Syrup filling machine has both capping and labeling capabilities.

This provides a complete pharmaceutical packaging solution for many industries that need to package syrup products.

In this guide, we will discuss the uses, benefits and different types of this machine.

I will also highlight essential factors when purchasing the machine, among other areas.

Syrup filling machine

Uses of Liquid Syrup Filling Machine

These machines are very important in the current industrial world, where population explosion has greatly increased the demand for goods.

It offers an opportunity for fast, accurate, cost-effective and safe product filling with minimum wastage.

Some of the varieties are fully automated, providing minimum human contact with the products, thus reducing product contamination during the process.

Apart from these, the machine has managed to reduce the cost of labor for most industries.

This is because it does almost all tasks previously performed by human resource, especially if it is an automated one.

There are several applications of these machines.

Let us now explore the applications of these machines in the agricultural, pharmaceutical and automobile industries.

Other areas of application that we will look at include cosmetics, construction, and food processing industries, among others.

Oral syrup filling machine

Agricultural Industry

In this industry, the machine is essential in filling agricultural chemicals like pesticides, herbicides, and liquid fertilizers.

Pharmaceutical Industry

The use of this equipment is also applicable to pharmaceutical companies.

They use it to fill and seal syrups like cough syrup, anti-Bacterial soaps, dental gels, and thick creamy medicine.

Herbal supplements are also packaged using oral syrup filling machine.

Cosmetic Industry

They use it to fill thick creams for facial cleansing, gels, shampoo, conditioners, facial scrubbing creams, body lotions, and glycerin.

Automotive Industry

Lubrication, lamp, and motor oils are also filled using this technology.

Bottled Water Companies

Water is filled into bottles of the half, one, 1.5 and 2 liters or even larger containers using these filling machines.

Food Industry

Companies producing foodstuffs in liquid form also use the syrup filler.

For example, chocolate syrup, coffee flavoring, sodas, yogurt, milk, sources, juice, and wine are packaged by these liquid filling machines.

Others are energy drinks, cooking oil, honey, infant formula, and essential oils.

Construction Industry

Products like paint, silicone, sealants, superglue also depend on this technology for filing of them.

Detergent Processing Industry

This machine is used in filling liquid soap, air fresheners, eyeglass cleaner, floor polish, and wax.

Hand cleaners, other household cleanings, and washing detergents also use this application.

Benefits of Syrup Filling Machine

This equipment has become very useful in the current fast-growing economic world.

Most industries processing liquid product have adopted it for various reasons, although it has some setbacks just like other machines. In fact, there has been significant developments in automatic liquid filling line machines.

Below are some of the benefits that the syrup filling machine offers to its users.

Liquid filling machine

• It is cost-effective since human labour is reduced, especially for the automated machine, where the filling is entirely mechanized. The machine has different parts for bottle handling and positioning.
• It also has a conveyor system, filling nozzles, filling engines, product delivery system and ejector.
• This machine is very efficient, and therefore, it helps industries get their packaging done faster.
• With large orders, the machine can fill many containers to meet the required quantity of products on time.
• Most of these fillers can have an easy changeover, which makes them ideal for use in packaging different products. By changing the head, you have a new filler, and you can proceed with filling different products in different quantities.
• The machine can fill high, medium and low viscosity liquids.
• It can be used to fill products ranging from water to thick oils like motor and lubricant oils.
• It can work well with many types of container like glass, plastic, which have either round or squared bottom shapes.
• The filling process yields accurate quantities as predetermined in the machine.
• Therefore, there is no over-filling or under-filling of products once the machine calibration is done correctly.
• When the machine is fully automated, it has a programmable control system with a touch screen.
• This helps in quickly altering the filling specifications so that you can continue with the filling process.
• For instance, if you want to change the filling rate, filling volume or net weight of the product being filled.
• The use of these machines guarantees hygiene and safety of the products and its operators.
• Due to reduced human contact with the products, contamination is minimized.
• The machines are also made in such a way that accidents during filling are reduced to a mere minimum if any.
• This machine is easy to set, operate, clean and maintain.
• The automatic and semi-automatic machine store information that can be retrieved for future use.
• It is easy to monitor the filling rate of a product through the screen as the filling process continues.
• This helps in determining the quantity of the product that can be filled within a specified period.
• Therefore, the machine operator can easily plan for delivery of the orders that they might have received from their customers.
• It is made from stainless steel.
• This makes it ideal for packaging many products, including foodstuffs.
• The machine is resistant to rust, corrosion, and stain.

