The Benefits of Different Filling Principles
Different filling machines use different principles to get liquid into the bottle. While more than one of these principles may work for any given project, each type of machine will have its own unique advantages that will add efficiency, consistency, and other benefits to the packaging process. Below we take a quick look at the advantages of using each of the four most popular filling machines manufactured by Liquid Packaging Solutions.
OVERFLOW FILLING MACHINE
By sealing over a bottle opening and allowing product to overflow through the nozzle and back to a holding tank, the overflow filling machine lets packagers fill bottles to a specific level as opposed to by volume. For those packaging liquids in clear containers, where the consumer can see the product, overflow fillers add an aesthetic benefit to the product that would be hard to replicate with any other principle. Overflow fillers, however, require free-flowing low to medium viscosity products to fill efficiently.
GRAVITY FILLING MACHINE
Unlike the overflow filling machine, gravity fillers use a timer to open and close valves, allowing liquid held in a raised tank to flow into waiting containers. While gravity fillers can use a variety of nozzle types to meet the needs of a given project, they do not use the specialized nozzles that seal over bottle openings or allow product to overflow into a re-supply tank. Instead, gravity fillers manufactured by LPS use individually timed fill heads to provide a simple, efficient, and economical volumetric fill for lower viscosity, free-flowing products.
PUMP FILLING MACHINE
Pump filling machines offer the added benefit of being versatile enough to fill products both thick and thin by volume. Pumps provide the extra push necessary to move higher viscosity products from a tank or other bulk source to containers and can be matched to meet the needs of each project to add consistency and efficiency to the process. These filling machines also offer a solution for packagers filling products with particulates such as salad dressing or gritty soaps. The ability to fill products both thick and thin offers versatility to contract packagers and those businesses preparing a wide range of different products.
PISTON FILLING MACHINE
Piston fillers also have the versatility to handle products both thick and thin, but piston fillers work very well with highly viscous products that the other filling machines may not be able to handle, such as pastes and putties. Given that the cylinder of a piston filler will never change, these machines also offer a highly accurate fill by volume. The same cylinder provides a wide open space for products, allowing the piston filler to go a step further for those that package products with particulates by handling larger pieces such as fruit and vegetable chunks often found in products like jams, jellies or tomato paste.
Choosing the correct filling equipment can have a measurable effect on the efficiency, consistency, and reliability of a packaging line, ultimately reflecting positively on the bottom line for any packager. To learn more about any of the different filling principles, contact a Packaging Specialist at LPS today to discuss your project.