304 stainless steel - Grade of stainless steel used for manufacturing hardware

Air cleaner - A device used to blow air into a container to remove any unwanted particles

Acceleration - The rate of change of the velocity of an object with time. Acceleration can vary in magnitude, direction or both; e.g. moving in a circle at a constant speed (like a bottle through a star wheel) causes the object to accelerate because it is changing direction

Angle feed screw - Type of infeed timing screw designed to accept containers fed at an angle in order to provide an opening between containers for effective separation; effective only with a backlog and most often used for rectangular containers

Anodizing - A process by which aluminum is coated to prevent corrosion

Anti-rotational belt system (back belt guide) - The anti-rotational belt system, an upgrade for capping machines, is a variable-pressure back belt working with a gripper line turret star. The back belt holds bottles tight in the turret star by traveling with an applying pressure to the bottle. The gripper lining in the turret star stops bottle spin, providing consistent torque on the caps and reducing bottle scuffing.

Anti-rotation neck knives - A part on a capper turret that holds a container in place to prevent turning while capping and supports the container to prevent possible damage while capping

Backlog - Type of container infeed into a timing screw in which containers are back-to-back waiting for entry into the screw

Bearing gap - The distance of the space between sections of a transfer screw

Bottle clamps - A pair of arms that grip the bottle and are used to prevent a container from rotating when a cap is being torqued

Bottle in : bottle out - Type of orientation of containers in a screw and starwheel; in a transfer timing screw application, the center of the first container rests at the infeed end of the timing screw and the center of the starwheel pocket, and the center of the last container rests at the discharge end of the screw and the center of the starwheel pocket

Bottle in - Type of orientation of containers in a screw; center of container rests on the in feed end of the timing screw and star

Bottle out - Type of orientation of a containers in a timing screw; center of the container rests on the discharge end of the timing screw and star

Bottle stop - A device used to stop the movement of bottles on a conveyor

Capper/Closer - A packaging machine for applying closures to containers

Case packer - A packaging machine that raises a knocked-down corrugated box, inserts a product, then closes the box (usually by glue, staples or tape)

Center guide - The guide between the infeed and discharge star

Checkweigher - A weighing scale that automatically weighs one package at a time to ensure that each package falls within the stated fill weight

Choke feed - Timing screw design to accommodate packages moved into the screw from a backlog or full line

Chuck - A device that grasps a cap and places it onto a container

Coder - A printing device used to print variable information such as batch numbers, dates, and/or date codes on a container

Combining screws - Type of special function timing screw used to combine two or more lanes of containers into one lane; can be used for various container shapes

Constant pitch - One pitch held over some specific length of a timing screw

Conveyor - A device for moving or transporting packages on a production line 

Core parts - Parts designed to fit on existing machine mounts to achieve a no-tools base

Cottoner - A machine that inserts a cotton pad or ball into the top of a tablet or pill bottle

Dead plate - Space between two independent conveyors; plate across which a container moves when being transferred from one machine operation to another

Deceleration - The reduction rate of change of the velocity of an object with time

Delrin - Type of material used for timing screw construction when precision placement is a necessity; more dimensionally stable than UHMW

Discharge pitch - The final pitch of a timing screw at the discharge end; the discharge pitch is typically held for 360 degrees, but may be held for many turns, or as little as one degree

Dividing screws - Matched pair of special function timing screws used to divide a single lane of containers into two or three lanes

Drive chain - A power transmission device composed of metal links and sprockets

Dual timing screw (timing screw pair) - Two timing screws working together

Dwell screw - Type of special function timing screw designed with a thread(s) to allow a container to stop its forward motion (to facilitate filling, capping, etc.), while the timing screw continues to rotate

Every other head - Forced container arrangement used when a container is too large to fit every head

Filler - A packaging machine or device used to place a product in a package

Filler locators - A device designed to center and stabilize a container under a nozzle

Following edge - Tip of a timing screw thread where a container finishes contact with that thread; also known as "blue line"

Guide rail- straight - Tracks or rails parallel to the path of a conveyor and limiting the conveyor or the products on the conveyor to a defined path

HDPE (High Density Polyethylene) - FDA approved plastic used especially for wide diameter applications and applications where holes or seams are not allowed; material from which timing screws can be constructed

Head - Part of a machine from which an operation originates (filling, capping, etc.)

