LSM-50 Cotton Inserter

Cotton Inserter: The Ultimate FAQ Guide

This guide has all information you’re looking for about the cotton inserter machine.

Whether you want to learn about parts, working principles, features, classification or troubleshooting process, you will find all information right here.

Keep reading to learn more.

What is a Cotton Inserter?

A cotton inserter is a piece of equipment that will assist in inserting polyester, rayon, or a cotton coil in different pill containers.

Cotton inserter machine

Why do you Need a Cotton Inserter?

A cotton inserter has many advantages.

Some of the reasons as to why you need a cotton inserter include:

· Increase in Filling Rate

Different cotton inserters have different filling rates.

There are cotton inserters with a very high filling rate, and this means you will fill more bottles in a short time.

· A Decrease in Labor Costs

A cotton inserter may cost you a lot to buy.

In the long run, a cotton inserter will lower your labor costs as the automatic versions will perform all tasks on their own.

· Hygienic

Using a cotton inserter will ensure you maintain high hygienic levels in the production line.

This is because there is no physical handling of the cotton material.

· Increase in Sales and Profits

A cotton inserter will enable you to fill many bottles within a short period.

This ensures that you meet all your production needs and meet your client’s expectations.

This will lead to more sales and ultimately an increase in profits.

What are the Parts of a Cotton Inserter?

A cotton inserter has many parts that all work together to achieve a good result.

The parts of a cotton inserter include:

· Operator Interface

The operator will control the cotton inserter via the operator interface panel.

Besides, the interface panel is also known as the control panel.

Also, the control panel has push buttons, alert indicator lights, and a text line indicator.

On the control panel, you can find the start and stop button and the emergency stop button.

· Safety Enclosure

The safety enclosure protects the operator from coming into contact with the moving parts of the machine.

A clear polycarbonate panel with a metal and plastic frame make up the safety enclosure.

The front part of the safety enclose has hinges that enable access to the internal components during maintenance or repair.

It also comes with a guard door that will prevent the cotton inserter from operating once you open the door.

This will ensure the safety of the operator and the machine as well.

· Turret

Cotton turret

The turret will transport the cotton that has been cut into pieces.

Normally the turret has four clear tubes all in a vertical position and 90 degrees apart.

A stepper motor will rotate the turret at 90 degrees for every cycle.

The turret comes with two sensors built into it.

On the right side is the turret sensor.

Also, the turret sensor will measure and confirm the movement and position of the turret after each cycle.

In case the turret does not rotate, the machine automatically stops and displays an error message on the control panel.

On the left side, we have the cotton sensor.

At the same time, the cotton sensor will confirm the availability of cotton after every cycle.

In case the machine does not sense cotton after the cycle, the cotton inserter will automatically stop.

The control panel will display the error message.

A lower insertion air cylinder will push the cut cotton pieces into the rear tube.

Concurrently, the upper insertion air cylinder, which is on the turret, will push the cut cotton pieces out of the front tube and into the containers.

Magnetic cylinder sensors will confirm the motion of both the air cylinders.

· Rollers

A cotton inserter has two sets of pinch rollers.

These two sets will control the cotton cutting process.

Here, the left set is the feed rollers, and the right set is the tear rollers.

Steeper motors will drive each set.

Also, the feed rollers will feed the exact length of the cotton into the tear rollers.

On the other hand, rear rollers will cut the cotton into pieces and then place the cut pieces on the cotton shelf.

At the same time, the air pressure will control the amount of force that will press the rollers together.

The air pressure will also assist in opening the rollers for loading and unloading the cotton coils.

Lastly the roller assembly will automatically reposition itself once it detects a new length of cotton.

This is to ensure that the cut cotton pieces ate at the center of the rear roller.

· Shelf

The cut cotton piece rests on the cotton shelf before they get into the rear tube.

Under the shelf, you will find the lower insertion air cylinder.

A cotton stop block is also a part of the shelf.

The cotton stop block limits the distance the cut cotton pieces will travel to the right.

It assures proper centering of the cut cotton pieces under the tube.

The cotton stop block will automatically adjust when you select a new light of cotton coil.

A cotton pincher assembly is directly above the shelf and has an air cylinder and two moving arms.

Also, the arms will hold the cotton in the right position for it to get into the rear tube.

· Air Pressure Controls

Two air regulators with gauges will control the pressure that goes to two separate air circuits in the cotton inserter.

The first air pressure control will control the insertion of air cylinders together with the pincher mechanism.

The second air pressure control will control the bottle stops together with the pinch roller pressure.

· Bottle Sensors and Bottle Indexing

Bottle indexing

Air controlled bottle indexing will control the bottle flow on the conveyor belt.

