Based on product characteristics such as viscosity or its physical state – liquid or powder – and the technology they use, filling equipment can be categorized as rotary fillers, volumetric fillers, aseptic fillers, piston filling machines, net weight fillers, free-flowing or non-free-flowing and vibratory weigh filling machines.

Okay, that’s a long list, but no worries. Let’s try to take our time to understand the differences between them and which filling machine works best with which product.

Liquid filling – Choose your liquid fillers depending on the product viscosity

Liquid filling machines, also known as flow filling machines, are used extensively in the beverage industry for products such as mineral water, fruit juice, alcoholic beverages, and soft drinks. On the other hand, volumetric fillers, divided into gravity, pump, and piston fillers, are more suitable for packaging viscous substances. The significant difference between the two is that volumetric machines fill containers with the same product volume regardless of container size. In contrast, liquid fillers always fill containers to the same level, irrespective of volume.

What should you pay attention to when bottling your liquid product?

Powder filling – Powder characteristics to consider

Auger filling machines belong to the volumetric fillers and are pretty popular in the industry. They don’t weigh the powder, unlike the net weight filling machine, which is the only piece of powder filling equipment to weigh the powder before dispensing it into the container.

The auger filling machine is suitable for powders such as flour but can handle free-flowing powders and some non-free flowing powders. The vacuum powder filling machines are used for powders that do not require any further breakdown or agglomeration because they work without using an auger or agitator. These types of filling machines are not suitable for granules.

Filling systems in the Pharma and Food industries

When it comes to pharmaceutical or food products, filling lines may require special precautions because these products are made specifically for human consumption and for being ingested. That’s why you will hear a lot about aseptic and sterile filling, especially in these two industries.

Aseptic vs. sterile – Is there any difference?

There has always been some confusion around these two terms. Both indicate techniques to create a sterile finished product, thus free of living microorganisms and as safe as possible. But although the two terms go hand in hand, they are different. After filling and sealing the container using sterile filling solutions, the product is subjected to a sterilization process using heat, radiation, or filtration. The product is sterilized in its final packaging.

Aseptic processing is reserved for products that cannot withstand heat exposure from the terminal sterilization process. It is a technique where the product, the container, and the container closure are first sterilized separately and then brought together. This method is meant to maintain the sterility of a product assembled from different sterile components. Since the product is not sterilized in its final container, it is essential that the filling and sealing take place in a highly controlled environment (aseptic filling).

Pharmaceutical filling for ensuring product safety and sterility

Aseptic filling in the food industry

Tube filling equipment for viscous liquids or pastes

The packaging of choice is usually a tube made of plastic or metal when producers have to pack viscous liquid or pastes. In the food industry, tube filling equipment is used for packaging food pastes, while in the cosmetic industry for products such as toothpaste, ointments, gels, and creams.

Tube fillers consist of a pump injecting the product into the tube. The machine then crimps the end of the tube to seal it before packing the products into boxes for shipping.