Systems from Fricke Abfülltechnik GmbH & Co. KG are used worldwide when containers such as buckets, canisters or hobbocks are filled precisely - for example with paints and varnishes, dispersions or adhesives and other building materials. Fricke has developed a highly flexible range of systems for this task, which can be adapted to different container types, among other things.
Common to all systems is the filling arm, which is pneumatically driven and moves into the container, as well as the integrated weighing cell, which enables calibratable filling. Additional modules, which can also be added at a later date, take over downstream operations such as capping and labelling the containers if required.
The concept of maximum flexibility also includes the variable positioning of the filling head. This makes it possible to fill different containers on one and the same line.
Fricke originally used a tube-in-tube system for adjusting the filling arm, but this was relatively stiff. In the search for a better solution, the company's design engineers tested various systems. The solution had to be able to withstand high loads, as the filling arm with the valve alone weighs 80 kg. Added to this are high leverage forces and the weight of the product in the feed hose. Furthermore, the linear system had to operate without lubrication, as it is used above the product containers and any contamination must be ruled out. For the same reason, abrasion-free and wear-free operation was required. Finally, costs also played an important role.
In addition to the positioning of the filling head, linear bearing technology was also required in other areas. For example, a solution had to be found for feeding the containers. And finally, cable guides for the various cables for transmitting energy and signals were required for the various moving parts of the filling system.
