Choosing the Right Liquid Filler

 

Anyone unfamiliar with the packaging industry may be overwhelmed when faced with the choice of which liquid filling machine to use for their product.  A quick scan of the filling machinery category on this website shows the variety of filling machines available.  However, answering a few simple questions will begin a new packager down the path to the correct filler and the Packaging Specialists at LPS will help to ensure that the chosen filling machine is a perfect match for your product.

 

 

The product itself will play a large part in determining which liquid fillers will and will not get the job done.  Some liquid products are free-flowing, such as water and many other beverages.  Other liquids are more viscous, seemingly oozing more than flowing, such as motor oils, syrups and other food products like ketchup.  At the end of the spectrum, there are also highly viscous, thick products like putty and paste that present unique challenges for liquid fillers.

 

Different types of filling machines are manufactured to handle these different types of products.  Generally speaking, overflow filler machines and gravity filler machines are ideal for free-flowing, lower viscosity liquid products.  Once a product moves into a higher viscosity, pump and piston fillers become a better choice.  For these reasons, the viscosity of the product or products being run will help to discern the correct liquid filler for your production needs.

 

 

Almost all liquid fillers can be manufactured to work as semi-automatic or fully automatic liquid filling machines.  Production requirements will help determine which type of filler will work best for your packaging system.  A regional packager with a small to medium demand for product may choose to begin production with a tabletop liquid filler or semi-automatic portable filling machine.  A facility required to fill a large number of bottles each day will likely start immediately with an automatic liquid filler.  Container type and size will also play a role in this choice as filling 20000 one ounce containers each day is not the same as filling 20000 one gallon containers.

 

 

The product itself and the production requirements will go far in choosing the correct filling principle and automation level for your liquid filler.  However, in choosing your filling equipment, you must also consider your floor space and your environment.  Tabletop or semi-automatic filling machinery may be required where space is tight and cannot accomodate conveyors, turntables and other auxillary equipment that may be necessary with an automated packaging system.  

 

Considering these three areas will set you on the path to choosing the correct liquid filler for your packaging needs.  However, this is not an exhaustive list of considerations when choosing filling equipment.  The accuracy necessary on each fill should be considered, the environment of the facility may require different construction materials and a hazardous product may require special contact parts!  Each filling machine is unique in its own way, set up to handle a product that is unique in its own way.  For assistance in choosing the correct liquid filler, contact a Packaging Specialist at Liquid Packaging Solutions toll free at 1-888-393-3693.