High-speed filling of ballpoint pen refills
High-volume production with short cycle times of 0.5 seconds
Ballpoint pens are manufactured in high-speed production lines with large output volumes. A critical process step is filling the refill with highly viscous ink. The dosing volume must be introduced bubble-free and with high repeatability within only 0.5 seconds.
Filling takes place from bottom to top to prevent air inclusions and ensure uniform ink distribution. The parallel filling of up to four refills places high demands on dosing dynamics and synchronization.
What requirements does filling ballpoint pen refills impose?
High-volume refill production requires dosing technology that operates reliably under extreme cycle conditions.
Key challenges include:
- very short dosing times with high repeatability
- dosing volumes between 700 and 1000 µl
- highly viscous ink (600 mPas at 70 °C)
- bubble-free bottom-up filling
- integration into automated, parallel production lines
- wear-resistant design for abrasive, pigment-loaded inks
Fine pigments in the ink create abrasive conditions that can significantly increase wear in conventional pumping systems.
How is the technical implementation realized?
A magnetically coupled mzr-7255 micro annular gear pump with wear-resistant carbide components is used. The robust material design ensures extended service life and long maintenance intervals in abrasive media applications. Even when dosing pigment-loaded, abrasive inks, volumetric accuracy remains stable over prolonged operating periods.
Due to the high viscosity of the ink, the dosing system operates with integrated heating. An electric heating module maintains a constant medium temperature of 70 °C and ensures stable flow characteristics throughout high-speed production.
The pump delivers high dynamic performance and enables precise dosing cycles at very short takt times. The magnetic coupling supports leak-free operation and low-maintenance continuous use in high-volume manufacturing environments.
What benefits does this provide for industrial high-volume production?
By integrating the micro annular gear pump, plant operators can:
- realize high-speed filling processes within 0.5 seconds
- ensure reproducible dosing volumes between 700 and 1000 µl
- dose abrasive, pigment-loaded inks with extended service life
- maintain stable thermal conditions for viscous media
- operate parallel filling systems reliably
- produce many millions of refills with consistent quality
The micro annular gear pump therefore represents a wear-resistant and high-performance solution for precise viscous ink dosing in high-volume writing instrument production and enables reliable series production, consistent dosing precision even with abrasive inks, and a long service life in continuous operation.