Filling machines are designed to speed up the production line, especially for liquid bottling operations. Filling systems come in a variety of designs, ranging from semi-automatic table top versions to extremely efficient automatic multi-head filling machines. 

Goto Shengmao to know more.

The size of your operations and the type of liquid you're working with are among some of the factors that determine the best filling machine for the job. This guide will introduce you to different types of filling machines and help you decide which equipment is right for your business.

What is a Filling Machine?

Liquid filling machines play a vital part in the production of bottled products, including sports drinks and cleaning solutions. Some filling machines can also handle more viscous substances, like pastes, creams, and chunky products such as sauces or salsa. 

Bottle filling machines are often stainless steel, and range in design from single head manual filling machines, like a tabletop piston filler, to much more elaborate configurations, like a fully-automatic multi-head filling machine with many heads for greater throughput. 

Filling equipment must be selected based on key factors, like the desired speed of production, the type of liquid, and the size of the container being used.

How Does a Filling Machine Work?

The purpose of a filling machine is to efficiently deposit a precise amount of liquid into each container based on time, weight, volume, or a combination of these measurements. The exact way in which a filling machine functions depends on a few factors, like whether your production line is semi-automated or fully-automated. 

With a semi-automated bottle filler, a human typically places each bottle under the machine, but a conveyor belt may assist in this step. A human may also be responsible for deciding when the machine starts and stops releasing liquid into the container. 

Fully-automated filling machines control the entire process. Typically, a conveyor belt brings clean bottles into the filling area where a sensor identifies them. The machine then starts dispensing liquid before moving the containers to the capping and sealing station. More clean bottles are then moved into the filling area and the process repeats.

Can IFS Help Me Customize My Filling Machine?

At IFS, we understand that your operation is likely facing unique requirements, and we are happy to offer our engineering expertise to find the right solution for your production line. 

We offer a wide range of machinery and we can accommodate foaming liquids, hazardous chemicals, food-grade products, and environments where cross-contamination is unacceptable. If you're interested in speaking with our team of liquid packing experts, give us a call or visit our website.

How Many Kinds of Filling Machines Does IFS Offer?

IFS offers specialized filling machines suitable for a number of different products, including water, gels, creams, and sauces. Understanding the differences between our selection of bottle fillers is important in choosing the right machine for your operations.

While comparing your options, consider viscosity, efficiency, and maintenance requirements. If you don't know the difference between a volumetric piston filler and a pump filler, the following overview will prove helpful and our team is always standing by to answer your questions.

Ideal for liquids with low to medium viscosity, these machines fill a container based on volume. An overflow filling machine is unique in that it uses a recirculation method to fill a container to a given level. The machine inserts a nozzle into each container and fills it to a specific level. During the filling process the machine returns any additional product from the container out to a holding tank for re-use.

Ideal for thin liquids with consistent flow characteristics, a time gravity filling machine keeps product in a holding tank positioned above the machine's pneumatically operated valves. This method requires you to calculate how long it takes for your container to fill to the desired level. Containers pass under the valves at set intervals while the filling machine opens the valves to allow gravity to move the liquid from the tank and into the containers.

Ideal for items sold by weight and high-value products that demand accuracy, net weigh filling machines prevent over- or under-filling by weighing each container as it's filled. This is ideal for bulk products sold by weight, like 5-gallon containers, and for high-value products that need to be accurately weighed to maintain profit margins.

Ideal for aqueous and light viscosity products in small volumes, these precision machines also avoid cross-contamination. Product is contained within a tube inside the pump and it is compressed by 'rollers' on the rotor. The pressure exerted by each roller pinches the tube closed, forcing product down and out. As the rollers are applied and released, ambient pressure draws fluid into and out of the tube in a process known as peristalsis.

Ideal for high viscosity liquids and products with particulates, piston fillers accurately dispense product into a container based on volume.  The amount of product dispensed can be easily adjusted by changing the stroke length of the piston. Because of their design, piston filling machines are excellent for thick and semi-solid products, like chunky condiments, cosmetic creams, waxes, heavy oils, gels, and adhesives.

