Filling and seaming in perfect harmony thanks to the latest technology
Italian company Zacmi sets the benchmark in terms of turnkey lines and individual machines for all types of filling and seaming, with decades of experience and success all over the globe, it is the industry’s number one choice.
Established in 1954, ZACMI specialises in the design, construction and installation of tailor-made filling & closing lines for the food & beverage industry. The company’s expertise is backed by comprehensive and long-standing industry and application knowledge, coupled to extensive research & innovation.
The company’s popular Piston Filling machine is one element of its portfolio that has benefited from recent development – and now offers even more flexibility and capability for demanding food and beverage applications.
With over 700 machines installed in 38 countries, it really is the ideal solution for medium-to-high-speed filling applications.
The machine is designed for liquid and viscous products – with or without suspended solids – and is used to fill a wide variety of different container sizes and formats, including glass/plastic jars & bottles, steel/aluminium cans and cartons.
Rotary and patented vertical valves allow users to precisely tailor machines to specific applications, where highly accurate, automatically controlled volume doses are needed. With due changeovers, the machines can cover a filling range from 100 to 5,000 g at speeds up to 1,200 cpm.
Available either as a customised standalone unit or mechanically (or electronically) synchronised and integrated into a line or monobloc configuration, the machine, with its automatic recipe selection, delivers increased OEE, reliability and problem-free efficiency.
The use of high-quality materials, its uncomplicated design and industry-proven components reduces maintenance costs, while a newly patented automatic system that avoids the manual removal of the rotary valve from its housing, significantly reduces the downtime for CIP/WIP too and represents a disruptive innovation in the long stable world of rotary valve piston fillers.
ZACMI’s multi-head seamers underwent a significant design evolution in 2019 and now represent the benchmark for can-seaming technology.
With over 350 units installed around the globe – backed by 35 years of market, product and process experience – the multi-head seamers can seam any type of rigid round can, and can do so quickly, effectively, efficiently and hygienically.
With agility at the forefront of operational demands of many plants, the machines can be installed standalone or mechanically/electronically synchronised with any kind of filler. Offering fully automatic height adjustment, they are flexible enough to handle tin plate, aluminium, cardboard or plastic containers, applying a range of lid formats including open top, easy open and easy peel.
Their seaming system – controlled by a desmodromic cam – is available in 3, 4, 6, 8, 10 or 12 multi-head configurations, delivering a maximum output of 1,600 cans per minute.
Fabricated from AISI 304 stainless steel, their strong structure removes all vibration, while also supporting a fully washable design, with an automatic base washing during production; a wash-in-place system, specially designed for beverage or difficult product applications; and the option for a CIP foaming cycle.
Sealed areas are also provided for the steam reduction group, the compressed-air reduction group, the electrical systems, the lubrication system and the CO2 feeding system (for carbonated beverages); all of which are easily accessible from cleaning and maintenance.
As an option, ZACMI also offers its D.S.M. for seamers technology. This Double Seam Monitoring solution checks the cans’ seaming performance in real time using special sensors mounted on the second operation cam. These record the force signal measurements and can detecting – in real time – any potential out-of-range seaming operations, or can/lid defects, such as damaged flanges or foreign bodies between the can body and the lid. The system offers data exporting, collection and result reproduction – even remotely – and the option for analysis by ZACMI technicians.
As well as detecting defects, by measuring the real force exerted on each seaming head, the D.S.M. technology can also be used for machine settings-regulation, ultimately helping to extend the service life of chucks and rolls.
Other innovations include: a centralised closed-circuit automatic lubrication system; a water/oil separation system, to prevent rusting and oxidisation; an advanced lid feeding featuring lid guides with replaceable wear plates for quick and simple low-cost maintenance; corrosion resistant plastic drive chains; and a rapid seaming-pressure-regulation system, which removes the need to disassemble the plate form the outside.
The company’s multi-head seaming technology is also available on a vacuum variant, both of which form part of the company’s extensive portfolio of food packaging and processing technologies, which also includes piston, vacuum, telescopic and monobloc fillers and pasteurising technology. And with innovation at the forefront of the company’s activities, you can be sure that new and improved technology is never far away with ZACMI.
This complete turnkey processing and packaging line is fully integrated, with the entire line flow control being managed from the can seamer’s operator panel. An empty-can-handling system can also be provided as an option. Another option is ZACMI’s Double Seam Monitoring (DSM) for seamers technology. This DSM solution checks the cans’ seaming performance in real time using special sensors mounted on the second operation cam. These record the force signal measurements and can detect – in real time – any potential out-of-range seaming operations, or can/lid defects, such as damaged flanges or foreign bodies between the can body and the lid.
The system offers data exporting, collection and result reproduction – even remotely – and the option for analysis by ZACMI technicians. As well as detecting defects, by measuring the real force exerted on each seaming head, the D.S.M. technology can also be used for machine settings-regulation, ultimately helping to extend the service life of chucks and rolls.
Customers can also connect with ZACMI’s Remote Assistance System, which is integral part of every machine – from installation all the way through the machine’s life cycle. As well as monitoring and supporting trouble shooting activities, it can also guide operators through HMI interaction and addressing software issues and upgrades without the need for a technician. The system boosts efficiency too, by reducing both start-up times and downtime.
