Dry Fillers

A dry goods filling machine is used to dispense products like tablets, nuts, screws, powders, and granules in predetermined, measured amounts into bags, cartons and other packaging formats. By more accurately and expediently filling containers with these materials, dry product fillers can dramatically reduce manufacturing costs and downtime, which naturally leads to a better looking bottom line.

There are several advantages that a dry filling system holds over manual loading and alternative solutions. Using these machines certainly reduces labor costs, as only one operator is needed to feed and manage the packaging material. Additionally, unlike manual filling methods, automatic dry fillers are able to consistently fill at precise levels, which improves product integrity in a steady state. Lastly, dry fillers offer a large degree of flexibility in regards to the materials they’re able to work with; even those that are lightweight, abrasive, corrosive, or easily damaged can be utilized. This allows for a litany of different manufacturing or packaging use cases.

What's more, in recent years, several advances have been made in dry filler technology. Bolstered by years of improvements in computing, modern fillers feature sophisticated sensors that measure product flow and detect when containers are almost at capacity. This allows for precise, quick filling, rendering the need for manual intervention almost negligible. Furthermore, some filling systems are able to integrate and synchronize with material handling systems, allowing for automatic container discharge. The benefits of this integration are quite obvious to anybody in the industry.

There are a few specific types of fillers worth elaborating on. Net weight fillers, also called net weighers, are used in dry filling applications. These machines use load cells beneath each filling station to dispense dry products by exact tare weight. Auger fillers use a rotating screw to dispense products through a tube for even, volumetric distribution, such as powdered milk or granulated sugar. Piece counters are designed to dispense parts or pieces to precise specifications, such as a 50-count screw bag or box. Tablet counters, which are often used in pharmaceutical and nutraceutical packaging operations, dispense a set quantity of tablets into a container. Slat counters are also part of this family of products.

Combination scales, also known as combination weighers and weigh scalers, are another widely used equipment in dry filling. These machines use multiple weighing heads to combine the total product weight in each head to determine that a specified weight has been reached before discharging to a container, such as on a potato chip bag line.

Vibratory fillers are equipment that vibrates to dispense small, dry or granular items. Multiple lanes distribute products from a bulk hopper to a container to reach a specific weight or count, such as in peanut packaging applications. Pocket fillers, also known as cup fillers, are volumetric fillers that dispense dry products such as cat treats or nuts by moving products from a hopper to a defined-size chamber that drops products during filling.

Loss-in-weight filler systems measure how much product has been dispensed by detecting the reduction in weight of a scale-mounted hopper as product exits the hopper.

With so many options and benefits, dry filling technology continues to grow in providing reliable solutions for manufacturers looking to improve their production or packaging lines. Reducing labor costs and production times, while ensuring accuracy and product quality, make dry fillers a clear cut winner that businesses can rely on to remain competitive in a rapidly changing industrial landscape.

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