Types of Syrup Filling Machines

There are currently many types of syrup filling machines in the market.

Different fillers fulfill different products filling needs.

The most common determining factor creating the difference in the filling need for these machines is mainly the product viscosity.

Other factors in play include the type of container to be used and the desired fill rate of a particular product.

Syrup

The different types of syrup filling machine include:

• Time Gravity Liquid Syrup Filling Machine
• Fill to Level Syrup Filling Machine
• Volumetric Syrup Filling Machine
• Peristaltic Syrup Filling Machine
• Net Weight Syrup Filling Machine
• Piston Syrup Filling Machine.

1. Gravity Liquid Syrup Filling Machine

This machine is mostly recommended for liquids with thin viscosity which doesn’t change with ambient temperatures or product batches variation.

Benefits of Gravity Liquid Syrup Filling Machine

• It is suitable for liquids with thin viscosity like water since these products fill at a very high rate.
• This machine is the most cost-effective of all syrup filling machines.
• It works faster, with accuracy and minimum wastage.
• This makes the entire filling process cheap and can yield good returns to the industry within a short time.
• It is recommended for corrosive chemicals like acid, which is harmful to human beings.
• Contact between human and the product is minimized, thereby reducing the harm the product can cause to the machine operator.

Also, reduced spillage during filing reduces the effect of the corrosive chemical product on the environment.

Disadvantages of Gravity Liquid Syrup Filling Machine

• Can be used by a limited range of products only.
• For example, it is ideal for thin viscous liquids like water but cannot be used to fill products like creams.
• Fluid path and nozzle actuation present very dynamic characteristics that usually change over time.
• Therefore, the machine operator must make adjustments to the machine’s stored parameters quite often, unlike in other technologies.

Parts of Gravity Liquid Syrup Filling Machine

This filling machine has five different parts.

They include a bulk supply tank, transfer pump, Product tank, programmable touch screen panel, and electrically activated pneumatic valve.

Each of these parts performs different functions for the entire filling process to be successful.

We shall now examine each part with its functions.

Gravity liquid syrup filling machine

Bulk supply tank

This part of the machine is where the products are loaded in readiness for the filling process.

The product gets transferred to the product tank from this point.

Transfer pump

When pumping is done, it creates a force that pushes the product from the bulk supply to the product tank.

Product tank

This part is located above the pneumatic valve.

It is where the product settles once it has been pumped from the bulk supply.

The product trickles down to the container through the valve from this part of the machine.

A programmable touch screen panel

This is the part of the machine where settings on how the machine is supposed to be run are predetermined.

The number of rotations and quantity are pre-entered here.

The rate of product filling can also be monitored at this point of the machine.

Electrically activated pneumatic valve

The product flows to the container placed below it.

Each valve is individually timed to fill the container accurately.

This helps in reducing product wastage during the filling process.

Working Principles of Gravity Liquid Syrup Filling Machine

This machine has a programmable touch screen panel where machine settings are done before it is run.

Working of Gravity Liquid Syrup Filling Machine – Photo courtesy: Inline filling systems

Products are loaded into the bulk supply tank, then pumped from the bulk supply to the products tank located above the pneumatic valve.

The valves are individually timed by the filler’s master computer.

This timing ensures an accurate quantity of the products flows by gravity into the containers.

Once a container is filled with the desired quantity, the next empty container is conveyed below the valve for filling.

The process continues like this until all containers are filled as planned by the operator.

Uses of gravity liquid syrup filling machine

Bottled water companies widely use this filling machine to fill bottles of different sizes and shapes with drinking water.

Food processing companies also use it to fill milk, juice, and soda into a glass and plastic containers of different sizes.

