TurboFil has experience integrating all types of filling technologies into its systems.  Use this chart to give you an idea on the type of machine needed for your application

VOLUMETRIC FILLERS

Filling method for applications that require accurate fill volume (e.g. pharmaceuticals). Also commonly used for high viscosity products such as creams, lotions, pastes and chunky style foods. There are four major types of volumetric fillers: piston pumps, peristaltic pumps, time / pressure pumps and rotary gear pumps.

Piston Pumps — Piston pumps are ideal for filling low, moderate and high viscosity products of 1 liter or less. Self-priming, these pumps provide excellent fill accuracy and are widely used within the pharmaceutical, cosmetic, food and chemical industries.

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• Advantages: accurate fill, can accommodate high viscosity product

• Disadvantages: limited fill volume range, some wear parts

Peristaltic Pumps — Peristaltic pumps are ideal for applications that require clean or sterile fill. Complete disposal of the wetted parts allows for easy cleanup. Best used for moderate to large fill volumes, these pumps provide very good accuracy with flexible operation.

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• Advantages: very sanitary (product only comes in contact with tubing), easy to change fill volume

• Disadvantages: not suited for very low or very high volumes, doesn’t accommodate high viscosity product

Time / Pressure Pumps — Time / Pressure pumps are best for multi-headed machines that require fast filling of low to moderate viscosity liquids. Because the flow rate is not directly controlled, they are best for medium to large fill volumes.

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• Advantages: fast filling, can accommodate wide range of product types, great for multi-headed machines

• Disadvantages: cannot handle high viscosity product, accuracy limited

Rotary Gear Pumps — Rotary Gear pumps serve as an excellent choice for dispensing diagnostic reagents, cosmetics, foods and chemicals. Easy disassembly of wetted parts allows easy fast cleaning. Rotary gear pumps provide very good fill accuracy.

• Advantages: can accommodate wide range of product types, easy to change fill volume, unlimited fill volume range, better accuracy than time / pressure pumps

• Disadvantages: cleaning difficult for hard to clean product

FILL-TO-A-LEVEL (ESTHETIC FILL)

For filling applications that require esthetic look of and even fill level (e.g., cosmetics). All these methods will produce an esthetically even fill level even when the bottles vary in internal volume. Fill-to-a-level techniques are commonly used for cosmetics (perfume filling) when bottles are not even in size and consistent fill level is required.

Vacuum Pumps — Vacuum pumps are a good choice for low viscosity products when bottles are rigid (i.e., glass, rigid plastic or aluminum). They are best used for nail polish, perfumes and oils.

• Advantages: very simple filling method, no pump or moving parts required, easy to clean, very reliable

• Disadvantages: limited to low viscosity products and rigid bottles

Gravity / Overflow — Liquid is fed from an overhead supply hopper with level sensor. This method is a good choice for low viscosity, free flowing liquids or foamy liquids. A low cost system, it is appropriate for medium to large fill volumes.

• Advantages: very simple filling method, no pump or moving parts required, can accommodate wide range of fill volumes

• Disadvantages: limited to low viscosity products, product needs to be pumped to overhead supply hopper, can be slow for higher viscosities

Pressure / Overflow — Similar to gravity / overflow but liquid is pressurized with a pump instead of gravity flow. Pump can be centrifugal, diaphragm, gear, etc. depending on the volumes and accuracy required. This method is a good choice for medium to large volumes; there is no need for a supply hopper.

• Advantages: fast filling for high volume fill, can accommodate wide range of fill volume and viscosities

• Disadvantages: cleaning difficult for hard to clean product, not recommended for foamy product