LFA SACF 25 User manual

We don’t just sell machines—
we provide service.
SACF 25®
Semi-Automatic Capsule Filler
User Manual

2
Copyright Notice
© LFA Machines Oxford Limited, published in 2022 by LFA Machines Oxford Limited 2022.
Registered in England and Wales, company number 08428898, registered office for service
Demar House 14 Church Road East Wittering, Chichester, West Sussex, PO20 8PS.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted, in any form or
by any means, or stored in any retrieval system of any nature, without prior permission, except
for fair dealing under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, or in accordance with the
terms of license issued by the Copyright Licensing Agency in respect of photocopying and/or
reprographic reproduction. Application for permission for other use of the copyright material
including permission to reproduce extracts in other published works shall be made to the
publisher. Full acknowledgment or author, publisher and source must be given.
All trade marks are acknowledged and are owned by their respective owners.

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Important Safety Information
READ THIS BEFORE OPERATING MACHINE
Intended Use
The intended use of this machine is to fill empty
capsules with dry raw materials.
Potential misuse of this machine includes:
• Using any capsules that deviate from the
standard two-piece design.
• Using softgel capsules.
• Using powders that could explode under
pressure.
• Using wet or damp material.
Personal Protection
For personal protection while transporting the
SACF 25®, abide by these actions:
• Use a pallet jack to lift the machine.
• Wear steel toe boots to prevent foot injury.
• Wear heavy duty grip gloves to ensure firm
grasp on machine.
• Wear back support belt to prevent injury if
needed.
For personal protection while operating the
SACF 25®, abide by these actions:
• Avoid wearing loose jewelry to prevent
machine entanglement.
• Contain long hair to prevent machine
entanglement.
• Wear safety goggles.
• Wear disposable latex/rubber gloves.
• Wear a hairnet (food grade products only).
• Wear a beard net if needed (food grade
products only).
General Hazards
In the case of an emergency during
operation, immediately push the Emergency
Stop button.
• Do not allow powder to collect at the
turntables.
• Be aware of risk of entanglement and pinch
point due to moving parts.
• Do not operate in a wet environment or with
wet hands due to risk of electrical shock or
burn.
• Do not operate if any wires are exposed
in cables due to risk of electrical shock or
burn.
• Use extreme caution when servicing any
electrical component.
• Keep out of reach from children.
• Keep fingers away from all moving parts.
• Inspect machine before use.
• Check that nuts and bolts are suitably
tightened.
• Use this machine only for its intended use
as described in this manual.
• Do not modify the machine in any way.
• Turn offand unplug the machine before
conducting cleaning and maintenance.
Safety Assessment
It is critical to conduct a safety assessment to
ensure that it complies with all local laws and
industry accepted safety regulations.
If you require guidance on the installation of the
machine or conducting a safety assessment,
please contact LFA Machines.

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WARNING
This signals potential risk for personal injury.
Modes for Stopping
WARNING
This signals potential risk for electrical shock.
Symbols
Important Safety Information
READ THIS BEFORE OPERATING MACHINE
CAUTION
This signals potential risk for damage to the
machine or other parts.
In the case of an emergency during operation, immediately push the Emergency Stop button
and unplug the SACF 25®:
Prop. 65 Statement for CA Residents
Based on LFA's current level of knowledge of our machines, the SACF®does not require a
Proposition 65 warning label.
This machine is not explosion proof. LFA recommends that you test your materials' explosivity
before running them through this machine. If your materials are indeed explosive, do not use
them with this machine.
Warning for Explosive Material

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Table of Contents
Copyright Notice 2
Important Safety Information 3
Intended Use 3
Personal Protection 3
General Hazards 3
Safety Assessment 3
Symbols 4
Modes for Stopping 4
Prop. 65 Statement for CA Residents 4
Warning for Explosive Material 4
SACF 25®Components 6
Preface 7
Training 8
On-Site/Off-Site Training 8
Training via Video Chat/Phone 8
LFA Articles 8
LFA Videos 8
Installation 9
Tools and Materials Needed 9
Positioning the SACF 25® 14
Controls 18
Settings and Adjustment 26
Maintenance 35
General Maintenance Prescriptions 35
Lubrication 35
Dismantling for Repair and Replacement 39
Wear Parts and Causes of Damage 40
Troubleshooting 66
Common Issues 66
Common Issues Continued 67
Common Issues Continued 68
De-Jamming the SACF 25® 69
Cleaning 71
Storing the SACF 74
Appendix 77
Glossary 77
Description of SACF 25®Parts 78
Food Grade Point of Contact Parts 80
Technical Specifications 80
Bores per Capsule Disc 80
Maintenance Checklist 81
Diagrams 82
Resources 86

