High-Speed vs High-Versatility: Solving the Hybrid Tube Filling Dilemma for a Complex 15ml-250ml Product Line

1.Why Does a Complex Tube Range Make High-Speed Machines Fail?

You buy a fast machine to save time. Then you realize it cannot cut your special tube shapes. Your fast machine becomes useless for your best products.

High-speed tube filling machines often fail with complex ranges because they lack the flexibility for special sealing shapes.

For example, high-speed models cannot process curved or arc-cut tube ends. You must use a more versatile, mid-speed machine to handle these special cuts successfully.

Arc cut and curved seal on cosmetic tubes

I recently had a client ask for a very fast machine. They wanted one machine to fill both aluminum and plastic tubes. I suggested our large 150-model tube filling machines. It is a great dual-use machine.

I gave them a budget and asked for their exact tube sizes. They sent a very long and complex list. They had tubes from 15ml all the way up to 250ml. They also had many different tube shapes in this list.The biggest problem was the tube tails.

The complex list from client

Some of their tubes needed an arc cut. This is a curved shape at the seal. It looks very nice for cosmetic products. Our fast 150-model tube filling machines cannot make an arc cut. If you want to keep the arc cut design, you cannot use the 150-model tube filling machines.The special cutting tools simply do not fit in that machine.

We had to change the whole plan. I told the client we must use our 80-model dual-use machine instead. It is the only way to cut the special shapes on both plastic and aluminum tubes safely. Here is a clear comparison of the two machines for your factory.

You must always check your special shapes before you buy a fast machine. Speed does not matter if the machine cannot make your actual product. Many companies buy fast machines and then realize they cannot use them.

2.How Can You Balance Production Speed with Tube Variety?

Slower machines hurt your output during peak season. But special tubes require these slower machines. You feel trapped between making enough products and making the right products.

You can balance speed and variety by buying two mid-speed machines instead of one fast machine. You use one machine for small, high-frequency products and the other for large or special tubes. This doubles your output and stops long delays from changing machine parts.

Two tube filling machines working in a factory

My client worried about the 80-model tube filling machines. They thought it was too slow for their busy peak season. The 80-model tube filling machines runs at 45 to 75 tubes per minute.The exact speed always depends on how easily the product flows and how much product goes into the tube.

For example, their small 15ml tubes can run at 60 to 70 tubes per minute if the liquid is thin and flows well. But their large 250ml tubes take much more time to fill. The speed drops to 40 to 50 tubes per minute for big volumes.

If you use one machine for many sizes, your workers must change the molds very often. This process is called changeover. Changeover stops your production completely for a long time.

I gave the client a new idea to fix this. I told them to buy two 80-model tube filling machines. They could use the first machine only for small tubes and fast runs. They could use the second machine for big tubes and special shapes.

Why Two Machines Work Better

This plan solves the arc cut problem completely. It also doubles the total production speed for the factory. More importantly, it stops the workers from changing molds all day. Here is how the production time changes when you use two machines.

Buying two machines costs more money at first. But you make more money over time because your factory never stops running.

3.What Are the Hidden Limits of Aluminum vs. Plastic Tube Diameters?

You think a machine handles all materials equally. Then you try to fill a large aluminum tube. The machine breaks it, and you lose expensive materials.

Aluminum and plastic tubes have different diameter limits on dual-use machines. Plastic tubes can reach up to 50mm in diameter.

However, aluminum tubes usually max out at 40mm. Large aluminum tubes also require complex folding techniques that many standard machines cannot perform reliably.

Measuring diameter of aluminum and plastic tubes

The client then asked if the 80-model tube filling machine could handle every single tube on their long list. I had to look very closely at their numbers.

The 80-model tube filling machine is great for plastic tubes. It works with plastic tubes from 13mm to 50mm in diameter. It also works with tube heights from 80mm to 200mm.

But aluminum tubes are very different from plastic tubes. Metal does not act like plastic inside a machine.

Two different station in machine

The 80-model tube filling machine can only handle aluminum tubes up to 40mm in diameter. I looked at the client's list again. Their big 250ml tubes were 45mm to 55mm wide. The biggest one was 51mm. If these big tubes were aluminum, the 80-model tube filling machine could not do the job at all.

Also, when an aluminum tube is 35mm to 40mm wide, it is at the absolute limit for the machine. At this large size, we can only fold the tail twice. This is called a two-fold seal. Big aluminum tubes are rare, and this folding process is very hard.

Dealing with Oval Tubes

I asked the client to check their materials. They said the tubes over 40mm were all plastic. That was good news for us. But they had another problem on the list.

Oval aluminum tube

Some of their aluminum tubes were oval. Standard machines cannot find the right position for oval tubes easily. The sensors get confused by the shape. I asked them to send physical samples of the oval tubes to my factory. Our engineers needed to test them on the machine to see if it works.

You must always separate your plastic and aluminum limits. They do not act the same way, and they need different handling.

4.How Can Standardizing Tube Sizes Save You Money on Molds?

Buying a mold for every tube size costs a lot of money. You waste your budget on metal parts instead of growing your actual business.

You can save money by keeping your tube diameters the same and changing the tube height to adjust the volume. Special cutting tools, like arc cutters, only fit one specific diameter. Using fewer diameters means you buy fewer expensive molds for your machine.

Different heights of tubes with the same diameter

After we solved the machine and material problems, I sent the price quote to the client. I also gave them a very important piece of advice to save money. I told them to look at their tube designs again.

They had many different tube volumes on their list. They were changing both the width and the height of the tubes to get these different volumes. This is a very expensive way to design packaging.

I suggested they use the exact same diameter for as many tubes as possible. If they want to change the volume from 50ml to 100ml, they should just make the tube taller. They should not make the tube wider. This is very important for the special arc cut seal.

An arc cutter cannot work on different diameters. It is made for one exact size only. If you have a 30mm tube and a 40mm tube, you need two different cutters.My client had three different diameters for their arc cut tubes. This meant they had to buy three separate mold sets just for cutting.

The Value of Smart Design

If they change their design to use only one diameter, they only buy one mold. This saves a lot of money right away. It also saves time every day because workers do not need to stop the machine to change the cutter tool.

Smart packaging design makes manufacturing much cheaper and much easier. You should always talk to your machine supplier before you finalize your packaging sizes.

Conclusion

Choosing the right tube filler requires looking at tube shapes, materials, and sizes. Standardizing your tubes and using multiple machines solves complex production problems and increases your output safely.Struggling to fit a massive range of tube sizes and shapes onto a single line? Don't settle for a compromise that risks your product quality. Click here to contact AIPAK’s technical team for a Free Tooling Compatibility Audit and a customized dual-system layout today!