The dripping and overflowing problems during the sauce filling process not only affect production efficiency, but also cause raw material waste, equipment pollution and workshop hygiene problems. To effectively solve this problem, comprehensive measures need to be taken from multiple aspects such as equipment selection, process optimization, and operating specifications.

Equipment Optimization & Technological Innovation

1.Select Anti-drip Filling Valve

Modern filling equipment should use special filling valves with anti-drip design, such as spring-type or pneumatic anti-drip valves. This type of valve can quickly cut off the material flow at the end of filling, and form a negative pressure at the valve nozzle to suck back the residual sauce. The filling system controlled by the solenoid valve has a more precise closing response speed than the traditional mechanical valve, and the dripping amount can be controlled within 0.1ml.

2.Install Automatic Cleaning System

Equip an automatic spray washing device at the filling station, and use food-grade compressed air or clean water to regularly rinse the filling nozzle. The rotary filler can be set up with an independent cleaning station to automatically complete the valve nozzle cleaning during the downtime. For high-viscosity sauces, it is recommended to use an insulation filling system with heating function to maintain the fluidity of the sauce.

3.Using Weighing Filling Technology

Compared with traditional volumetric filling, high-precision weighing filling machines control the filling volume through real-time weight feedback, and the error can be controlled within ±0.5g. Equipped with automatic feeding function, when insufficient filling is detected, a small amount of supplement is immediately added to avoid the risk of overflow caused by manual feeding.

Process Parameter Optimization

1.Accurately Control The Filling Speed

Use a three-stage filling curve: fast filling in the initial stage (accounting for 80% of the total amount), deceleration in the middle stage (15%), and micro-fine filling in the final stage (5%). For sauces with different viscosities, the best conversion point needs to be determined through experiments. For example, the fast-deceleration conversion point of ketchup is recommended to be set at 85% of the capacity.

2.Optimize Filling Height

Maintain an ideal distance of 5-8mm between the filling nozzle and the mouth of the container. Too large a distance will increase the risk of splashing, and too small a distance may cause the sauce to hang on the wall. For wide-mouth bottles, it is recommended to use an inclined filling method to allow the sauce to flow down the bottle wall.

3.Control Sauce Characteristics

Maintaining stable sauce viscosity is the key. Stir thoroughly before production. For sauces that are easy to precipitate, it is recommended to install a static mixer in the delivery pipeline. Temperature control is also very important. The optimal filling temperature for most sauces is 25-35℃.

Operational Specifications & Management

1.Standardize Container Handling

Ensure that the mouth of the container is not damaged and there is no residual water stain. Use an automatic bottle unscrambler to ensure accurate positioning of the container, and the misalignment rate should be controlled below 0.1%. For PET bottles, it is recommended to perform static elimination treatment in advance.

2.Improve The Cleaning System

Deeply clean the filling valve every 2 hours, especially the valve core and sealing ring. Establish a cleaning verification procedure and use ATP testing to ensure the cleaning effect. Disassemble and inspect all parts that come into contact with the sauce every week.

3.Strengthen Employee Training

Operators need to be proficient in the inspection essentials: check whether the filling state is stable, listen for abnormal sounds during equipment operation, and check whether the parameter settings are correct. New employees must complete more than 20 hours of practical training before they can operate independently.

Conclusion

Preventing dripping during sauce filling requires the establishment of a comprehensive prevention and control system from equipment, process to management. Enterprises should choose appropriate technical solutions based on their own product characteristics and continuously optimize and improve them. By implementing the above measures, the dripping rate during the filling process can be reduced to below 0.5%, significantly improving production efficiency and product quality. With the advancement of intelligent manufacturing, future anti-drip technology will develop in a more precise and intelligent direction.