Auger systems using direct drive servo motors for blending and filling food pouches and packages are an improvement over stepper motor and traditional clutch/brake systems resulting in increased speed, repeatable filling accuracy and reduced system maintenance.

Operating at up to 120 fills per minute, these new servo driven systems when equipped with Zero-Max CD couplings are able to fill dry products with repeatable accuracy into one pouch or package. The rapid start/stop augering motion is smoothed out by the coupling so there is no undesirable resonance or vibration during operation. These high speed filling cycles are programmed to fill accurately to specified weights within a gram eliminating expensive product "giveaway."

Spee-Dee® Packaging Machinery, Inc. is the innovator of these servo driven augering systems. Designed for integration into a complete filling line, "the engineering behind these auger systems is simple yet elegant", according to Timm Johnson, Spee-Dee vice president sales/marketing. "These systems have the auger mounted vertically in the form/seal system which takes much less floor space than horizontal systems. The vertical design with 10 and 16 gallon feeding hoppers on top also facilitate the high speed fill cycles within the line.