keep a facility running effectively, safely, and hygienically, whether it be for beer, wine, soft drinks, meal replacements, juice, pasteurized, homogenized, carbonated, or non-carbonated. And to have an idea on which processing equipment is commonly utilized in the industry, keep reading.

Water Treatment Equipment

In the beverage industry, water is the most crucial raw material. The quality of finished products is, in fact, significantly influenced by the quality of the water. The water must be treated as a result in order to meet process standards.

Based on how each piece of equipment performs, three categories of water treatment technology exist — filtration systems, softening apparatus, and equipment for disinfection and sterilization.

Sterilization Equipment

Being properly sterilized is the most important characteristic of a beverage. Sterilization of beverages is an essential step in the manufacturing process, just like sterilization of medical and biological supplies. The first step is to eliminate the harmful and spoilage bacteria from the beverage, eliminate the food’s enzymes, and establish a specific environment for it, such as inside a closed bottle, can, or other packaging container. The second is to minimize as much as is practical given the fixed shelf-life. The outcome is the availability of commercially sterilized beverages.

Physical sterilization and chemical sterilization are the two forms of beverage sanitation. Bactericides like sodium hypochlorite, ethylene oxide, and hydrogen peroxide are used in the chemical sterilizing process. Modern food sterilization techniques often use physical sterilization because chemical sterilization can leave behind chemical residues. On the other hand, there are two categories within the physical sterilization approach: the cold sterilization method and the heat sterilization method.

Bottle Cleaners

Before you can start using filling machines, you will require bottle cleansers. And prior to filling, these processing equipment is used to clean and remove dust and other minute particles from glass, metal, and plastic bottles. More so, prior to adding any food product or consumable to the bottle, these particles that taint items gather throughout transportation or storage.

By passing bottles through a vortex barrier of ionized air, these machines neutralize the static charge that draws dust and other particles to the surface of the bottles. After the loosening particles are removed with a vacuum, a clean, empty bottle is left behind that is prepared for filling.

Additionally, the automatic bottle washer is divided into various types based on various scenarios: the way the bottle enters and leaves the machine can be split into double-end and single-end types; the way bottles are conveyed from the machine can be split into continuous and intermittent types; and the way bottles are processed from the machine can be split into spraying, brushing, and immersion.

Bottle Filling Machines

Obviously, a conveyor belt is needed to move the clean bottles to a liquid filling machine, where they are filled. Therefore, a bottle cleaner, a conveyer, and some sort of liquid filling machine are required for use prior to and during filling. You can choose from a variety of filling devices, including gravity fillers, piston fillers, pressure fillers, molten fillers, overflow fillers, and more.

Additionally, bottle filling machines can be divided into liquid filling machines, paste filling machines, powder filling machines, granule filling machines, and other varieties depending on the packing material utilized. From the perspective of production automation, it can be classified into semi-automatic filling machines and completely automatic filling machines. Depending on whether the filling material contains gas or not, filling machines can be classified as either equal pressure, standard pressure, or negative anxiety.

Capping / Sealing Machines

Generally speaking, after the liquid has been poured into the thoroughly cleaned bottles, you need to cap or seal the bottles before applying a label. Wheel pluggers, chuck cappers, spindle cappers, and snap cappers are some of the options available for actually capping the bottles. You must select one of these because it is they that put the caps on the containers. Additionally, there are cap sorters that arrange the lids in the right orientation so that they are prepared to be attached to bottles. With regard to labeling, these are helpful for applying some kind of sticker that informs your customer of what is contained in the package or bottle.

Key Takeaway

Overall, there are several different devices and processing tools available in the beverage industry that can be used to fill drinks. Examples of this kind of equipment include rotating heat exchangers for cold beverages and equipment for filling fizzy drinks. Additionally, with the help of this equipment, industry operations were streamlined, making them simpler and quicker to complete. This was beneficial for both the beverage industry as a whole and the people that work there.