tool-capsuleFiller #000 by BETLOG

Last crawled date: 3 years ago

A medical capsule filler for #000 capsules.
This has been modified from my prior capsuleFiller, which is for #00 capsules, unlike the #00 version: have not printed and not tested this #000 version. I'm pretty sure I made all of the size adjustments correctly, but maybe not. And refer to my profile for extrusion line width tolerance notes.
Requires 4x 0.8x10x15mm springs https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32963259463.html
1) base - place it on a sturdy, clean work surface. You ARE going to make a big mess that probably stains everything. (cough turmeric cough)
2) drop 4 springs into their recesses
3) sprungPlate - with the grips (on the outside) toward the top of the plate, drop it on top of the springs, make sure the springs remain upright and test the sprungPlate movement by EVENLY pressing it fully down a few times.
4) capGuide - drop it onto the plate stack with the wider hole openings upward
5) pour capsule BODIES into the capGuide and drop them into all of the holes with their opening facing upward. A pair of pointed ESD tweezers are really useful for flipping those that go in upside down. Remove capGuide (optional).
6) pour powder into the tray and spread it to fill all capsules, the tamping plate can be used to spread and tamp powder into the capsules. Remove capGuide if you didn't earlier.
NOTE:
Avoid pressing too hard or allowing the sprungPlate to bounce around, as this may crush capsules, eject powder, capsules, springs, or the entire plate.
7) capPlate - drop it into the stack with the larger holes facing UP (side grips toward the bottom)
8) capGuide - drop it onto the plate stack with the wider hole openings upward
9) pour in capsule CAPS, and coerce them into the holes with their openings facing UP. Again with the tweezers. Remove capGuide.
10) capRetainer - drop it onto the plate stack, with the wider side of the holes facing DOWN
11) lift capPlate AND capRetainer out of the stack as a single unit, and carefully flip it over so the holes face DOWN, carefully place it back into the stack.
12) test movement by pressing down evenly a little, if it appears everything is going to work, slowly press down hard.
NOTE:
You may feel or hear the caps locking, or crushing.
13) capPlate - carefully remove it from the stack.
14) capRetainer & sprungPlate - lift both together to remove from the base, and flip them upside down.
NOTE:
It may be easiest to remove sprungPlate and leave all of the joined capsules in capRetainer, and then poke them out from that. Just be sure you push them the right way or the cap will be forced off.
..Or maybe poking the capsules out of both plates held together will be easiest.
You may need a small poker. I didn't print one. Mine usually fll out with some wiggling and bumping on the bench.
Pressing this many capsules together at once may result in crushing them before they actually lock, maybe my tolerances could be different to rectify this, but I suspect it is simply a case of a sum total too many lock forces being required. So you may need to lock them individually, or just disregard this as they tend be sufficiently sealed to stay intact anyway.
Let me know so i can fix if required.