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SACF 25®Components
1. Capsule Hopper
2. Capsule Sewing Mechanism
3. Control Panel
4. Capsule Discs
5. Base
6. Wheel
7. Variable Frequency Drives (VFDs)
8. Capsule Sealing Pedal
9. Ejection Tray
10. Excess Powder Collector
11. Capsule Sealing Plate
12. Powder Hopper
13. Auger Housing
14. Capsule Filling Start Button
15. Capsule Hopper Lid
16. Capsule Sewing Repository
17. Capsule Hopper Gate
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Preface
The SACF 25®is a semi-automatic capsule filler that accurately and efficiently produces up to
25,000 capsules of varying sizes per hour. Able to fill capsules from #00 to #5, this low noise
machine has an inbuilt vacuum system for loading and sealing capsules, giving greatly enhanced
operator efficiency, and uses a corkscrew Auger mechanism to ensure accurate filling every
time. Particularly popular in the pharmaceutical, food supplements, vitamins and minerals, food
technology, veterinary and other industries, the SACF 25®has been designed for fast production
with an emphasis on safety and ease of use.
The purpose of this document is to support your understanding of the SACF 25®’s components,
features, functions, and design. With this manual, you will be able to successfully operate and
maintain your SACF 25®machine.
The user manual’s content includes:
• Important safety information
• SACF 25®installation instructions
• Description of the SACF 25®’s operation
• SACF 25®maintenance information
• Appendix with supplemental information

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Training
SACF 25®training is essential for the machine’s successful operation and your personal safety.
There are several methods to prepare you for working with the SACF 25®.
On-Site/Off-Site Training
LFA technicians can travel and train you at your own facility with your own machines. LFA also
offers free training at our UK, USA, and Taiwan facilities for all our customers and their teams.
For more information, go to https://www.lfacapsulefillers.com/services
Training via Video Chat/Phone
Using an online video chat system, an LFA technician can interact face-to-face with you and assist
with your understanding of the machine. Or, if you prefer, LFA can provide training via phone for all
customers who call the office. To set up a training, call or email your local LFA office:
UK
Phone
[phone]
Email
[e-mail]
Taiwan
Phone
[phone]
Email
[e-mail]
USA
Phone
[phone]
Email
[e-mail]
LFA Articles
LFA writes informative articles about capsules and capsule fillers, which includes instructions,
procedures, and guides. To access the articles, go to https://www.lfacapsulefillers.com/articles
LFA Videos
LFA has created several videos involving the SACF 25®and other capsule fillers. To access
the videos, go to https://www.lfacapsulefillers.com/videos or https://www.youtube.com/user/
TabletPilPress

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Installation
Machine Temperature Humidity
SACF 25®°C °F 45-55% RH
18-24 64-75
Tools and Materials Needed
To watch a video of an SACF 25® setup, go to https://www.lfacapsulefillers.com/sacf-setting-up
Before you install and operate the SACF 25®, it is best to have the following tools and materials on
hand for general operation and maintenance:
• Pallet jack
• Crowbar
• Hammer
• Socket wrench set
• Metric wrench set
• Crosshead screwdriver
• Flathead screwdriver
• Set of metric Allen keys with ball ends
• Long wire pipe cleaner
• Toothbrush
• Cleaner (e.g. Member's Mark Commercial Lemon Disinfectant)
• Sanitizer (e.g. Member's Mark Commercial Sanitizer)
• Lubricant (NSF approved type for food grade products)
• Permanent marker
• Cleaning brush/paintbrush
• Plastic sheet or something similar to cover machine
• Safety goggles
• Hairnet and/or beard net (food grade products only)
• Sterile shoe covers (food grade products only)
The Appropriate Workstation for the Machine
The floor on which the machine is to be placed must support the SACF 25®’s 330 kg (about 727
lbs) weight. The static floor loading limit is 3.62 kN/m².
The machine's motor requires a three-phase power supply of 440 V or 240 V. Ensure to position the
machine near an appropriate electrical plug.
Environmental Conditions
It is important that the environment in which you operate and store the SACF 25®has the
appropriate temperature and relative humidity levels. These two environmental factors can
potentially cause the machine to rust and/or cause the capsules to have a lower quality. The table
below shows the acceptable temperature and relative humidity levels:

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The shipping crate will contain the following:
1. The SACF 25®
2. The Tooling (already installed)

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3. Toolkit including:
• Grease gun
• Powder scraper
• Pliers
• Adjustable screwdriver
• Cleaning brushes
• Plug for air compressor (optional)
• Replacement lower bolt
• Hook to remove stuck capsules
4. Vacuum Pump and Filter

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Tools Needed
• Crowbar
• Hammer
• Socket wrench set
Instructions
1. Pry open each side of the shipping container with a crowbar and hammer and remove them.
Unpacking the SACF 25®
2. Remove the Filter, Vacuum Pump, Toolkit, and Power Cable.
2.1 Note: Be careful not to drop the heavy Vacuum Pump.

