[Buying guides]
How to Choose a Filling Line for Your Product
Work from the product and package to the output you need, then decide what is automatic and check the space.
Last updated 4 October 2026
Start with How the Product Behaves
The product narrows the filling method more than anything else, so describe how it behaves on the line, not only its name.
- Thin liquids and thick products are dosed differently, and thick ones drip or string.
- Foaming, particles and crystals affect nozzle choice, fill speed and cleaning.
- Honey, sauces and oils change viscosity with temperature, so state the temperature at the filling point.
- Say whether the hopper must be heated or agitated, or whether you need hot fill.
- If the line will run more than one product, say how it is cleaned between them.
Match the Container and Closure
Product and container go together: the container decides how it is held, filled, capped and labeled.
- Bottle or jar material, shape, height, diameter and neck finish.
- Fill volume and the headspace you need.
- Cap type (screw, flip-top, pump, press-on) and size, with any liner or inner seal.
- Label type and number of sides, since labeling is a station of its own.
- Every container and closure you will run, not just the first one.
Set the Required Good Output
State output as good containers per shift, with the unit written down. Three different numbers are often confused.
| Term | What it means | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Machine speed | The rate one machine can run while it is running. | One machine under ideal running conditions. |
| Line output | The rate of the whole line while it is running. | Set by the slowest or most stop-prone unit, not the fastest. |
| Good output | Containers that pass, per shift, after stops, changeovers and rejects. | The number your business actually depends on. |
Decide the Automation Boundary
List each step and decide whether it stays manual: loading containers, placing caps, labeling, coding, inspection and packing. Manual steps lower the equipment cost and raise the labor you need on every shift.
The boundary also sets the interfaces. Every automatic step needs a handover to the next one, with matching heights and signals such as run, stop, full, empty and reject.
If you are unsure, say which steps you would automate first. That is enough for us to propose a configuration.
Check Space and Utilities
- Floor area or a sketch of the room, ceiling height, doors and walkways.
- Route into the room for each machine, including door and lift dimensions.
- Power at the machine positions, with voltage, phase and frequency.
- Compressed air and, where needed, vacuum or nitrogen.
- Room for buffering between units, stored materials and operator access.
Define Scope and Responsibilities
Quotations are only comparable when the scope is equal, and the cost guide has a comparison table. A machine specification alone does not describe the output of a complete line, so agree the product, formats and acceptance measurements for the whole combination.
- Which units are in the quotation, and which are optional.
- What stays with you, such as utilities, floor, lifting and product for commissioning.
- Who coordinates acceptance of the combined line.
- Which formats are included and how changeovers are documented.
- Installation, commissioning and training arrangements.
- How the output is defined and checked, such as good containers over a timed run.
Build Your WhatsApp Brief
Collect the answers from the steps above: product, container and closure, labels, target output or "not decided", automation boundary, space and utilities, existing equipment, country and timeline. The RFQ checklist lists each field.
Send them in one WhatsApp conversation with photos of the container and a sketch of the room. We reply in that chat. Every line is configured and built to order.
[Sources]
- LINEVO guidance on slowest-step balancing, formats and system-level acceptance checks. linevopack.com/solutions
- LINEVO guidance to define product and container as a pair and to separate the filler from the complete line. linevopack.com/machines/filling
Selection Questions
- 01Where should I start choosing a filling line?
- With the product and container. They decide the filling method, closure handling and labeling, before output or budget is discussed.
- 02What is the difference between machine speed and good output?
- Machine speed is what one machine does while running. Good output is the containers that pass per shift after stops, changeovers and rejects. Base your target on good output.
- 03Should I automate every step?
- Not necessarily. Each automatic step adds equipment and interfaces; each manual step adds labor. Decide the boundary from your volume, labor and space.
- 04What if I do not know my target output?
- Write "not decided". Give the product, the container and how many shifts you plan, and we can talk through options with you.
- 05Can I add stations later?
- Possibly, if the layout leaves room and the controls allow it. Say so in your brief so the configuration can plan for it.
[Request]
Prepare Your Requirements on WhatsApp
Start the chat on WhatsApp with the main fields prefilled, then add what you decided in the steps above: product, container, output target and automation boundary.
[Keep planning]
- 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.
- Liquid Filling LinesDefine the liquid and the container first; the filling, capping and labeling stations follow from that.
- Paste Filling LinesHow a paste fills depends on its temperature, its particles and how it is fed. Tell us how it behaves at filling temperature and we configure the line around that.
- Line LayoutSend 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.
- 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.