A manufacturer needed a container handling solution capable of accepting a single lane of randomly fed containers and metering them ahead of a two-head filling machine. The application involved five container formats, ranging from ½-gallon composite, fiber, and steel pails to 5-gallon steel pails and 6.5-gallon fiber drums.
The substantial differences in container dimensions and materials presented a handling challenge. Container diameters ranged from 5.15 to 11.30 inches, while heights varied from 8.30 to 16.50 inches. The system needed to accommodate these variations while maintaining consistent container spacing and providing indexing capabilities as required by the filling operation.
Morrison Container Handling Solutions designed a custom dual timing screw metering system to manage the customer’s diverse range of rigid containers. The system accepted randomly fed pails and drums, using timing screws to establish controlled spacing before transferring them to the downstream filling machine.
To accommodate the substantial differences in container size, Morrison developed a solution incorporating dedicated timing screw sets and adjustable assemblies. This configuration provided the flexibility needed to meter both smaller pails and larger drums within the same production line.
Morrison constructed the system using aluminum, stainless steel, and ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene (UHMW) components. Two interchangeable timing screw sets were provided for the different container sizes.
One set handled the three ½-gallon pail formats, while the second was designed for the larger 5-gallon steel pails and 6.5-gallon fiber drums.
The assemblies featured deluxe adjusters to accommodate variations in container diameter and height. A NORD gearmotor powered the system, which was designed to operate at a throughput of up to 8 containers per minute (CPM).
The completed system provided a custom metering solution for five container formats within a single filling application. Dedicated timing screw sets and adjustable assemblies allowed the equipment to be configured for containers with significantly different dimensions and materials.
The project demonstrated how Morrison’s timing screw technology could be applied beyond conventional bottles and cans to larger industrial packaging formats. By addressing the handling requirements of steel pails and fiber drums, Morrison showcased its ability to engineer solutions for applications involving oversized and unconventional containers.
Handling containers with unique sizes, shapes, or materials? Morrison develops custom container handling solutions for a wide range of packaging applications. Contact our team to discuss your application.
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