For this application, the customer needed to automate the filling and capping of 1893 ml and 3785 ml bottles, with production rates of up to 80 bpm and 50 bpm respectively. The objective was to maintain the target net weight and food-grade hygiene standards while keeping the product path efficient and easy to clean.
The challenge
The challenge was not simply to dose a viscous sauce accurately, but to keep that accuracy stable as the product's characteristics changed.
A fixed dosing approach could not account for variations in temperature and viscosity. The filling system therefore had to measure the actual weight of each bottle throughout the cycle and use this information to compensate for deviations automatically.
The two bottle formats also required practical flexibility. Format changes needed to be quick, while the machine had to minimize residual product and provide easy access for cleaning and maintenance. At the same time, the closure process had to remain controlled and repeatable at high production speeds.
The Weightpack solution
Weightpack addressed these requirements with a rotary monoblock integrating net weight filling and mechanical capping in a compact food-grade configuration built according to VDMA Class I specifications.
The sauce is transferred through a CIP-ready line directly to the rotary manifold, which distributes the product across 18 dosing valves. A brushless-controlled volumetric pump maintains continuous product feeding, while the tankless configuration reduces the quantity of sauce remaining inside the machine between production and cleaning operations.
The filling process is continuously monitored through dedicated IP69K load cells. Each bottle is weighed at entry, during filling and at the end of the cycle. The PLC compares the measured weight with the target value and automatically adjusts the dosing when a deviation is detected.
This control is particularly relevant when product conditions fluctuate. Each station combines a pneumatic pinch valve with its own electronic load cell, allowing the system to make corrections during production rather than waiting for an operator intervention.
For closure, the mechanical capper uses adjustable hysteresis magnetic heads with individual torque control. This provides repeatable closure performance across both bottle formats.
Hygiene and accessibility were also built into the machine design. The AISI 304/316 stainless steel frame has smooth, crevice-free surfaces and is fully washable. Tool-free opening simplifies format changes, cleaning and maintenance, while the 18.5" touchscreen gives operators access to recipes, production cycles and live process information.
Key features include:
- Net weight filling with automatic correction at every cycle
- IP69K load cells for continuous electronic weight monitoring
- Brushless-controlled volumetric pump for continuous product feeding
- Mechanical capping with individual torque control
- Washable AISI 304/316 stainless steel frame with smooth, crevice-free surfaces
- Tankless product path for reduced product hold-up
- Quick, tool-free format changes
- Automatic rejection of defective or off-spec bottles
Performance in production
The customer can run both large bottle formats on the same system while keeping the filling process under continuous control, even when changes in temperature affect the sauce's viscosity.
By correcting dosing deviations during production, the system helps keep the actual product weight close to the target and limits unnecessary product giveaway. The tankless configuration also reduces residual sauce inside the product path, making cleaning faster and more efficient.
The result is a high-speed filling operation capable of reaching 80 bottles per minute for the 1893 ml format and 50 bottles per minute for the 3785 ml format, while maintaining consistent dosing, controlled closures and the hygienic conditions required for food production.