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3. Remove the bolts on the shipping container's base with a socket wrench.
3.1 Note: Keep the nuts, bolts, and the shipping container’s base in case you need to move
or relocate the machine.

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Positioning the SACF 25®
WARNING: To prevent personal injury, wear steel toe boots and heavy duty grip
gloves while transporting the SACF 25®.
Because of its 330 kg (around 727 lbs) weight, LFA does NOT recommend
carrying the machine manually but rather with an forklift. At least two people
should be involved (one operating the pallet jack and one stabilizing the
machine) in removing the machine from the shipping container and placing it in
the workspace.
Moving the SACF 25®with a Pallet Jack
Tools Needed
• Wrench set
• Pallet jack
• Hammer
• Flathead screwdriver
• Heavy duty grip gloves
• Steel toe boots
Instructions
1. Remove the nuts from from the two woodblocks on the shipping container's base with a
wrench.
2. Lift the shipping container's base with a pallet jack.
3. Use a flathead screwdriver and hammer to remove the bolts from the two woodblocks.

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4. Place the pallet jack underneath the machine and lift it.
5. Remove the two woodblocks from the shipping container's base.
6. Pull out the shipping container's base from under the machine.
7. Carefully lower the pallet jack until the wheels make contact with the floor.
8. Unlock the machine's wheels and move it to the desired position.
8.1 Note: The machine's motor requires with a single-phase or three-phase power supply of
440 v/240 v. Ensure to position the machine near an appropriate electrical plug.
9. Lock the machine's wheels when it is set in place.

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10. Place the Filter on top of the Vacuum Pump.
10.1 Note: Use plumber's tape around the threaded part of the Vacuum Pump to ensure
a good seal to reduce pressure loss.
11. Plug in the Vacuum Compressor and main power cable.

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12. Plug in the Vacuum Pump's hose and tighten it with a flathead screwdriver.
13. Insert the 8 mm push fit airline.

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Controls
Basic Components
A description of the principal components follows:
• The Capsule Hopper holds the empty capsules.
• The Capsule Sewing Mechanism aligns the capsules in the correct position with a magazine
and inserts them into the Capsule Discs, which separate the capsule caps and bodies with a
vacuum pump.
• The Powder Hopper contains the mix that will be encapsulated.
• The Auger distributes the mix onto the Capsule Disc and into the capsule bodies.
• The Capsule Sealer compresses the capsule caps and bodies and ejects the filled capsules
from the machine and into the chute.

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Control Console
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1. Switch between Fill Count, Delay Filling, and
Capsule Separating settings
2. Lower the setting
3. Raise the setting
4. Clear/set the adjustment
5. Switch from automatic mode to jog mode
6. Cut offmachine in emergency
7. Operate the Auger and filling arm
8. Turn on/offthe air pump
9. Operate the Capsule Sewer
10. Turn on/offthe vacuum pump
1. Adjusts the speed of Capsule Disc's rotation
during filling.
2. Adjusts the speed of the Auger's rotation.
3. Adjusts speed of Capsule Sewer.
1
2
3

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SACF 25®Process
The basic mechanism of the SACF 25®involves inserting the capsules into the Capsule Discs,
separating the capsule halves, filling the capsule bodies, and sealing/ejecting the capsules.
Inserting Capsules into the Tooling
Capsules are poured into the Capsule Hopper, which then distributes them to the Capsule Sewing
Mechanism. The Capsule Magazine then orients the capsules in the correct position and sews
them into the Capsule Discs. After the capsules' insertion, the vacuum pulls the capsule bodies
from the caps. The operator then manually pulls apart the Capsule Discs, which each contain the
capsule caps and bodies.
Filling the Capsule Bodies with Powder
The disc with capsule bodies is inserted onto the turntable in front of the Powder Hopper. After the
Powder Hopper is filled with dry materials, the Auger and filling arm evenly distributes the powder
onto all the capsule bodies inside the plate.
Capsule Sealing and Ejection
After excess powder has been removed, both Capsule Discs are manually rejoined. The Capsule
Discs are then inserted into the Capsule Sealer and pushed against the Capsule Ejection Disc,
which adheres both halves of the capsules together and ejects the filled capsules from the plates.