Tube Filler Troubleshooting: Causes & Fixes

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Problems on this page:

Fill weight varying Product stringing at the nozzle Leaking seals Tubes not oriented to the eye mark Tube feeding jams Batch code unclear Metal tube crimp faults Product contamination in the seal area Tubes dented or scratched in the machine

Fill weight varying

Hits OEE: Quality

Symptoms: Tubes are over or under the target weight and vary from tube to tube.

Air trapped in the product

Keep the hopper level steady and deaerate the product where needed.

Dosing piston seals worn

Replace the piston seals.

Product viscosity changing with temperature

Keep the product temperature steady.

Non-return valve leaking

Check and replace the valve.

Prevention: Fill weight checked on samples at a set frequency.

Product stringing at the nozzle

Hits OEE: Quality

Symptoms: Product strings from the nozzle and lands in the seal area.

Cut-off valve timing

Adjust the cut-off and suck-back.

Nozzle too high above the product

Lower the nozzle or use a bottom-up fill.

Product too cold or thick

Check the product temperature.

Nozzle size wrong

Use the nozzle matched to the product.

Prevention: Nozzle cleanliness checked each hour.

Leaking seals

Hits OEE: Quality

Symptoms: Tubes leak at the end seal under pressure or in transit.

Hot air or jaw temperature wrong

Set the sealing temperature for the tube material.

Product in the seal area

Fix stringing and splashing at the nozzle.

Jaw pressure or cooling wrong

Adjust the jaw pressure and cooling time.

Tube material changed

Validate the seal settings for each tube supplier.

Prevention: Seal test on samples at start-up and each hour.

Tubes not oriented to the eye mark

Hits OEE: Quality

Symptoms: The print is crooked relative to the seal.

Eye mark sensor dirty or misadjusted

Clean and teach the sensor.

Poor eye mark contrast

Agree the mark colour with the tube printer.

Orientation drive slipping

Check the drive.

Speed too high for orientation

Check the speed limit.

Prevention: Orientation checked at each tube batch change.

Tube feeding jams

Hits OEE: Availability

Symptoms: Tubes stick in the magazine or fall from the holders.

Tubes out of tolerance

Check the tube diameter and length against the specification.

Magazine guides set wrong

Set the guides for the tube size.

Static between tubes

Use static control.

Holders worn

Replace worn tube holders.

Prevention: Magazine setup recorded per tube size.

Batch code unclear

Hits OEE: Quality

Symptoms: The embossed or printed code on the seal cannot be read.

Embossing pressure low

Adjust the embossing.

Code characters worn

Replace the type.

Seal area too thick or thin for the code

Check the settings for the tube material.

Wrong code loaded

Check the code at batch start.

Prevention: Code checked and signed at batch start.

Metal tube crimp faults

Hits OEE: Quality

Symptoms: Folded crimps on metal tubes open or crack.

Crimp tooling worn

Replace the crimping jaws.

Tube temper or thickness changed

Check the tube specification.

Product in the crimp area

Fix product splashing.

Fold settings wrong

Set the fold for the tube.

Prevention: Crimp checked on samples each hour.

Product contamination in the seal area

Hits OEE: Quality

Symptoms: Product traces are found in the seal and cause leaks or weak seals.

Nozzle dripping

Fix the cut-off and suck-back.

Nozzle not centred in the tube

Centre the nozzle.

Fill level too high

Check the fill volume against the tube.

Tube inside dirty before filling

Check the tube cleaning or blow-out.

Prevention: Seal area inspected on samples.

Tubes dented or scratched in the machine

Hits OEE: Quality

Symptoms: Tubes leave the filler with dents, scuffs or damaged print.

Tube holders worn or damaged

Replace damaged holders, which press marks into soft tubes.

Transfer timing pushing tubes against guides

Reset the transfer timing between stations.

Guides set too tight for the tube

Set the guides for the tube diameter.

Print not cured enough on arrival

Raise the print rub resistance with the tube supplier.

Prevention: Tube appearance checked on samples each hour.

Guidance only. Always follow lockout/tagout and your site's safe-work procedures, and verify against OEM manuals before acting.

Related equipment guides: filling machine · capping machine · labelling machine · cartoner · vacuum emulsifying mixer

Stop the same fault coming back

Recurring tube filler stops usually trace to a cause you cannot see by hand. The partner we recommend is Fabrico: it tracks OEE and downtime live from PLCs, IoT sensors or AI cameras; where cameras are fitted, the video of a stop sits next to its machine data so the cause can be reviewed; and a technician opens the work order from the stop in the same system. Data is hosted in the AWS EU region, and Fabrico and the company behind it hold ISO/IEC 27001, ISO/IEC 20000-1 and ISO 9001.

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Methods that cut recurring stops: the six big losses · root cause analysis · preventive vs predictive maintenance · TPM · SMED & changeover