Liquid soap and eyeglass cleaners are also filled using this machine by detergent manufacturing companies.

It is also used in filling alcohol, ink, specialty chemicals, paint, wine, and corrosive chemicals like acid.

2. Fill to Level Syrup Filling Machine

This is the most commonly used type of machine for filling and capping of syrups.

It can be used to fill liquids with low and medium viscosity.

Besides, it can as well be used in filling liquids with solid particles less than 1/16 inches.

Fill to level syrup machine

Benefits of Fill to Level Syrup Filling Machine

• It can be used to fill small bottles.
• This machine can handle numerous ranges of thin, free-flowing and other liquids with medium viscosity.
• The machine performs very efficiently.
• Since the liquids it can fill have low and medium viscosity, the rate of filling these products is relatively high.
• It is easy to clean and maintain.
• This machine is easy to operate.
• Machine is cost-effective. The machine can be manipulated to fill and cap numerous syrup products at a very low cost.
• It is ideal for foamy products since it operates on a closed-loop basis.

Disadvantages of Fill to Level Syrup Filling Machine

• This machine isn’t good for products with a viscosity of more than 25,000 centipoises or more than 1/16 inches particulates.
• It is also not very ideal for filling large containers.

Parts of Fill to Level Syrup Filling Machine

This machine has two sides.

They include the supply side and the return side.

Pumping of the products is done on the supply side.

The excess products are passed to the return side and then brought back to the supply side.

These two sides have six different parts that perform different functions in the entire filling process.

They include:

Product feed overflow tank

This is where products are loaded in readiness to be pumped to the main-fold for filling.

Process pump

This is responsible for pumping the products to the main-fold.

Main-fold

Keeps the product before it trickles down into the bottle through the valve.

Filling quantities are predetermined from the main-fold tank to the pneumatic valve, then into the bottles through the valve.

Exchangeable transfer stars

This guides the bottles to the pneumatic jacks where there is a valve for filling the product.

Valve

This is the part that feeds the product into the containers.

This takes place either through force of gravity or under negative pressure filling.

Plate Conveyor

It is the part through which the containers enter the machine.

The bottles are held at their necks in the process of passing through the machine in the conveyor.

Working Principles of Fill to Level Syrup Filling Machine

Containers are loaded into the exchangeable transfer star, which guides them to the pneumatic valve through a conveyor.

The product is poured into the product feed overflow tank and then pumped to the main-fold.

The machine then does the filling to a predetermined quantity into the container.

The syrup products are pumped into the containers through a two nozzle located at the supply side of the machine.

Upon filling the container to the desired level, the excess syrup is forced out.

These excess products then returned to the syrup source in readiness to fill the subsequent containers.

Uses of Fill to Level Syrup Filling Machine

The syrups that normally use this technology include sauces, medicine syrups, water, light gels, and shampoo.

Form cleansers and other chemicals are also filled using this machine.

In addition to these, vinegar and oils have also found this machine important.

3. Volumetric Syrup Filling Machine

This filler machine fills by volume and not by weight or level. It is capable of filling various products, ranging from water to heavy oils.

They are available in the market in two different types: Automatic and Semi-automatic volumetric filling machine.

Volumetric liquid syrup filling machine

Benefits of Volumetric Syrup Filling Machine

• It can fill high, medium and low viscosity liquids.
• It works at a relatively high speed than fill by weight machine and is therefore used by many industries. It can contain up to a maximum of 20,000 units per hour.
• This machine can work with any bottle, glass or plastic.
• It provides accurate filling of liquids, thus reducing product wastage. This results in good returns for the industry.
• Product volume can be moved quickly and in a repeatable manner.
• The products are safe from contamination since human contact with the products is minimized.
• This machine is easy to clean, operate and maintain.

Disadvantages of Volumetric Syrup Filling Machine

The machine is expensive to purchase, posing a challenge to small scale liquid producers.

Parts of Volumetric Syrup Filling Machine

It has six different parts, which include: product tank, PLC and touch screen panel, a machine platform, a nozzle, and an alarm. Let us see how each part functions.

Product tank

This is the tank that receives the liquid before filling commences.

