02 · Filling plans
Each plan shows the filling and end-of-line stages that can be combined, the project situations it addresses, and the conditions to confirm. Use them for launches, pack extensions, equipment replacement, or line extension.
PLAN 01This route covers equipment stages from filling through case packing and palletizing for new private-label or co-packing lines and end-of-line expansion. Product, pack, and existing interfaces determine retained and added stages.
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PLAN 02A practical route when an established thick-sauce recipe is moving into repeat filling across several dose sizes. The hardest product and format-change method decide whether piston filling belongs in the trial.
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PLAN 03Consider this route when an established bottle format is expanding or stop-start filling disrupts surrounding stages. Continuous movement only makes sense when bottle pitch and the line-rate window fit.
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PLAN 04This complete-line route provides shared feeding, filling, and end-of-line stages for core and demanding SKUs across retail and foodservice packs; the product and pack determine the actual change parts.
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PLAN 05Effect visual on holdThis route covers pumping, dosing, filling, and downstream stages for viscous or settling products; the actual combination follows the product path and low-level condition.
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PLAN 06Use this route when adding foodservice buckets or bulk SKUs, or turning manual weighing and lid placement into a connected process. Bucket, lid, handle, and filled condition enter the route together.
View included stagesPublished from the content desk
Define the SPfill process and interfaces from pouch feeding and positioning through dosing, cap placement, screw capping and discharge.
View solutionA process framework for food plants assessing premade spout pouch filling, cap application, capping, and discharge with SPfill.
View solutionDefine sample acceptance for pouch positioning, no-pouch/no-fill response, capping, cleaning access and finished-pouch transfer.
View solutionReview filling-head options, optional modules, power, footprint and loading and service access using product and pouch samples.
View solutionPLAN 01
This route covers equipment stages from filling through case packing and palletizing for new private-label or co-packing lines and end-of-line expansion. Product, pack, and existing interfaces determine retained and added stages.
For a new line or an end-of-line expansion, put filling, closing, labeling, case handling, and palletizing on one rate and interface map.
Send the existing machines, case size and weight, pallet pattern, pallet, and layout. The first output is a map of what stays, what is missing, and where each handoff sits.
What this phase may cover
A bottle line can run from filling through palletizing, while a bucket line is built around weighing, inner and outer lids, labeling, and full-bucket handling. Existing machines can stay and missing stages can be added.
These details affect the connection
The main package and closure, case size and weight, pallet pattern, pallet, existing machines, warehouse handoff, and a dimensioned layout confirm this phase's line stages and interfaces.
Only the actual combination, buffers, and site conditions show how the stages should connect; line rate and automation level still need confirming against those conditions.
Discuss this equipment planPLAN 02
A practical route when an established thick-sauce recipe is moving into repeat filling across several dose sizes. The hardest product and format-change method decide whether piston filling belongs in the trial.
When a thick sauce needs volumetric dosing while stringing and product left in the cylinder also matter, a piston route is a practical starting point.
Send the real product and pack, minimum and maximum doses, and changeover method. The trial can then focus on piston stroke, valve, drip handling, and shutoff behavior.
What this phase may cover
The piston route is built around the metering cylinder, suction and discharge strokes, and changeover valve, with optional infeed, rinsing, cap handling, capping, labeling, sleeving, and case handling.
These details affect the connection
The piston route's metering cylinder, nozzle, drip handling, cleaning, and end-of-line interfaces are confirmed from real product, bottle and cap samples, minimum and maximum doses, stringing or dripping condition, and format-change method.
We put piston stroke, nozzle, drip handling, level feed, and adjustments into the trial. Dosing behavior and rate apply only to the product-and-pack combination tested.
Discuss this equipment planPLAN 03
Consider this route when an established bottle format is expanding or stop-start filling disrupts surrounding stages. Continuous movement only makes sense when bottle pitch and the line-rate window fit.
If bottles should keep moving, the key is not simply a moving filler; bottle pitch, the tracking window, and surrounding line rates must work together.
Send the bottle, pitch, product temperature, dose, conveyor, and downstream machines. The first checks are the tracking window, return motion, and format change.
What this phase may cover
In a tracking route, the filling heads move with continuously advancing bottles. Rinsing and drying can sit upstream, with cap handling, capping, double-side labeling, and accumulation downstream.
These details affect the connection
Tracking movement, label positions, and downstream interfaces are confirmed from glass or plastic bottle samples, bottle pitch, dose, product temperature, and current conveyor-speed control.
A tracking route requires review of tracking travel, the synchronisation window, return motion, and rate relationships with adjacent machines. Actual rate is verified with the selected product, bottle, dose, and line conditions.
Discuss this equipment planPLAN 04
This complete-line route provides shared feeding, filling, and end-of-line stages for core and demanding SKUs across retail and foodservice packs; the product and pack determine the actual change parts.
This complete line combines feeding, filling, cap handling, capping, labeling, and coding stages into one production path for the core product and pack.
