First off sorry if this is the wrong section to be asking this question. But, I was just reading this article (http://www.packworld.com/machinery/fillingsealing/filling-technology-creates-“swirl”-effect-tube), and I was wondering if anyone knows how this machine actually works. What kind of control systems would be used you reckon? Also, how do the gels in that picture maintain their shape through travel, shaking and what not? I realise that the nozzle would be essentially powered by how air, and I suppose the next question Im going to ask is going to be a fairly novice one, but how is this air actually used to force the gels into the tube. Look forward to your replies. Cheers
I've never seen this type of machine, but here are my thoughts: Each gel is extruded from it's own nozzle or nozzles. The swirl effect is accomplished by rotating either the tube or the nozzle array, while extruding the gels into the tube and moving the tube away from the nozzles. As these movements have to happen smoothly and simultaneously, each nozzle and motion would require it's own control. The extrusion of the gels could be accomplished several ways. A mechanical screw would give continous feed, while a piston filled with gel and driven by air pressure or electrically would also work, as long as the tube was filled before the piston ran out of stroke. I don't think that the gels would tend to mix together after filling without a lot of effort, if the viscosites are right. I have used toothpaste with three colors that all come out of the tube without mixing together, at least until most of the contents have been used. The swirl effect does make a good visual, but I wonder how it would look once the product is half-used...
I know this isnt the technical answere that you were maybe looking for but have you ever had a chocolate and vanilla swirled ice cream cone? Other than needing to rotate the "cone" or in your case a tube container to get that swirl effect I cant imagine it being much more techincal than that. This is an interesting topic because I've always wonder how a tube of Aquafresh toothpaste can produce the toothpaste in 3 different colored stripes onto your toothbrush for prettymuch the entire contents of the tube. It gets a little muddled toward the end but not too shabby for being a flexible tube full of 3 different colored gels.
