FACTS ABOUT OUR FILLING AND CLOSING DEVICES
Q & A - Questions and Answers
Find answers to commonly raised questions.
This page is continuously updated with new questions & answers.
Latest update: 27.02.2024
Q: Read recently: Tube of the Year Competition held by ETMA
ANSWER
Every year, a jury of the ETMA (European Tube Manufacturers Association) selects the tube of the year in five categories. In May 2023 the competition took place in Amsterdam. With their products, the participants demonstrated the versatility of the tube as a convincing packaging solution for a wide variety of consumer markets.The five categories are: aluminum tube, plastic tube, laminate tube, prototype and, new since 2019, sustainability.
Q: I need a spare part for my machine. Can you help me to name it?
ANSWER
In the manual you will find an exploded view drawing of your device, showing the position number along with the description of the spare part or accessory you are looking for.On one of the last pages of the manual you will find a list of spare parts indicating the part number. It is advisable to always state the appliance number when ordering.
Q: What are the advantages of aluminum tubes?
ANSWER
Aluminum tubes are experiencing a revival because, unlike plastic tubes, they have the following remarkable properties.PROTECTS: Aluminum resists corrosion and forms an airtight barrier. A tube made of aluminum reliably protects against light and odors and is tasteless. Unlike a plastic tube, the aluminum tube does not return to its original shape after squeezing, and therefore does not suck oxygen. This is an important factor when shelf life is a concern and the product inside should not contain little, if any, preservatives.
EXACT DOSING: The fact that the aluminum tube does not return to its original shape after being squeezed is also a great advantage when dosing. Not only is exact dosing easier with the aluminum tube than with the plastic tube, but the aluminum tube is also easier to empty.
RECYCABLE: Products made of aluminum can be recycled with little energy input. The basic properties of aluminum are retained.
LIGHT WEIGHT: Tubes made of aluminum belong to the light packaging materials. For example, an aluminum tube weighing 7g can hold up to 100 ml of product.
Q: Read recently: Up to 14% of the content of a toothpaste tube is thrown
away.
ANSWER
You squeeze the tube and roll it up, but nothing comes out. It seems as if the tube is empty. This is a fallacy, as the Consumer Centre Hamburg found out in a study. Together with the tube, up to 14 per cent of the toothpaste cream gets stuck and is thrown away unused. This means a waste of resources and money.Squeezing out tubes can be tedious, but it is still worthwhile getting the rest out. Metal tubes, for example, can be placed on a firm surface to push the contents with a spoon from the end of the tube towards the opening. With plastic tubes, the rest is brought to light by cutting off the top end of the tube. The cut top can be used to cover the tube to prevent the content from drying out.
Q: Can cough syrup be filled into glass bottles using the principle of the piston
filler?
ANSWER
The piston filler, as installed in our GRISONA product line, is the ideal solution for processing highly viscous products, such as cough syrup with its viscous consistency. The GRISONA line, with its volumetric filling system, is the hygienic solution for reliably processing low to high-viscosity and pasty products with high filling accuracy. You are flexible in your choice of containers, e.g. bottles, cans, jars, made of glass or plastic.
Q: Can the GRISONA fill disposable plastic syringes with LuerLock
threads?
ANSWER
With our GRISONA series, plastic syringes can be filled conveniently and precisely. The GRISONA devices are equipped with volume filler pumps, which are known for reliably dosing the desired quantity. There are, both male and female, nozzles for filling containers with LuerLock, in our product range. We recommend the use of a LuerLock check valve between the nozzle and the syringe, which prevents splashing when the container is removed after the filling process, thus ensuring filling accuracy.
Q: Our 8-year-old crimper no longer closes the tubes properly. What can we
do?
ANSWER
If your GRISOTUB MS no longer closes your metal tubes properly, you will find possible causes on pages 12 and 13 of the operating manual.Due to the age of your unit, the four tension springs (pos. 2) and the gas springs (pos. 5) may no longer be working correctly and should be replaced. Another cause may be dirt on the sliding surfaces (pos. 7, 8L, 8R, 9). In this case, thorough cleaning of these surfaces will help.
Q: Can I autoclave the valve nozzle and the pump of my STP filler?
ANSWER
All parts of the GRISONA STP that come into direct contact with the filled product can be cleaned in an autoclave (steam disinfection device). These parts can withstand temperatures up to max. 180°C.However, this does not apply to the other parts, such as the intermediate ring, the ring nut, the flange, etc., which are revealed when the unit is dismantled for cleaning.
Q: Fun Fact - When and where was distilling invented?
ANSWER
Quote from the FSA (www.fsa.de) and BGN (www.bgn.de) practical guide to the explosion protection document for distilleries and spirits plants."Around 700 AD, Arab alchemists invented distillation. They took advantage of the fact that ethanol boils at a lower temperature (78.3°C) than water (100°C) and therefore evaporates sooner.
This made it possible to obtain alcohol and also to produce drinks with a high alcohol content.
Spirits are alcoholic liquids that are intended for human consumption, with organoleptic properties and a minimum alcohol content of 15% by volume1. They are obtained by distilling natural, fermented plant substances and further processing the distillates into drinking spirits."
