· Technical review: 11 October 2026
A packaging line is judged on the finished pack and the production rate. Its vacuum pump has to support both. When considering a Leybold NOVADRY, start with what happens during a complete machine cycle, including loading, evacuation, sealing and venting.
Work backwards from the available evacuation time
Give the supplier the chamber or pack volume and the required pressure before sealing. Then identify how much of the cycle is actually available for evacuation. A machine completing several operations in sequence cannot give the pump the entire cycle time.
Also record whether more than one chamber can demand vacuum together. A shared pump serving staggered cycles has a different duty from one seeing several chambers open at once. Include the existing pipe sizes and approximate lengths, especially if the proposed pump will be further from the machine.
Choose a capacity using the working conditions
NOVADRY is an oil-free, air-cooled dry screw range intended for industrial rough vacuum, including food processing and packaging. Our catalogue includes ND 65, ND 100, ND 160 and ND 200.
The published maximum pumping speeds are 65, 105, 160 and 200 m³/h respectively. These are starting points for comparison. Model names alone do not describe the speed available throughout evacuation, and the ND 100 name should not be substituted for its published performance figure.
Describe what travels with the air
State the product being packed, its temperature and the moisture or particles that could reach the inlet. Include cleaning fluids and the cleaning routine. Discuss separation or filtration based on that information rather than assuming every packaging duty needs the same accessories.
For modified-atmosphere packaging, provide the gas composition, including any oxygen enrichment. Suitability needs to be established for the proposed configuration and process, not inferred from the word “packaging”.
Check the room as well as the machine
Specify the supply voltage and frequency, room temperature, ventilation and exhaust route. If the area is washed down, make that explicit. Leybold offers hygienic enclosure options; an enclosure and the complete installed arrangement need to be part of the scope being assessed.
Ask for a quotation that names the pump, electrical version, protection, fittings and any enclosure. If you are replacing an existing unit, include its nameplate and explain whether the aim is more capacity, a different maintenance routine or a change to the process. That gives the supplier a useful problem to solve.
Discuss your equipment requirement
See our packaging equipment guide for the wider pump and measurement requirements. For a quotation, send your requirements to Girovac or call 01692 660 117.
Technical reference: NOVADRY 65–200 operating instructions, C5 (PDF). Confirm the exact model and supplied configuration when ordering.