Hopper, nozzle, positioning, cleaning, and downstream interfaces are confirmed against core and challenging products, pack and cap samples, doses, changeover order, shift target, and layout.
What this phase may cover
A sauce line starts with product feed and positioned filling, then adds container infeed, rinsing, heated agitation, cap handling, capping, labeling, coding, and accumulation as the project requires.
These details affect the connection
The sauce line's feeding, filling, capping, labeling, and accumulation scope is confirmed from core and challenging products, pack and cap samples, doses, changeover order, shift target, cleaning method, existing stages, and layout.
This route connects the product and pack path through feeding, filling, and downstream stages; dose, clean finish, dripping, changeover, and cleaning are checked in trials and acceptance only for the specific combination.
Discuss this equipment planPLAN 05
This route covers pumping, dosing, filling, and downstream stages for viscous or settling products; the actual combination follows the product path and low-level condition.
When product is highly viscous or settles, or the current feed section struggles with low level and suction, include a rotor-pump route in the trial.
Pump type, dosing, low-level behavior, and vacuum-capping interfaces are confirmed against real product, settling condition, dose range, bottle and cap samples, and drain-and-cleaning needs.
What this phase may cover
A rotor-pump route treats feed, filling, and low-level behavior for viscous product as one path, with bottle infeed, cap handling, vacuum capping, double-side labeling, and accumulation downstream.
These details affect the connection
Send viscosity and settling videos, minimum product level, drain and cleaning method, bottle and cap samples, vacuum need, label faces, and dose range.
We record suction, low-level behavior, dosing, drain and cleaning, and vacuum capping separately. The applicable range covers only the product, pack, and configuration that pass the trial.
Discuss this equipment planPLAN 06
Use this route when adding foodservice buckets or bulk SKUs, or turning manual weighing and lid placement into a connected process. Bucket, lid, handle, and filled condition enter the route together.
Food-service and industrial buckets are not defined by target weight alone; the rim, handle, inner and outer lids, and full-bucket conveying all change the line sequence.
The weighing-fill, lid-placement, pressing or screwing, and labeling sequence is confirmed against the real bucket, inner and outer lids, handle direction, target weight, product particles, and downstream handling.
What this phase may cover
A bucket route starts with infeed and weighing fill, then follows the inner and outer lid structure through placement, pressing or screwing, labeling, full-bucket accumulation, and handling.
These details affect the connection
Send the real bucket, inner and outer lids, rim, handle direction, target weight, product particles, label position, full-bucket conveying, and palletizing conditions.
We review weighing, lid presence, circumferential pressing or screwing, lifted lid edges, and full-bucket stability separately. Results apply only to the bucket-and-product combination tested.
Discuss this equipment planHow to compare the six plans
The table lists confirmed differences only. Which route fits depends on the real product form and pack; this page does not pre-decide the trade-off, which is settled in a trial with the real product and pack.
| Plan | Metering / structural core | Can extend to | Precondition |
|---|---|---|---|
| PLAN 01 Integrated filling, case packing & palletizing | Organised as a full line: bottles through palletizing, buckets around weighing and full-bucket handling | Filling → end-of-line → palletizing; or weighing → lids → full-bucket handling | Line scope must be fixed in one step, or it is a new build or major expansion |
| PLAN 02 Automatic piston filling line | Metering cylinder, suction and discharge strokes, changeover valve | Can continue with infeed, rinsing, cap handling, capping, labeling, sleeving, and case handling | Smooth or lightly particulate product that needs an accurate portion per metering cycle |
| PLAN 03 Automatic tracking filling line | Filling heads move with continuously advancing containers | Rinsing and drying upstream; cap handling, capping, double-side labeling, and accumulation downstream | Continuous container flow where stopping the container for each fill is undesirable |
| PLAN 04 Automatic sauce filling line | Product feed and positioned filling, with pre-treatment and downstream stages added per project | As required: infeed, rinsing, heated agitation, cap handling, capping, labeling, coding, and accumulation | A sauce project still defining its line scope, where stage combination comes before individual machines |
| PLAN 05 Automatic rotor-pump filling line | Rotor pump and low-level operating behaviour | Bottle infeed, cap handling, vacuum capping, double-side labeling, and accumulation | Viscous product that settles or is hard to draw at low level |
| PLAN 06 Automatic big-bucket weighing line | Weighing fill and inner/outer lid structure | Lid placement, pressing or screwing, labeling, full-bucket accumulation, and handling | The pack is a foodservice or industrial bucket with a large dose per unit |
Upgrading or expanding an existing line
List the existing stages first: which sections have machines, their makes, conveyor heights, and speed control.
Then decide which sections to add: compare stage by stage against the 15 line stages instead of replacing by machine name.
Finally confirm the interfaces: adjacent machines, the real pack, normal and peak rates, fault handling, and a dimensioned layout.
Selection input checklist
Missing items do not stop you reviewing the plans: narrow to one or two routes from the table above, then complete the information.
Provide core and challenging products, pack and cap samples, dose, targets, current stages, and layout to confirm the equipment and interfaces covered in this phase.