1 Regulation (EC) No. 110/2008, amended on February 10, 2015."
Translation based on the original language German.
Q: We have received the metal tube crimp sealer. Does it need
servicing?
ANSWER
The GRISOTUB MS is almost maintenance-free. Chapter 5 of your manual states that we recommend greasing the eccentric discs from time to time.Careful and neat working habit reduces the cleaning effort. As an exception the fold guides must be cleaned on a regular basis. If they are too dirty the tubes cannot be closed and the fold guides need a thorough cleaning.
Q: Can I use my GRISONA STP filler to fill highly foaming liquids?
ANSWER
Absolutely yes, if it is a GRISONA STP Comfort. In combination with the pneumatically driven immersion nozzle, filling of highly foaming liquid is convenient. The nozzle dives to the bottom of the container and fills the product "below level". The nozzle moves evenly back during the filling process and achieves a clean and precise filling.
Q: Do I need a check valve to fill creams or ointments?
ANSWER
If you are filling products that do not drip, you do not need a check valve. For non-drip products, the spray nozzle is the right choice.
Q: Can I fill a formula like ointments with your manual or pneumatic
filler?
ANSWER
Our filling devices, manual or pneumatic, are ideal for filling your formula and, in combination with the spray nozzle, it is a perfect match for ointments.
Q: Is it possible to adjust the temperature of the heated hoppers?
ANSWER
Our heated hoppers can be adjusted in steps of 1°C between 0° and 100°C.
Q: What range of viscosity is the GRISONA filler series capable of
handling?
ANSWER
The GRISONA MA and the GRISONA STP can fill- liquids up to approx. 3.000 cps
- pastes up to approx. 150.000 cps
In the upper range from approx. 100.000 cps the product may need to be heated and kept warm by using one of our heated hoppers to increased flowability.
Q: Do I need a second GRISONA to switch between pump types 120 and
1000?
ANSWER
This works perfectly with one device, because the pumps can be easily changed.The great advantage of the GRISONA STP is its modular system, which allows an exchange of the pump type as well as the hopper size without any problems. All our pumps and hoppers can be freely combined and exchanged and also fit if purchased at a later date.
Q: Can I fill products containing solid particles with the GRISONA series?
ANSWER
Our GRISONA series works with piston fillers. Liquids, creams, pastes with high viscosity can be filled precisely. These types of fillers are not suitable for filling products containing larger solid particles. Limited types of products containing solids can be filled. We will be happy to carry out a filling test for you if you provide us with a suitable quantity of your product.
Q: Using the pressure piston of the MA for the first time. It seems too
large.
ANSWER
The pressure piston is precisely matched to the hopper to apply pressure to the viscous product so that it can be filled.Before inserting the pressure piston, the inner surface of the hopper should be greased up to the top. This is done either with H1 grease (food grade) or preferably directly with the product to be filled, provided it has lubricating qualities. After that, inserting the pressure piston is effortless.
All instructions on how to install and how to use the pressure piston plate can be found in the operating instructions on page 9 (pos. 6 and 7).
Q: Do you provide videos showing on how the units work?
ANSWER
Videos for all our devices can be found on our YouTube channel
https://www.youtube.com/@GrisoTec/videos
These videos are also linked at the very bottom of the respective product page.
Q: How often should the Teflon tape on the GRISOTUB E be
replaced?
ANSWER
It depends on the number of tubes sealed and the type of the material the tubes are made of. How carefully the heat of the jaws is adjusted also plays a major role. If, for example, thin-walled tubes are processed with the greatest possible heat, the plastic will leave marks on the Teflon tape and as a result the tape will have to be replaced more often. It is also important to align the jaws in parallel after replacing the Teflon tapes so that the heat is transferred evenly to the tube ends. If you keep these two tips in mind, your Teflon tapes will last a long time.
Q: We have a GRISONA TP from 1989, can we still get spare parts?
ANSWER
We can answer this question with yes, even though both the TP and SP types have been out of production since 2004. It is our concern that older devices can be maintained.
In order to identify your device, we would of course need the device number, which you will usually find on the side of the device.
It is also possible to combine new pumps and new hoppers with the older GRISONA types. We also carry spare parts for our other older equipment types. However, some of these machines contain e.g. electrical/electronic components which are no longer available in this form. In most cases, we have a solution ready that may only require minor adjustments.
Q: Can I close laminate tubes with the GRISOTUB?
ANSWER
Yes, the GRISOTUB can be used to seal plastic and laminate tubes. These are the most comonly used materials for tubes:
- LDEP and LDEP iriodine-dyed
- MDPE
- HDPE transparent and HDPE iriodine-dyed
- 50% HDPE / 50% LDPE
- 60% HDPE / 40% LDPE
- 70% HDPE / 30% LDPE
- Dowlex
- Eco tubes with EvoH
- Eco tubes with Siox
- Polyfoil tubes (Braunvidon)
- Combi tubes
Few tubes cannot be processed with the GRISOTUB. However, it refers without exception to tubes containing too much softener or high share of recycling materials. All tubes corresponding to today's quality standards can be sealed without any problem.