Ideal for liquid and semi-liquid products, servo pump filling machines are an updated alternative to piston fillers. These machines use an encoded rotary pump that offers accuracy and clean dispensing, even for high viscosity products. Special nozzles can be added to manage specific product properties. Compared to traditional piston fillers, the servo pump fillers offer greater container size flexibility with faster changeovers in sizes with less air use and a Clean in Place (CIP) design capability.

Ideal for brine and vinegar solutions with and without particulates the filler provides a consistent brine level in the container to cover the product. Because bring and vinegar solutions are corrosive to equipment overtime, brine filling machines are explicitly designed to handle these liquids effectively. They are also capable of processing various parictulates within the liquids without being susceptible to clogs and buildup in the nozzle.

Ideal for dispensing product into five-gallon pails based on weight or volume, the pail filling machines from IFS are a cost-effective solution to managing pails and lid sealing. The standard pail filler is designed for 5-gallon buckets, but can be customized to meet your needs.

Ideal for filling totes, 25-gallon barrels, 55-gallon drums, and similar large containers. Drum filling machines can be set up to fill based on weight, volume or a combination of these measures, allowing for accuracy even in large quantities. Configuration options include top-fill or bottom-fill, with top-fill being more economical but not suitable for foaming products. Bottom-fill machines are more expensive, but offer the most versatility.

Why Should I Choose a Filling Machine from IFS?

Inline Filling Systems has been in business for over 25 years and has the widest selection of filling equipment with more than 700 types of machinery in our extensive catalog. Our team manufactures and services all of our equipment from our factory in Florida. 

When you choose a filling machine from IFS, you'll benefit from expert service, advanced customization options, and superior machine maintenance. Whether you're a small operation seeking a semi-automatic solution or a large operation in need of a fully-automatic process, we have the knowledge and equipment necessary to fulfill your needs.

Everything You Need to Know About a Filling Machine   

Do you need a filling machine for your new or growing company? Are you established and want to expand your factory or line? At Multi-Fill, we manufacture quality machinery and have been for more than thirty years. We are proud that some of our fillers sold in the s are still in operation today. As filling machinery is at the heart of production, let's find out more about them so you can make an informed decision before purchasing.    

Different Types of Food Filling Machines Explained

People don't realize that every food product in their favorite grocery store was packaged with a different type of filling machine. From the jam jar to the coffee beans to the coleslaw they bought for lunch. And then there is the burrito mix rice for later. But what are the different types of food filling machines?   

Powder filling machine. Powder filling machines are designed for drip-free, high-accuracy filling through spiral feeding and can be used for free-flowing and non-free-flowing powdered or granulated products.

Solid filling machine. Solid filling machines can be volumetric or gravimetric. In gravimetric filling, the machines dispense an accurately measured amount of a product according to weight. Volumetric filling machines, such as those manufactured by Multi-Fill, measure a specific product volume, and focus on loose solids. 

Liquid filling machine. As the name states, the liquid filling machine packages various liquids, and there are as many types of liquid filling machines as there are liquids. The different types include:

• Gravity filling machines

• Vacuum filling machines

• Overflow filling machines.

• Hot filling machines

• Isobaric filling machines

• Piston filling machines

• Volumetric filling machine.

Jar/Tin Can filling machine. This filling machine uses either volumetric or quantitative filling and packages low to high viscosity liquids and solid or powder products into containers. Including bags, cans, buckets, sacks, tins, bottles, pots, jars and more. 

Bottle filling machine. Bottling filling machines fill powders or liquids into bottles, and some types include volumetric fillers with batching syringes, gravity fillers with mechanical or electronic weighing equipment, and negative pressure fillers. 

Pouch filling machine. The machines come in various sizes and can package solid, liquid or a combination of both products. It was specifically developed for the flexible packaging industry. 

Did you know volumetric fillers from Multi-Fill can deposit some foods at speeds up to 120 containers per minute while maintaining product appearance and integrity? The machine speed varies by model, layout, product, and container type, but with our expertise, your customer is eating their green olives sooner rather than later.

