Frequently Asked Questions
What is the range the machine can fill?
The pumping system in standard configuration can be configured to dispense as low as a single drop and up to 5ml. Custom configurations can accommodate higher or lower volumes. In terms of speeds, temperature and oil viscosity play key roles, but generally between 5,000 and 10,000 per 8 hour shift.
How does the Vape-Jet handle high viscosity oil?
The machine is uniquely designed to accurately and consistently pump extremely thick fluids. By using closed loop feedback motors for the syringe pump, our software detects stalls and internally slows down and applies more torque to finish the dispense accurately, every single time.
What are the dimensions of the machine?
The Vape-Jet is 665mm wide, 685mm deep, and 710mm tall. The Vape-Jet system has the smallest footprint in its class. We know lab space is valuable, and aim to take up as little as possible.
How fast can the Vape-Jet fill?
The fully-automatic filling machine can fill up to 1200 cartridges per hour. The speed may vary depending on the temperature and viscosity of the product.
What type of hardware can the Vape-Jet fill?
The Vape-Jet machine can accommodate a myriad of product attributes and vape cart styles, including pods, syringes, capsules, and sauce jars. Save up to 1,000 different profiles to easily load previously saved configurations and change between hardware types. Want to know if it can fill your proprietary hardware? Get in touch with our team to send your samples in for testing and validation.
Can I fill cartridges straight into the foam shipping tray?
Yes! Eliminate the need to manually transfer cartridges into and out of a jig. Thanks to our Machine Vision Alignment system, Vape-Jet can automatically fill carts as shipped in vertically packaged foam trays. Simply unbox the cartridges, place the foam tray into the Vape-Jet, and start filling.
What else do I need to operate the Vape-Jet system?
To install your machine you will need the following: Box cutter or scissors, wire cutters, a stable work table at least 72” x 36” and capable of supporting 150 pounds or 68kg without moving, category 5 ethernet cable with LAN and internet access routed to the Vape-Jet, a nitrogen bottle (food grade or better) with type CGA-580 thread and safety chains, adjustable wrench, and a 9/16” open ended wrench. (Don’t worry, we will provide a list prior to your install appointment so you’re prepared.)
What parts on the Vape-Jet need to be replaced? How frequently and how much does it cost?
The most commonly replaced components are the valve and syringe. Both are rated to over 500k fills before replacement. Heaters occasionally need replacement, and spares are shipped with the machine. (Everything mentioned above is included in the included 1-year warranty and service contract, and can be renewed. Off-contract parts are billed at cost + 20% and $299/hr labor.)
What PPE is recommended for the machine operator?
We recommend eye protection and heat safe gloves for maximum operator safety.
What data can be downloaded after filling?
Each cartridge has a “before” photo included, and you can enable an optional “after” photo as well. Data for each run includes the time, date, temperatures for each individual heat zone, volume filled, profile loaded, etc. is included. If you scan in a metric number, that will be included as well. This can all be exported and downloaded as a JSON file and run through an ERP for quality control, etc.
How much will I save on labor with the Vape-Jet?
Vape-Jet can reduce labor costs by 90% compared to other “automated” filling equipment by eliminating touch points with Machine Vision Alignment.
How accurate is the filling with Vape-Jet?
The Vape-Jet fluid handling system provides the most accurate and repeatable dispense on the market at ±0.25% (compared to our competitors at ±2.5%.) Variability in fill volumes lead to customer complaints when under-filled, and product losses when overfilled. Each pump system is third-party calibrated and NIST traceable so you can be assured that you fill the same exact volume, every single cartridge.
Tip: Beware of fillers that report accuracy/repeatability volumetrically and not as a percentage. For example, a rate of +/-0.02g may sound low, but if you’re filling 0.5g carts, it is +/-2%.
How easy is the Vape-Jet to calibrate?
Vape-Jet Support Technicians are happy to calibrate your Vape-Jet for new hardware in as little as ten minutes under the standard service and support contract.
Calibrations are all completed through an on-screen wizard which displays the SOP in real-time as the process is completed. An untrained operator can take up to an hour to fully calibrate for new cartridge hardware, new needle, and new oil viscosity. That time typically comes down to 10-20 minutes with a trained operator. Performing an oil viscosity only calibration takes no more than 5 minutes, even for new operators.
