TL;DR
Fill volume variation is most often caused by a sticking fill valve, a bowl level problem, or flow meter drift. Check these three items before adjusting volume parameters.
What you might see
- fill weight checks out of specification
- volume variance increasing over production run
- fill valve sticking open or closed
- level control in filler bowl hunting
Likely causes
Fill valve seat fouling causing valve to stick or close incompletely
Bowl level control drifting from setpoint varying head pressure
Flow meter calibration drift after a CIP cycle
Product viscosity or temperature deviating from design specification
Required tools
- Analytical balance or checkweigher
- LOTO kit
- Fill valve cleaning brush (food-grade)
- Calibration standard for flow meter
Safety first
- Hot-fill products can cause burns. Confirm product temperature before reaching into the fill zone.
- Lock out the filler drive and product supply before removing fill valve assemblies.
- Product contact surfaces must be sanitized after any maintenance. Follow the site CIP-after-maintenance procedure.
Procedure
- 1
Stop production and take a sample of 20 fills. Weigh each against the target. Record the standard deviation.[1]
- 2
Lock out the filler main drive and product supply valve.[1]
- 3
Remove fill valves showing the highest deviation. Inspect the valve seat and spring for fouling or damage.
- 4
Clean the valve seat and confirm the valve seats and lifts freely when cycled manually.
- 5
Check the bowl level sensor and compare the actual level to the setpoint. Adjust the level controller if the level has drifted.
- 6
Verify the product temperature is within the specified range. Temperature affects density and volumetric fill accuracy.
- 7
After reassembly, run a 20-fill verification check. If variation is still out of spec, initiate a flow meter calibration verification.
Sources
Krones Krones Modulfill / Volumetic Filler / Capper general technical documentation, Krones
Krones Modulfill / Volumetic filler general fill valve and volume control procedures (general)
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