This system will use two bottle stop air cylinders that are on the conveyor rail.

At the same time air cylinder will push a finger, which will stop the bottle.

The first stop makes sure the bottle is at the center of the filling tube.

Next, the second stop allows the bottle to move from the filling station.

Two fiber optic sensors will detect the presence of bottles.

After which, the first sensor is the start bottle sensor, which detects the bottles and performs the insertion cycle.

The second sensor is the backup sensor, which is at the downline.

When the downline process stops, bottles accumulate on the conveyor belt.

The sensor stops automatically when it detects a bottle.

When you clear the bottle backup, the insertion will go on automatically.

· Optional Tamper

A secondary tamper is for applications in which cotton pops out of the bottle after the first insertion action.

This tamper will push a plunger into a bottle that has cotton by use of air cylinders.

· Lift Platform

The lift platform will adjust the height of the filling tube above the conveyor.

This height is to be set manually through observation by the operator.

How does a Cotton Inserter Operate?

Here is how a cotton inserter operates:

· Startup

Turn on the cotton inserter to start the operation.

The power will drive the components of the cotton inserter.

· Confirm the availability of Cotton

Confirm that there is an adequate amount of cotton in the box.

This is to ensure the material and gram weight are in the correct quantity.

Make sure that the cotton is available on the cotton shelf, rear tubes, and left tubes.

· Check the Bottles

Confirm that the correct type of bottles is present and that they are in an adequate supply.

· Cotton Insertion

The cotton coil moves from the feeder to the rollers.

A cotton presence detecting sensor will sense the availability of cotton.

The rollers will then cut the cotton into pieces.

Also, the turret will transport the cotton that has been cut into pieces.

After that, the cotton rotating tube assembly will assist in inserting the cut pieces into the bottles.

The upper insertion air cylinder, which is on the turret will push the cut cotton pieces out of the front tube and into the containers.

The cut cotton pieces rest on the cotton shelf before they get into the rear tube.

A second cotton pusher will ensure the cotton pieces are fully inside the containers.

It uses air pressure to press on the cotton inserts.

The bottle detection and gate assembly ensure the bottles are in a central position below the cotton inserter.

Air controlled bottle indexing will control the bottle flow on the conveyor belt during the insertion process.

Two fiber optic sensors will detect the presence of bottles.

Sensors will detect the bottles and performs the insertion cycle.

The second sensor is the backup sensor, which is at the downline and also prevents bottle accumulation on the conveyor belt.

Once cotton insertion is complete, the bottles move to the next stage in the production process.

What are the Technical Specifications of a Cotton Inserter?

The technical specifications of a cotton inserter will enable you to know the capabilities of the machine at face value.

Technical specifications differ from one cotton inserter to the other.

Some of the technical specifications include:

• An insertion speed of up to 80 containers per minute with a single insertion.
• Heavy-duty stainless steel construction.
• Power requirement of 1500 W, 220 V, and 50 – 60 Hz frequency.
• PLC and HMI control panels.
• Guillotine tearing device.
• ISO certification.
• Minimum air pressure of 87 psi.
• Air consumption of 200 liters per minute.
• The average weight of 144 kgs.
• Safety mechanisms such as no bottle no working, cotton warning, self diagnose, etc.

What are Categories of a Cotton Inserters are available?

A cotton inserter can come in two forms:

· Inline Cotton Inserter

An inline cotton inserter will use a conveyor to index containers that are underneath the cotton inserting head.

An inline cotton inserter is simple and versatile.

It is limited in terms of speed of operation.

· Rotary cotton inserter

A rotary cotton inserter will use a rotary disc to index the containers that are under the multiple cotton-inserting heads.

Rotary cotton inserters are specific to the size of the containers.

A rotary cotton inserter has a high production speed than an inline cotton inserter.

Which Industries use a Cotton Inserter?

Many industries use a cotton inserter as part of their production process.

Some of these industries include:

Cotton inserter

• Sports and fitness industries
• Pharmaceutical industries
• Health care industries
• Personal care and beauty industries
• Nutraceutical industries
• Food industries

How can a Cotton Inserter Boost your Business?

There are many ways in which a cotton inserter can boost your business.

· Increase in Production Capacity

A cotton inserter with a high production capacity will increase your overall production capacity.

This makes it possible to meet client needs within a short time.

· Decrease Recurring Costs

A fully automatic cotton inserter will cost more when purchasing it.

In the long run, it will decrease recurring costs such as human labor since it does all things automatically.