PLC and Touch screen

This is the interface for machine calibration. It displays all the product filling settings.

The touch screen is where all the settings are entered.

The product is filled according to the volumes or weight pre-determined on the screen.

Machine platform

This is where containers to be filled are placed just below the nozzle.

In a motor-operated system where syringes fill the desired volumes into the containers, there is a provision of bottle guide.

This helps in ensuring that the container is at the centre of the nozzle to avoid product wastage.

Nozzle

This is the part through which the products are filled into the containers.

Alarm

It alerts the operator about any faults during the filling process so that s/he can stop the machine.

Working Principle of Volumetric Syrup Filling Machine

The process starts when you manually place the containers below the nozzle.

Sometimes, when the machine is automated, the motor-operated system guides the bottles to be placed at the centre of the nozzle.

The products are loaded into the product tank and the machine is adjusted on the touch screen.

Ensure to check the settings like the volume and filling rate on the screen before you begin the filling process.

When switched on, the product will flow from the tank to the containers through the nozzle.

Uses of Volumetric Syrup Filling Machine

This machine is used to package syrup, milk, water, glycerin, juice wine liquor, and shampoo.

Lotions, liquid soaps, lubricant oil, motor oil, essential oils, cleaning chemicals, and cooking oils also use this filling technology.

4. Peristaltic Syrup Filling Machines

These machines are used in filling small volumes at a very high speed.

It is highly recommended for aqueous and liquids with light viscosity.

It is made up of a product supply tank, peristaltic pump, motor, surgical tubing, and a digital rotation encoder.

The machine has a filler master computer used to monitor the quantity of the product that has been delivered. This computer also stores all the filling parameters to create ease in changeover.

It is a preference by most pharmaceutical companies.

Peristaltic filling machine

Benefits of Peristaltic Syrup Filling Machine

• It can easily be cleaned thus reducing cross-contamination problems.
• For volumes less than 1 ml, it is possible to achieve an accuracy of between ±0.5 – 1%.
• The fluid path can be disposed and another put in place if there is need.

Disadvantages of Peristaltic Syrup Milling machine

Accuracy may not be achieved with liquids of volumes more than 1ml.

Parts of Peristaltic Syrup Filling Machine

Product supply tank

This is the tank where the products are placed in readiness for filling into containers.

Peristaltic pumps

It is a pump that prompts the force that pushes the product through to the tubing into the delivery area.

Surgical/product tubing

The product passes through it to the nozzle where filling takes place into the containers.

Computer controller

It has a program installed in it that aids in tracking the number of rotations.

The computer can also store all the parameters in the memory for easy and faster change-over.

Motor

It generates the force that drives the entire machine to operate as desired.

Digital rotation encoder

This part helps in transforming the machine operation information like speed and compression from one format to another.

The transformation of this information is important to make it easy for the computer to understand and use.

Working Principles of Peristaltic Syrup Filling Machine

The product is loaded into the supply tank and the machine settings adjusted accordingly.

When turned on, the motor rotates the machines and the digital encoder shows the number of rotations.

It makes intermittent contact with the outer parts of the surgical/ product tubing.

The product remains in contact with the inside part of the tubing as filling takes place into the container.

The computer controller helps to track the number of rotations.

This helps the operator to determine the quantity of the products already delivered into containers.

Uses of Peristaltic Syrup Filling Machine

• Used to fill pharmaceutical products like cough syrups.
• Also used in filling fragrances, essential oils, reagents, inks, dye, and specialty chemicals.

5. Net Weight Syrup Filling Machine

This is a machine that uses a weight scale to monitor the quantity of the products filled into the containers.

The machines can either be automated or semi-automated.

This machine is relevant for products that are sold when labeled by weight.

Net weight syrup filling machine

Benefits of Net Weight Syrup Filling Machine

• It is suitable for filling large containers like gallons and 20-litre jerry-cans.
• The machine is user-friendly and can easily be mastered by operators.
• This equipment has an emergency stop push button that can be used to stop the machine in case faults are detected.