How to Choose the Perfect Filling Machine 

There are three aspects that guide your choice of the perfect filling machine, and they are product, container type and level of automation. There are two levels of automation, semi-automatic filling, and automatic filling. Automatic filling machines are used by large manufacturers with high-production requirements. With semi-automatic fillers, an operator places containers under fill nozzles and then transfers them to the next part of the packaging phase. 

What product do each of the machines mentioned above fill? The list is, of course, not exhaustive but just an indication of what is possible. 

Powder filling machine: powdered sugar, salt, milk powder, coffee powder, flour.    

Solid filling machine (volumetric): cooked pasta; prepared salads; frozen, cooked, or raw cut vegetables; cut fruit; cooked, dry, or individually quick frozen (IQF) rice; cooked and raw whole grains; pet foods; cereals; gelatin cubes; oatmeal; mints; tofu.   

Liquid filling machine:

If you are looking for more details, kindly visit meat filling machine.

• Gravity filling machines: vinegar, oil, wine, spirits, water

• Vacuum filling machines: wine and spirits   

• Overflow filling machines: sauces, syrup, water, ice teas, fruit juices

• Hot filling machines: jams, juice concentrates, sauces 

• Isobaric filling machines: cider, sparkling wine, carbonated soft drinks, beer

• Piston filling machines: honey, pastes, sauces, jams, oil

• Volumetric filling machine: milk, yogurt, oil, salad creams, mayonnaise.

Jar/Tin Can filling machine: Coconut milk, sauce, fruit and vegetable juice drinks, beer, energy drinks, mineral water.  

Bottle filling machine: Syrup, oil, milk, grape wine. 

Pouch filling machine: Snacks, fruits, nuts, cereals, coffee beans. 

Multi-Fill understands the challenges of starting a new business and is willing to help entrepreneurs where possible. Do you want to know if you can use your product in our fillers? If it is not on our applications list, we are happy to test your product on machines at our facility and send you the statistical analysis free of charge.

Difference Between Volumetric and Liquid Filling Machine 

What is the difference between volumetric and liquid filling machines? Liquid filling machines are designed to fill containers up to a specified level and are ideal for clear containers where the product is visible to the consumer. It is not only a machine to fill bottles but can also be used with cups, cans, and cartons.   

Volumetric filling machines, such as those manufactured by Multi-Fill, fill containers with the same amount of product, no matter the size or shape of the container. There are three types of volumetric filling machines: 

• Gravity fillers hold the product in a tank above the filling nozzles and use gravity to assist in the filling process.

• Piston fillers use pistons instead of pumps to push the product into the waiting containers. 

• Pump fillers use different kinds of pumps that match the liquid product, and if the liquids are thicker, the system gives a push to get them into the container. 

Multi-Fill volumetric fillers can dispense various hard-to-fill products into virtually any container on the market. Our machines are manufactured with quick-release mechanisms and are easy to clean and use. Our products include: 

MPFMP-060

Suited for lower speed production lines, pilot plant operations, research, and development laboratories. The product is loaded into the top pan and manually fed into the filling tube by an operator. It fills up to 50 ' 60 containers per minute.

MPFSH-075

It is suitable for lower speeds, looser products, and smaller fill weights, and is recommended for applications where more automatic product feeding is needed. The model can be upgraded to an MPFSC-120 for increased speed and/or different products when required. It fills up to 60 ' 75 containers per minute. 

MPFSC-120

Suited when high speed, automatic feeding and larger volumes are needed, and is ideal for stickier products. It fills up to 120 containers per minute, depending on the line configuration and volume to fill. 

Did you know? Sticky rice was the reason Multi-Fill started manufacturing volumetric filling machines.

Filling Machines 101 - How Do Filling Machines Work? 

Filling machines deposit an exact amount of product into a container based on time, number, weight, volume, or a combination of these measurements. They speed up the production line, and the product type defines which filling machines are used. The product timeline determines whether the system is manual, semi-automated or fully automated, as hand-filled products take longer to get to the market and generate an income. How do the different machines work? 

Powder filling machine

Different apparatus are attached to the machine depending on the product. An auger filler, for example, uses a long screw-type mechanism to dispense specific quantities of powder.   

