[Engineering]
Filling Line Layout and Design for Your Factory
Send your floor plan and photos on WhatsApp. We review how the process flow, access and utilities fit the room and include that in your line proposal.
[01]
Information Needed for a Layout Review
A layout review is part of preparing your line proposal. Send what you have; rough figures are enough to start.
- A floor plan or a hand sketch of the room with its main dimensions, including ceiling height and any columns or low beams.
- Photos of the area where the line would stand and of the route from the loading door to that area.
- Door, corridor and lift dimensions on that route, and the floor condition or load limits if you know them.
- Where power and compressed air are available, and the voltage and phase of the supply.
- Machines you already own that must stay in the line, with their position and the container height they work at.
- Where product arrives from (tank, drum or hopper) and where finished cases leave the room.
- The product, container and closure details from the RFQ checklist, because they set the equipment and the footprint.
[02]
Process Flow and Equipment Boundaries
Most container lines move the same way: containers enter, are filled, closed, labeled and coded, then leave for packing. Which steps are machines and which stay manual is up to you (see how to choose a filling line).
A quotation for one machine does not automatically include the units around it, so write down where one unit ends and the next begins. The cost guide shows how to compare quotations on the same scope.
- 1
Container feeding
Bottles or jars reach the line by hand loading, an unscrambler or an existing conveyor.
[To be assessed] - 2
Filling
The filler doses product into each container; its type follows how the product behaves.
[To be assessed] - 3
Capping
Caps are placed and tightened, or pressed on, depending on the closure.
[To be assessed] - 4
Labeling
Labels or sleeves are applied on the sides the design requires.
[To be assessed] - 5
Coding and inspection
Batch coding and checks are added where the project needs them.
[Optional] - 6
Discharge and packing
Finished containers leave the line to a table, case packer or the packing area.
[By customer]
[03]
Interfaces Between Machines
These points follow the integration principles published on linevopack.com. They affect how much room the connections need, as well as the machines.
- Transfer heights, directions and container orientation must match between units, or containers tip and jam at the handover.
- Machines exchange signals such as run, stop, full, empty and reject. Agree which unit controls each one.
- A line runs at the rate of its slowest or most stop-prone unit, so compare units on the same product and container.
- Leave buffer space or accumulation between units, so a short stop in one place does not stop the whole line.
- Decide who supplies each unit and who coordinates acceptance of the combined process.
[04]
Dimensions, Access and Utilities
- Clearance around each machine for operation, cleaning and maintenance, not only the machine outline.
- The way into the room, including door width and height, corridors, lift size and the floor load along the route.
- Floor condition at the machine position, including levelness and any drains.
- Power at each position (voltage, phase and frequency), and compressed air.
- Vacuum or nitrogen, where a machine needs it.
- Space beside the line for stored caps, labels and packaging material.
[05]
Material and Operator Movement
A line that fits on paper can still be awkward to run. Mark where containers, caps, labels and cartons come in, where operators stand to load and clear stops, and where finished cases leave.
Keep walkways clear of forklift and pallet routes. Leave room to reach the filler and the labeler for changeovers and cleaning, and a place to put change parts while a format is swapped.
If product is supplied from a tank or drum, note the distance and height to the filler. Long or uphill transfers affect the product supply and should be reviewed with the line.
[06]
What the Layout Review Covers
Layout review of the proposed line against your floor plan
Part of preparing the line proposal.
[Included]Concept layout showing equipment positions and flow
A concept for discussion until you confirm the configuration.
[Included]Optional equipment that changes the footprint, such as buffering, coding or inspection
[Optional]Upstream product preparation, such as tanks, mixing and transfer to the filler
Depends on the product and what you already have.
[To be assessed]Utilities supply to each machine position
Power, compressed air and any vacuum or nitrogen.
[By customer]Building and civil works, floor preparation, doors and lifting access
[By customer]Final construction drawings approved for building permits
A concept layout is not a permit or construction drawing.
[Excluded]
[07]
Concept Layout Versus Final Design
The first layout is a concept. It shows equipment positions, flow direction and main clearances so you can judge whether the line fits. Concept drawings are not to scale, and they are not final until the configuration is confirmed in the quotation.
Final dimensions follow the agreed equipment list. A change to the product, container, output target or optional equipment can move machines, so send changes as soon as you know them.
Building work, floor preparation and utility connections up to each machine position are done on your side. The installation checklist on linevopack.com lists what to prepare before delivery.
[Sources]
- LINEVO integration principles: slowest-step balancing, explicit interface boundaries, transfer heights and machine signals. linevopack.com/solutions
- LINEVO site readiness list: layout drawing, access route, floor condition, utilities and connected equipment. linevopack.com/services/installation-and-training
- LINEVO description of container line flow from feeding to labeling and coding. linevopack.com/machines/labeling
Layout Questions
- 01Do I need a scaled drawing?
- No. A hand sketch with main dimensions and a few photos is enough to start. A scaled drawing helps later, once the configuration is agreed.
- 02Is the layout review separate from the proposal?
- No, it is part of preparing the line proposal. Send the floor plan in the same WhatsApp conversation as the product and container details.
- 03Is the concept layout final?
- No, it is a concept for discussion. Dimensions and positions are fixed once the equipment list in the quotation is agreed.
- 04What if my room is small?
- Say so and give the dimensions. The review looks at whether the process steps fit the space, and which steps could stay manual or move elsewhere.
- 05Who prepares utilities and the building?
- You do, up to each machine position: power, compressed air, floor preparation and access.
[Request]
Send Your Floor Plan
Send a floor plan or a few photos of the room on WhatsApp, with the main dimensions, and mark where power and air come in. Add the route in from the loading door and your product and container details. Nothing is uploaded through this website.
[Related pages]
- HomePlan a filling, capping and labeling line around your product, container, target output and floor space. Settle the stations and the scope before you ask for a quotation.
- RFQ ChecklistPrepare these details once and send them in one WhatsApp conversation. If a value is not known yet, write "not decided". A clear gap helps more than a guess.