Can I use different types of syringes?
Yes, see this webpage for compatible syringes.
Can the Vape-Jet fill carts that are not round or other proprietary cart shapes?
Yes, Vape-Jet works with most Juul-style pod systems and disposables, including iKrusher hardware.
What size tray can the platform accommodate?
The latest iteration of the Vape-Jet 4.0 filling platform fits a tray size of roughly 208x228mm. Older versions may have different tray sizes, reach out to our support team if you have questions about your specific machine.
What is the Vape-Jet cleaning procedure?
Cleaning the Vape-Jet is quick and easy with our Clean in Place procedure. Using only 200ml of alcohol, the cleaning wizard will get your Vape-Jet clean and dry for a new batch with a few clicks. The full cleanup process takes less than 10 minutes and is almost entirely automated.
What type of nitrogen do I use? Where do I get it from? How much will it cost?
You will need a bottle of food-grade Nitrogen Gas. Typically, a 20 cubic ft bottle will last 2-3 months of constant operation between 10 and 40 PSI. Refill costs for this size bottle are typically less than $35. (Larger bottles can be used which bring the costs down even more.)
What temperature do I use when filling with Vape-Jet?
Both the Vape-Jet and Jet-Fueler filling machines have three distinct heat-zones, and the set point for each will depend on the process application. However, for most formulations the reservoir is set to 65c or lower. To find the right settings for your formulation, check out the recommended settings guide on our HelpDesk.
How does the Vape-Jet tie into Metrc?
The machine allows you to scan a metric ID code with a barcode scanner (not included) attached via USB. This code will then be associated within the data reporting functionality of the machine, and can be exported later.
What is the range the machine can fill?
The pumping system can be configured to dispense as low as .1g to as high as 5ml. In terms of speeds, temperature and oil viscosity play key roles, but generally between 4000 and 8000 per 8-hour shift.
Can I fill cartridges straight into the foam shipping tray?
Yes! Eliminate the need to manually transfer cartridges into and out of a jig. With open access to the needle and a foot pedal actuator your Jet Fueler operator can fill cartridges individually or directly into the foam shipping trays.
What is the Jet Fueler cleaning procedure?
Cleaning the Jet Fueler is quick and easy with our clean in place procedure. Using only 200ml of alcohol, the cleaning wizard will get your Jet-Fueler clean and dry for a new batch with a few clicks. The full cleanup process takes less than 10 minutes and is almost entirely automated.
What are the dimensions and weight of the machine?
The Jet Fueler is 660mm wide, 400mm deep, and 683mm tall with reservoir. It weights roughly 60lb/27kg.
What type of nitrogen do I use? Where do I get it from? How much will it cost?
You will need a bottle of food-grade Nitrogen Gas. Typically, a 20cuft bottle will last over a month of constant operation. Refill costs for this size bottle are typically less than $35. (Larger bottles can be used which bring the costs down even more.)
Can I use different types of syringes?
Yes, see this webpage for compatible syringes.
What are the dimensions and weight of the machine?
The Squish-o-Matic 1000 is 650mm wide, 500mm deep, 1320mm tall. It weighs roughly 254lb/120kg.
How much pressure does it exert on the carts? And is this adjustable?
It uses 7500kg force, and the height is adjustable. The force, however, is not adjustable.
How easy is it to set up for different cartridges?
Once the Squish-0-Matic is calibrated for a specific set of cartridges and caps, the end user will be presented with a time setting for that specific hardware. If the end user has more than one configuration of cartridges and caps, they will need to calibrate the Squish-o-Matic for each set of hardware, then simply record and utilize the time setting for each configuration.
How does your team handle product support?
Because of our advanced software-based systems, our team of support technicians can remotely access the machine logs, reports, and live-data to perform real-time troubleshooting and repair. All replacement parts are shipped with overnight service, and 100% covered under our warranty and support package. We have a 1 business day service level agreement, with an average response time of less than 15 minutes.
How often do your systems go down?
We never say never, but it is rare. Some of our filling machines have filled over 1 million cartridges with zero downtime.
Sales
What kind of payment methods do you take?
We accept payment by ACH, wire, and check. Reach out to our team for more details on payment options.
Do you ship out of the country?
We do ship to select regions outside of the United States. Reach out to our team for details on shipping to your specific region.
