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.    

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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:

• 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. 

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

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.

All you want to do is buy the right liquid filling system. But no, nothing can be easy or straightforward nowadays' can it? So whatever industry you're coming from, we know there are a lot of things to consider when trying to find the best solution for your needs. Today, we are going to briefly discuss the '5 Things You Must Know' when looking your liquid filling machine.

1. What is your desired fill rate?

One of the more important things to consider when choosing your liquid filling machine is your fill rate. How much do you want to fill per minute, per hour, per day and overall per month?

This is an important area of determination since it will also help in identifying the right level of automation for your needs. That is, filling a 5-gallon container vs a precision vial fill application is probably going to require a different type of filling solution. These types of details will also help with determining your setup options as it relates to your metering system, aka liquid filling pumps.

2. What type of liquid product do you have?

Sounds simple enough' what type of liquid product do you have?
Being able to clearly describe your liquid product as very viscous, semi-viscous, or a very fluid, water-like product, will go a long way in helping to match your production needs with the best solution.

Your type of liquid product may also require a specific environment. A level of cleanliness, or even system design may be something that needs to be taken into consideration; especially, when you are dealing with pharmaceutical, diagnostic and biotech environments. Aseptic filling, which means the product needs to be filled within a sterile environment, vs non-aseptic filling, so those basic, but very important details should be noted within your overall application.
When dealing with specialty chemicals, you may also have to consider if the product is flammable and requires an explosion-proof filling system. There are certainly stringent rules and regulations regarding how these types of flammable liquids need to be handled in a manufacturing and production environment.

3. What type of containers are you filling?

When dealing with liquid filling applications, what you put your liquid product into is just as important as the product itself.

There is a world of different bottle shapes, sizes, and types of associated caps as it relates to closing/capping requirements. You can muddy the waters even more, if you will, should your container require a fill stopper crimp cap, fill cap, press on cap, twist on, spray bottles, or even an atomizer spray ' all completely doable, but certainly needs planning ahead and constant dialogue amongst the project team members. Liquid packaging can have a vast array of possible and creative solutions, but also pitfalls, if unaware.

Another part of the container aspect is understanding any labeling requirements. How difficult or easy is it to label your container's surface? Also, what type of labeling solution do you want ' a fully-automated, integrated labeler, or a standalone system? You can certainly incorporate whichever solution you prefer, but uncovering these needs ahead of time will ultimately save you time and money as you complete your project. If you're seeing a theme, you are clearly ahead of the game' constant communication and planning ahead will always serve you well.

4. What level of automation do you want?

If you've already answered your initial question, 'Q#1: What is your desired fill rate', you've already taken a big step in determining what level of automation is best for your application.

For example, if you are filling about 5,000 bottles a day, or roughly 10-12 containers per minute, a Benchtop solution may best fit your needs. Whether a single or dual nozzle, a handheld semi-automatic Benchtop filling machine could be an excellent solution for your needs ' an affordable, quality and workhorse solution.

Now let's say your production requirements have you filling about 25,000 bottles per day, or roughly 50-52 containers per minute. Here, you may want to increase your production throughput by considering a slightly higher level of automation with an intermediate inline filling system, or even a higher output scenario with a larger Monobloc design. Of course, as you increase your levels of automaton, there are certain costs associated with those greater mechanical and electrical elements

Going back to your specific filling requirements, these different levels of automation may/may not make sense. Therefore, it's important for your project team to be on the same page as it relates to your liquid filling application.

5. What is your available floor space?

Often overlooked until the later moments, another important aspect to consider when choosing a liquid filling system is your available floor space. You must accurately know your available clean room, laboratory or facility floor space. A bad scenario' you purchase an expensive production line that does not fit into your clean room or overall floor space ' not good.

When determining your floor space, or the required footprint of your liquid filling machine, be sure to also factor in your human element as well. That is, your operators as well as any necessary space for inventory and supplies.

Of course, there are many other details to consider when looking for the right liquid filling solution for your needs. Just to name a few, lead times, available budgets, as well as specific industry requirements like fill accuracies may also help determine what type of liquid filling solution is right for you.

The best thing to do is not go on this journey alone. Do your homework, research a few companies, talk with their representatives, share relevant, appropriate details regarding your application, and be sure to prepare and understand the '5 Things You Must Know' when choosing your liquid filling system. For more information on liquid filling, capping and labeling solutions, please or call 866.258.. Visit www.filamatic.com