Container feeding systems provide an efficient means to sort or feed "single file" containers from bulk storage onto a conveyor or conveying system for use in an automated or semi-automated packaging system. This outlines some of the many factors to consider when selecting machinery for use in production applications.

The construction, design, and general requirements of these systems vary greatly by industry, including the Food, Beverage, Pharmaceutical, Nutraceutical, Consumer Products, and Chemical Industries.

Types of Containers that can be utilized in these systems vary greatly and include Plastic Bottles, Glass Bottles, Glass Jars, Plastic Jars, Metal Cans, Metal Bottles and Glass Ampoules. Speed demands in the industries that utilize these systems range from under 10 containers per minute to speeds in excess of 600 containers per minute. With some of our past custom unscrambling or singulating systems, even Glass Syringes, Vials, and Carpoules have been fed at rates exceeding 350 units per minute.

Choosing the right container feeding system results in establishing a stable, reliable, long-term means of processing the desired container volume. But volume is just one component in a good system design — as with any project we undertake with any customer, there are many considerations we must take into account when specifying a piece of machinery for an application, used or new. In many cases certain original equipment manufacturers' standard designs may be advantageous for certain types of applications.

In all cases the design standards of the equipment, material of construction, method, and capacity much match the application's requirements. See below a categorization of bulk container and bottle feeding systems which may be of assistance. If you elect to contact us, we will be glad to assist you select a system that suits your particular application.

The basic preliminary information required to select a system is as follows:

• Container Specifications – this includes material of construction (i.e.: Glass, HDPE Plastic, PET Plastic, dimensional drawings, etc. Many times this is easiest accomplished if a customer elects to send a sample of each container in question to our attention. See chart below for help in identifying Plastics by recycling code on bottom of container.
• Speed Requirements – average and maximum desired rate at which bottles or containers must be unscrambled.
• Production Requirements – what is the product to be filled or packaged? What specifications must the equipment meet (i.e. GMP, FDA, Explosion Proof)? What type of system will the unit be feeding? Are there any other necessary functions that may be easiest or most economically performed as part of the unscrambling system itself (i.e.: air rinse, vacuum, etc)?

Identifying Plastics by Recycling Code
Code	Plastic Type
	Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) Common uses: 2-liter soda bottles, cooking oil bottles, peanut butter jars.
	High Density Polyethylene (HDPE) Common uses: detergent bottles, milk jugs.
	Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) Common uses: water bottles, salad dressing and liquid detergent containers.
	Low Density Polyethylene (LDPE) Common uses: food storage containers.

Based on the customers' requirements, one of the following types of systems is normally employed to address the specific packaging, feeding and container handling needs of the application:

Container Feed Turntables

• Speeds – <10 to <70 containers per minute (in excess of 150 per min on some small pharmaceutical applications)
• Types of containers - Plastic Bottles, Glass Bottles, Glass Jars, Plastic Jars, Metal Cans, Metal Bottles, Glass Ampoules, round and non-round.
• Most economical in terms of purchase costs
• Drawback – containers must be placed standing on table
• Simple to use and maintain
• Very easy changeover from container size to container size

Automatic Bulk Bottle Unscramblers

• Speeds >40 bottles per minute up to 600 bottles per minute.
• Types of containers - Beverage Bottles, Tablet / Capsule Bottles, HDPE Bottles (multiple industries), Plastic Jars, PET Bottles (multiple industries).
• Many variations in terms of design, output capacity, and method of operation.
• Automatic secondary orienting may be required - neck finish orientation required for containers with offset (non-centered) neck finishes or other aspects of the bottle such as handles, proprietary features, etc.
• Advantage – containers presented bulk, literally dumped randomly into a hopper. Hopper capacities vary, and can even be augmented with silo systems.
• Changeover varies with method of operation, inherent to the design of the specific unit in terms of both change parts requirements and changeover time.

Bottle Debaggers and Bottle Debagging Tables

• Speeds <5 rows per minute to 35+ rows per minute.
• Utilized when bottles are supplied to customers in sealed bags, layered on skids (i.e.: water, juice industries).
• Each layer placed on table, film is removed, and containers are fed row by row onto a perpendicular discharge conveyor.
• Systems vary in level of automation from semi-automatic debagging tables to fully automatic debagging systems.
• Advantage – sanitary and efficient.

Glass Bottle Feed Tables

• Used on glass lines, low speed (< 50 cpm) non-round containers
• Feeds Perpendicular to discharge conveyor w/ multiple lanes
• Singulates non-round glass containers for use in automated packaging line

At any given time, BPDM typically has a variety of container feeding systems in its used, rebuilt and/or reconditioned inventory. We can also furnish new equipment or produce a system incorporating custom design features. Please contact us with your requirements if you would like to discuss your applications.