Vertical Form‑Fill‑Seal Machine Standard Operating Procedure (SOP)

Complete Step‑by‑Step Operation Guide for Vertical Automatic Packaging Machine

This SOP covers pre‑start safety checks, parameter setup, trial run, formal production, shutdown, post‑shift maintenance and fault reset for vertical form‑fill‑seal packaging equipment, suitable for food and industrial packaging production lines.

1. Pre‑Start Preparation & Safety Inspection

1.1 Overall Machine Safety Verification

Clear worktable, conveyor belt and end‑seal knife seat of all tools and debris. Confirm all safety guards are correctly installed and secured. Ensure no personnel stand close to rotating moving components.

1.2 Environmental & Basic Equipment Inspection

• Keep the machine level. Adjust anchor screws and lift castors off the ground. Operating ambient conditions: temperature 0‑45 °C, humidity 10‑90 % RH. Avoid direct sunlight, corrosive dust and vibration sources.
• Pneumatic supply: Connect air source inlet. Adjust pressure regulator to 0.65 MPa (6.5 kg/cm²). Inspect air hoses for air leakage.
• Power supply: Confirm 220 V power input with reliable earthing; check cables for damage. For long‑idle machines, pre‑heat heaters at low temperature for 20 minutes to remove moisture before operation.

1.3 Consumable Installation & Film Threading Setup

1. Film loading: Loosen the paper roll locking handwheel. Mount packaging film with counter‑clockwise film unwinding. Center and lock the roll securely.
2. Film threading path: Thread film sequentially through the film receiving plate, fixed rollers, date coder, mark sensor, tension roller and forming collar, then pull film to the end‑seal knife seat.
3. Tension & centering adjustment: Tune the swing‑arm tension handle to maintain uniform film tension. Adjust roller knobs to align the film centerline with the forming collar centerline.
4. Center‑seal positioning: Release locking handle. Adjust the gap between center‑seal knife assembly and forming collar to 2 mm, then lock firmly.
5. Color‑mark sensor calibration: Loosen the sensor mounting handle. Position the sensor frame to target film registration marks to match cutting position. Tighten the handle after alignment.
6. Auxiliary fine‑tuning: Adjust vertical‑seal hemming device (2 mm distance from feed throat) as required. Set cylinder pressure and printing position for date coding. Replace carbon ribbon to finish printing consumable setup.

1.4 Cleaning & Sanitization

Sanitize all food‑contact components. Wipe the whole machine with soft cloth. Clean stainless‑steel surfaces with alcohol. Do NOT spray water or steam directly onto machine body.

2. Power‑On & Parameter Configuration

2.1 Power‑Up & Heating

Switch on main power of electrical cabinet. Activate heaters. Allow temperature controllers to warm up. Set center‑seal and end‑seal temperatures according to film material, thickness and production speed.

2.2 Touch‑Screen Login

On touch‑screen home interface: navigate to Function Menu → User Login. Enter Level‑1 password 8888 or Level‑2 password 9999 and confirm login.

2.3 Core Production Parameter Settings

1. Product Selection: Input product name, set bag length and running speed, then save settings.
2. Film Pull‑Off / Auger Parameters: Configure film‑pull speed, filling volume and feeding delay time.
3. Function Setup: Switch vertical‑seal, horizontal‑seal, cutting knife, printing and gas inflation modes to Auto.
4. Operation Settings: Enter actual bag length, production speed and multi‑pack quantity.
5. Timing Settings: Configure sealing delay and cutting‑knife action time corresponding to bag‑length ranges (80‑130 mm / 130‑220 mm / 220‑320 mm). For low‑temperature seal leakage: raise sealing temperature first, then increase action delay.

2.4 Operation Screen Confirmation

Return to main operation screen. Set production mode, motor control and feeding stop to Auto. Enable continuous cycle and empty‑bag detection functions.

3. No‑Load Trial Operation

1. Run machine without material. Observe smooth film travel and normal color‑mark sensor recognition.
2. If color‑mark sensor fault triggers shutdown, fine‑tune sensor position and sensitivity.
3. Inspect sealing texture, cutting position and date‑print quality. Fine‑tune corresponding mechanisms if needed.
4. Complete trial run only after eliminating film deviation, poor sealing and system alarms.

4. Formal Production

1. Load materials for packaging. Tap the Start button for fully‑automatic continuous packaging.
2. Key In‑Production Patrol Check‑Items
   • Sealing: No leakage, no film rupture, clear sealing texture.
   • Film travel: Stable tension, no lateral deviation.
   • Printing: Complete, legible marks; avoid piercing packaging film.
   • Temperature: Stable readings on temperature controllers; regularly clean adhesive residue on end‑seal knife seat.
   • Gas inflation / exhaust: Adjust pressure‑sponge mounting position to achieve target bag inflation effect.
3. Abnormal Condition Handling
   • Minor film drift or weak sealing: Stop machine, fine‑tune temperature, sensor and film tension.
   • Sudden failure: Press Emergency Stop button. Reset by clockwise rotating the knob. Check alarm logs on touch‑screen; resolve faults and press Reset before restart.
4. Forbidden Operations: Do not reach into knife seats during running; avoid frequent button toggling, prolonged over‑speed operation or multi‑person simultaneous control.

5. Shutdown Procedures

5.1 Normal Production Shutdown

1. Tap Stop on touch‑screen. Allow machine to finish the current bag cycle before gentle stop.
2. Deactivate heaters. Let sealing knife seats cool down fully.
3. Turn off main power and cut off pneumatic supply.

5.2 Emergency Stop

In case of film jamming, hand‑pinch risk or abnormal noise, press the red emergency‑stop button for immediate full‑machine lock‑down. After hazard removal, rotate emergency‑stop knob clockwise for unlocking; perform reset before restarting and commissioning.

6. Post‑Production Cleaning & Maintenance

1. After power‑off and cooling: Remove adhesive residue from center‑seal and end‑seal knife seats using steel brush with silicone lubricant.
2. Blow away material debris inside machine with compressed air. Wipe machine housing and control panel using soft cloth.
3. Complete daily routine cleaning. Perform periodic maintenance monthly / semi‑annually: lubrication, fastener tightening, inspection of wearing parts and wiring condition.

7. Fault Reset Workflow After Automatic Alarm Shutdown

1. Access Alarm History on touch‑screen to identify faults: sensor displacement, temperature abnormality, emergency‑stop trigger, servo drive failure, etc.
2. Troubleshoot following official manual guidance.
3. After fault elimination, tap Restore / Reset, return to operation screen, run no‑load trial before resuming mass production.