Disadvantages of Net Weight Syrup Filling Machine

• Cannot be used for filling small containers.
• This type of filling machine is very costly per filling head.
• The machine provides a relatively slower method of filling in comparison to other types of filling machines.

Parts of Net Weight Syrup Filling Machine

Bulk supply tank

This is where the liquid is loaded.

Product tank

The liquid is pumped here awaiting the filling process into the containers.

Pneumatic Valve

The product flows to the container placed below it through this part.

Working Principles of Net Weight Syrup Filling Machine

Load the products into the bulk supply tank.

Using a PLC touch screen, create the filling interface to determine the points for the fill.

Each container uses its own pre-set weight.

You can now pump the product up into the holding tank above the pneumatically operated valve.

This process prompts the opening of the pneumatic valve.

The machine operator monitors the real weight information until it achieves the target weight.

When the target weight is achieved for a container, it moves from the valve centre.

This provides an opportunity for the next container to be presented under the valve to undergo the same process.

Accuracy of a filling happens with numerous bulk and dribble methods in the filling process.

This helps in avoiding overfills into the containers.

Uses of Net Weight Syrup Filling Machine

This machine is ideal for products that require bulk filling into big containers like gallons pails and 20-litre Jerricans. Examples of such products are water, shampoo, solvents, alcohol, paints, and ink.

Sometimes, products that have very high manufactured value also find this machine useful.

For example, specialty chemicals and corrosive chemicals like acid and bleach.

It’s highly recommended for liquid intended to be filled into transparent containers since it promotes equal container level filling.

6. Piston Syrup Filling Machine

This is one of the most reliable syrup filling machines. It has been used for a very long time by many liquid packaging companies.

This machine is very ideal for thick creamy or chunky products with large particles.

Piston pump syrup filling machine

Benefits Piston Syrup Filling Machine

• It is less expensive as compared to other syrup filling machines.
• It is efficient even with fairly thick products.
• Each piston filling machine can work with many cylinders of different sizes.
• This is because it can accommodate different container volumes.
• This machine is made from stainless steel, which meets the required food and chemical grade standards.
• It is therefore resistant to pitting and corrosion.
• The products are also safe when packaged using it.
• Whether manual or automated piston filling machine, they are all easy to operate, clean and maintain.
• It has both rotary or ball check valves. Single and dual station piston provides customers with an opportunity to choose between rotary and ball check valves.
• This choice is influenced by the specific filling needs of the industry.

Disadvantages of Piston Syrup Filling Machine

• This technology is slowly fading away due to the emergence of servo positive displacement fillers.
• The machine is costly to purchase.
• Takes a longer time to carry out the changeover and cleaning.

Parts of Piston Syrup Filling Machine

Cylinder

The products are loaded in this part of the machine so that they can be pushed into the rotary valve.

Piston

This is the part that when drawn back, the product is sucked into the cylinder.

When it is drawn out of the cylinder, the products are pushed down the nozzle into the container below.

Rotary valve

Rotary valve changes its position so that the products are pushed out of the nozzle into the container.

The valve closes the way to the nozzle when the piston is drawn into the cylinder.

When the piston is drawn outwardly from the cylinder, it gives way for the product to pass to the container.

Nozzle

The nozzle is the part through which the products are delivered into the containers.

It aids in filling of the products.

Working Principles of Piston Syrup Filling Machine

The piston is drawn into the cylinder, providing an opportunity for the products to be sucked.

The process of sucking the products into the cylinder prompts the shifting of the rotary valve’s position.

The rotary valve closes the way to the nozzle when the piston is drawn into the cylinder.

But when the piston is drawn from the cylinder in an outward direction, the rotary valve gives way.

The product then gets the opportunity to pass through the nozzle into the container below it.

Uses of Piston Syrup Filling Machine

Piston syrup filling machine is mostly used for packaging heavy sources, cosmetic creams, heavy shampoo, gels, and conditioners. In addition to these, paste cleaners, waxes adhesive, heavy oils and lubricants are also packaged using this technology.

Factors to Consider when Buying Syrup Filling Machine

Here are six basic guiding principles that can lead you to purchase the right machine for the liquid you are producing.

