Food and Beverage Filling and Bottling Equipment Key Terms

Learn key terms to discover how filling and bottling equipment boosts your production levels

You’re making a considerable investment when you purchase any food and beverage filling and bottling equipment. You know what products you have, how they must be filled and what your production goals are. The next step is to buy filling and bottling machines that have been custom designed to your packaging operation. You should also consider the training your employees will need in order to operate the new equipment. That’s why it’s helpful to learn key terms describing the unique features of filling and bottling equipment.

 

Time gravity filler

Highly economical, a time gravity filler machine works best with beverages known to have thin viscosities. They are also the machines of choice when you don't need the beverage to circulate as it is being filled.
Try: Go to Inline Filling Systems to find out more about the limited number of applications a time gravity filler is intended for. You’ll also learn what kinds of beverages these fillers are most often used for.

Palletized drum filler

When you must store beverages in drums, you're best bet is to use a palletized drum filler. This machine works by placing drums on a pallet directly beneath the filler's dispenser. You just press a button to release the beverage into the drum.
Try: Specialty Equipment not only gives you a step-by-step guide to using a palletized drum filler, it also explains the “tare out” feature these machines have which alerts the operator when a drum has been filled to capacity.

Semi-automatic bench top capping machines

Ergonomic and easy to use, semi-automatic bench top capping machines make hand capping obsolete. Once your operators situate uncapped bottles at the machine's base, the machine's capping function is activated. The bottles are capped and tightened in assembly line fashion.
Try: Kinex Cappers specializes in these machines and takes you through the entire process of semi-automatic bench top capping. It also explains the benefits of the machines’ “air operation” functions.

Pressure filling machine

Unmatched when it comes to speed, a pressure filling machine operates at the production rate you set. They use fewer dispenser heads than other filling machines but still manage to quickly pump beverages and other liquids into bottles on assembly lines.
Try: Get advice from Busch Machinery on the beverages these pressure filling machines work best with.

Piston filling machines

Piston filling machines are used to fill containers with thicker beverages and even semi-solid foods, such as yogurt, sour cream, cottage cheese and ice cream. The beverages or foods are first placed in hoppers. The piston filling machine removes the correct amount of beverage or food from the hopper and fills your containers to the desired weight.
Try: T.D. Sawvel explains the value of the volume adjustment feature on piston fillers.

Automatic mineral water filling machine

An automatic mineral water filling machine, also known as a fully neck holding machine, works well when you must bottle non-carbonated beverages, such as juice and energy drinks. Bottles or containers are placed on a rotating belt. The machines grip bottles by the neck and fill them to capacity.
Try: Venus Packaging explains why the automatic mineral water filling machines are preferred for PET bottles. It also explains the benefits of features like fully neck holding, monoblock construction and VENT PIPE filling.

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