Infeed pitch - The initial pitch of a timing screw at the infeed end

Infeed timing screw - Most common timing screw design; used to separate and accelerate containers to the proper spacing and speed before they enter a machine

Inverse taper timing screw - Type of infeed timing screw with a root diameter that starts at the outside diameter of the timing screw and gets smaller for a distance until it reaches the minimum root diameter; typically occurs over 6 inches but can be over the entire length of the timing screw

Inverting timing screw - Type of special function timing screw used to turn over a container; an inverting timing screw is always accompanied by a twist

Labeler - A packaging machine or device used to affix an identifying tag to a container

Land - The outermost surface of a timing screw between pockets

Lead edge - Tip of a timing screw thread where a container first comes in contact with that thread; also known as "red line"

Line pressure - Force caused by a backlog of containers entering a timing screw or other operation

Linear speed - Speed of a container moving in a straight line

Machine feed - Direction of container flow when standing in front of a machine

Monoblock - Filler and capper (or other machine operation) that share a common base

Mounting elevation - Distance from a bottle base to the surface on which a part will mount

Neck guide - Machine part that supports the neck opposite the knife

Non-round choke feed screw - See "angle feed screw" or "shingle infeed screw"

Non-standard timing screw operation - Production line helix operation in which the timing screw conveys the product; when the timing screw pitch advances the product faster than the conveyor; when the timing screw moves the product over a dead plate or the product rides on top of the timing screw

Nozzle - A device through which liquid flows into a container

Nylon - Natural-colored material from which timing screws can be constructed; most often used in application involving glass bottles

Orientation - The relationship between the first and last pocket on a transfer timing screw

Orienting - One of the major functions of a timing screw; process of adjusting a container to a particular speed, direction or position

Outside diameter - Measurement across the center portion at the discharge end of a timing screw

PVC - A plastic in the vinyl family with good chemical resistance for washdowns; material from which stars and guides can be constructed

Pitch - On a timing screw, the distance between a point on one thread to a point on the next thread that is on a parallel line to the center line of the screw

Pitch diameter of a star - Measurement from the center of a star to the center of a container on that star

Pitch diameter of a machine - The fixed diameter where the function of the machine occurs

Pocket - Part of a timing screw used to time or convey the product

Quick-change - The technique, made possible by effective tooling, used to change a packaging line without tools and within a very brief period of time to accommodate a different product

Ramp - A device that gradually controls the rise or fall of a container 

Random container feed - Type of container infeed into a timing screw in which containers are moved into the screw in no particular order

Root diameter - Diameter of the screw at the bottom for the screw pocket; this diameter may vary over the length of the screw (see inverse taper timing screw)

Servo - One type of electronic motor used for precise indexing applications; usually available in A C or DC 

Shingle screw - Type of dual infeed timing screws designed particularly to handle flat sided or rectangular containers (especially effective with considerable line backlog pressure)

Special function timing screws - Timing screws designed for operations other than basic separation and acceleration of containers

Standard timing screw operation - Production line helix operation in which a product moving on the conveyor is delayed and positioned (or timed, hence "timing screw'') for an operation to take place (filling, capping, etc.) 

Start/stop indexing - Process of allowing any number of containers to stop their forward motion (to facilitate capping, filling, removal, etc.) while the screw continues to rotate

Starwheel - A rotary wheel that accepts containers from a timing screw and then feeds containers under the heads of a machine (to facilitate filling, capping, etc.)

Sterilizer - A machine or device used to disinfect a product

Straight root screw - Type of infeed timing screw designed with a constant root diameter; thread height graduates from zero to the needed outside diameter, as determined by container size, shape, etc.

Timing screw (feed screw, feed worm, auger, helix) - A custom made product (resembling a large screw) used to space objects to a given pitch or to maintain an existing pitch

Timing screw cut-out - Portion of a center guide removed to accommodate a timing screw drive unit

Timing screw drive unit - Free-standing kit comprised of a timing screw, brackets, motor and drive unit used for new applications or to replace existing drive systems

Timing star - A star used to separate containers feeding into another star; this product can be replaced with a timing screw

Transfer rail - Guide opposite a transfer screw

Transfer timing screw - Type of special function timing screw designed to maintain control of container as it is moved from one machine or operation to the next

Turning timing screws - Matched pair of special function timing screws used to rotate a container 90, 180 or 360 degrees to facilitate proper orientation for specific operations

Turret star - Area of a machine fed by the infeed star and followed by the discharge star where machine operations occur

Turret guide - The rail around the turret which provides additional control under the head of the machine

Turret star - Starwheel located in the turret area

Twist - Metal or UHMW device formed around an inverting timing screw to facilitate overturn of the container

UHMW (Ultra High Molecular Weight Polyethylene) - FDA approved plastic available in a variety of colors and considered safe for use near food; material from which timing screws and change parts can be constructed

Washer - The washer used for mounting the core plates; it has a counter-sink for a flat head bolt and is pinned to the core plate