In addition to these, we will also look at how automatic technology influences the purchase of the machines.

        i. Viscosity of Syrup

It is very important to be in a position to understand the fundamentals of the product you are producing.

This is because it will help you choose the right filler machine that can package it efficiently and accurately.

Syrup medicine

Some products are watery, semi-viscous, extremely viscous or even heavy-viscous.

The different characteristics of the liquids make them have needs for different liquid filling machines.

The product viscosity impact many areas like metering system type, fill rate and other crucial variables within the production equation.

Therefore, there is a big achievement in identifying the product viscosity before purchasing a liquid filling machine in the industry.

For example, piston filling machine is more ideal for thick products.

On the other hand, viscous products are better filled using gravity syrup filling equipment.

        ii. Type of Filling Container

Finding the right filling equipment for your product requires consideration for the type of container you intend to use.

You can opt for containers that are glass, can, or plastics, clear or opaque.

Syrup filling bottles

Some of these containers may be round or square, tall or short with either small or large openings.

Others could be stable or unstable bottles.

For example, industries using clear glass containers may decide to take advantage of level fillers.

This is because this machine will fill all containers to the same level.

The type of container influences the choice of machine because some products can only be packaged into specifically big or small containers.

Containers that have a unique cap cannot be filled using a machine that grabs the bottle from the top.

This is so because it will lead to the spilling of products.

Similarly, containers that are too wide may not work well with filling equipment that gets hold of the container sides. Also, machines designed to fill aluminum cans cannot fill bottles.

Therefore, whatever the nature of the container you intend to use, the filling machine must be compatible with it. Otherwise, the whole process may not be efficient, economical, safe and accurate.

        iii.Rate of Syrup Filling

This is the number of containers being filled per minute, an hour or per production shift.

Different filling machines have different liquid filling rates.

However, other variables determine the fill rate of the product in question.

These variables include liquid viscosity, type of the container and fill volume.

Apart from these, metering system types being used by the machine operator is also an additional variable.

For example, less viscous products like water and soda can be filled using a machine like gravity syrup filling machine.

      iv. Syrup Filling Technology

Currently, there are a number of syrup filling equipment in the market. There is manual, semi-automatic and automatic equipment.

Syrup filling technology

Some machines have container conveyors, Computer control systems with PLC and a touch screen, printers, and pneumatic valves.

Some work at a very high-speed filling rate with an accuracy of about ± 0.5%.

The machines are made from stainless steel that makes it resistant to rust, stain, and corrosion.

Syrup filling machines like piston are outdated and are currently being replaced by servo positive displacement fillers.

        v. Automation Technology

This technology is providing an opportunity to accomplish almost all the tasks with less effort and minimum time possible.

It can fill both vials and bottles depending on the need of the liquid producing industry.

The machine has a programmable PLC control system which stores memory of information.

It can be adjusted to different volumes so that a variety of liquid quantity filling can be done.

It fills at a relatively high speed in comparison to either manual or semi-automatic ones.

The filling range of this machine is between 5 ml to 10 liters.

Its output is also relatively high, ranging from 20-120 bottles per minute or 1200-7200 bottles per hour.

This machine has conveyors for containers and is suitable even for products containing particles like food.

Quality Compliance of Liquid Syrup Filling Machine

The best qualities of this filling machine must have a GMP requirement or CE certificate of approval.

It must possess the computer control system where settings are done and information memory can be stored.

This will enable the operator to use the machine to fill varied volumes and retrieve the filling parameters information later.

It should operate at a relatively high speed to yield good returns.

The more containers the equipment can fill per hour, the better for the industry.

Also, a good machine should have a product tank, pneumatic valve, and a container conveyor.

Lastly, the equipment should be made from stainless steel and should be easy to operate, clean and maintain.

Conclusion

Syrup filling machines have become very relevant in today’s industrial world.

They have provided solutions to filling of liquids at a faster rate, accurately and reliably.

This has resulted in good returns for industries dealing in these products.

These machines can fill low, medium, and highly viscous fluids.

For this reason, it provides an opportunity for industries to explore and purchase machines that are suitable for a specific need.