Solid filling machine (volumetric)

The product is placed in a hopper and fills containers placed on conveyors. The amount of product packaged is determined by setting the machine to a weight or count setting. Multi-Fill partners with Velec Systems to integrate counting into our food processing equipment. 

Liquid filling machine

There are various types of liquid filling machines, but as an example, ordinary liquid fillers work by gravity, pouring liquid into bottles based on weight. Interesting fact: for vacuum liquid filling machines to work with milk bottles and grape wines, the ambient pressure must always be greater than the pressure in the bottle.

Jar/Tin Can filling machine

The machine automatically fills the can or jar and then caps it, with quality pre-sealing and final sealing important features.

Bottle filling machine

Bottle filling machines are either volumetric or vacuum level filling. Manual-filling machines are generally volumetric, while semi-automatic and automatic fillers are vacuum level filling. With volumetric filling, the machine uses a piston within a cylinder to force liquid into a container. While with vacuum level filling, it uses the rim at the top of the container to form an airtight seal around the filling nozzle, and the container is filled to the same height each time. 

Pouch filling machine

There are two types of pouch filling machines, premade pouch packaging and form fill seal machines. Premade filling packages products in existing pouches, while the form fill seal machine is used to create pouches before they are filled.

When you purchase a Multi-Fill product, we provide everything from evaluation and testing of your products to equipment installation, training and more. Multi-Fill manufactures volumetric filling machines that are compact and can be integrated into existing horizontal or vertical conveying lines. We also have upgrades available in the form of customizable distribution systems and a batch feeding hopper. 

The Only 4 Filling Machine Maintenance Tips You'll Ever Need

Filling machine maintenance is vital to every company's standard operating procedure (SOP). After all, if your machines don't work, it places your brand and financial future at risk. What are the four filling machine maintenance tips you need?

Tip 1: Keep a preventative maintenance schedule to stop small problems from becoming big. Condition monitoring is an important part of any maintenance program and includes checking the machine's oil levels, vibrations, and temperatures. Problems are picked up quickly, and downtime is limited. 

Tip 2: Combine the preventive maintenance schedule with autonomous maintenance tasks. Operators know their machines best and can perform specific maintenance tasks themselves. Some benefits include a reduction of scheduled and unscheduled shutdowns, increasing production time.   

Tip 3. Understanding your spare parts list means always having the correct spare parts available. In the packaging industry, machines always work hard, and experience teaches which parts need more regular changing than others. With a Multi-Fill parts cart on mounted casters, the parts are always available during cleaning or changeover. 

Tip 4. Regular training should be part of your company's standard operating procedure. It allows operators to know how the machine works and understand the purpose of each element. They will notice parts or product filling glitches and failures early, limiting production line downtime. 

Multi-Fill service technicians have more than ten years' experience with the machines and can diagnose most problems over the . A major Midwestern U.S. ready-meals plant reported that Multi-Fill volumetric fillers have the lowest operating cost of any of their equipment, a compliment to us and a great return on investment for our client.

How to package food for a longer shelf life 

Throwing away spoilt food simply because it was not packaged correctly is an unnecessary waste. What kind of packaging is available to extend the shelf life of food? 

• Vacuum packaging removes as much air as possible from the package before sealing it and is ideal for meat products. 

• Barrier packaging uses a foil, metalized, or clear barrier to protect the product from moisture and oxidation.

• Modified atmosphere packaging replaces the air in a package with a gas mixture to prevent oxidation.

• Proper gas permeability is used for products that need air to remain fresh. The packaging contains tiny holes or is a material with optimal gas permeability. 

• Barrier packaging is very general and used to physically protect food items.     

  
  

Multi-Fill is based in West Jordan, Utah, United States of America, but has representatives all over the world. Our fillers are on ready-meal lines of the prepared food industry's major players and the smallest businesses. After more than thirty years in the industry, we understand volumetric filling machines. Do you need a filling machine? Contact Multi-Fill today. 

The company is the world’s best Vegetable Mesh Bag supplier. We are your one-stop shop for all needs. Our staff are highly-specialized and will help you find the product you need.