· Increase in Sales

With a high production capacity, you will make more sales and increase your profit margins,

· Accuracy and Reliability

A cotton inserter is accurate and reliable when it comes to cotton inserting.

This will make you operate for a long time with no fluctuations in quality.

What are the Limitations of a Cotton Inserter?

The limitations of a cotton inserter should not deter you from purchasing one.

Some of the limitations include:

· Cost of Purchase

A fully automatic cotton inserter will cost you more than a manual cotton inserter.

· Level of Automation

There are automatic and manual cotton inserters.

Also, the production capacity you intend to meet will determine the kind of machine you will purchase.

· Production Capacity

Use automatic cotton inserters for high production capacities.

What Quality Standards should a Cotton Inserter Conform to?

The quality standards that a cotton inserter should conform to include:

• CE mark of quality
• Good Manufacturing Practice [GMP] quality standard
• Food and Drug Administration [FDA] quality standards
• Restriction of Hazardous Substance [RoHS] quality standard

How much does a Cotton Inserter Cost?

A cotton inserter can cost you anything from 1000 US dollars to 50000  US dollars.

How do you Troubleshoot a Cotton Inserter?

Here are some steps on how to troubleshoot a cotton inserter:

· Falling Bottles

Confirm and correct the position of the bottle stops.

Check and ensure the release time is enough for the conveyor speed and the size of the bottles.

· Cotton comes Out of Bottles

Confirm that the length of the cotton is correct.

Besides, ensure the plunger tip is the correct size for the specific application.

Also, confirm cotton in the bottle in an inverted U-shape configuration with equal length on both sides.

Ensure the bottle has adequate space.

Install an optional tamper assembly.

Ensure the tamper assembly is in the correct position.

· Insertion Cylinders Extent then the Machine Stops in the Extended Position

Correct the position of the turret sensors or replace defective turrets.

· Insertion Cylinders Extent then Retracts, and the  Machine Stops

Correct the position of the turret sensors or replace defective turrets.

· The turret is not at the Center of the Insertion Cylinders

Check and tighten the turrets.

What are the Characteristics of Cotton Fiber that you can Insert with a Cotton Inserter?

Some of the characteristics of cotton fiber are:

• Natural fiber
• Easy to cut
• Biodegradable
• Creates a dry environment inside the bottles
• Moisture content is NMT 8%
• It meets the USP and CFR requirements mandatory for food contact substances.

Why do they Insert Cotton in Pill Bottles using a Cotton Inserter?

Some of the reasons as to why they insert cotton in pill bottles include:

• To keep the pills from breaking during shipping.
• To ensure the inside of the bottle is free from moisture.

What is the Weight Tolerance of Cotton acceptable in a Cotton Inserter?

The weight tolerance of cotton should be s +/- 15%

What Cotton Sizes can you use in Cotton Inserter?

The most common cotton sizes are 9, 12, 16, and 20 grams per yard.

There is a possibility of customizing the sizes from 3.5 grams to 26 grams per yard.

How do you Determine the Amount of Cotton to Fill in a Bottle using a Cotton Inserter?

It is vital to consider the measurements of the coil when selecting the correct gram of cotton for the bottles.

The measurement of a cotton coil is in grams per yard, or by weight per length.

Automatic cotton inserter machine

What are the Common Types of Pharmaceutical Coil?

There are three common types of pharmaceutical coils available:

· Cotton

Cotton is a natural fiber.

It is biodegradable and will absorb moisture inside the containers that the tablets or capsules create.

· Rayon

Rayon is a synthetic fiber that prevents contents inside the container from damage during transit.

· Polyester

Polyester is a product of petroleum material.

It is soft, odorless, and strong.

Besides, it is common when packing soft gel capsules.

How does an Automatic and Manual Cotton Inserter compare?

An automatic cotton inserter has a high production capacity than a manual cotton inserter.

A manual cotton inserter costs less than an automatic cotton inserter.

Besides, a manual cotton inserter requires several operators, while an automatic cotton inserter can work with one or no operator.

An automatic cotton inserter is suitable for large production plants, while the manual one is suitable for small firms.

How do you Maintain a Cotton Inserter?

Here are some ways in which to maintain a cotton inserter to ensure it lasts for a long and meets the production capacity.

• Do not use acetone, alcohol, or such substances when cleaning plastic parts.
• Coat moving parts with any common grease.
• Always replace or repair the cooling fan air filters regularly.
• Furthermore, replace compressed air filters when the indicator changes to red or monthly.
• Repair of re-build the insertion air cylinders when the lubrication fails.

With this information, am sure you can get the best cotton inserter machine.

Contact SaintyCo today for all your cotton inserter machine.