Changeover
Time, tools, recipe setup, cleaning validation, product loss and operator skill.
Investment planning calculator
Filling machine total cost of ownership calculator.
Model acquisition, installation, annual maintenance, labour and product savings over a selected period, including simple payback where assumptions support it.
TCOPayback modelInvestment comparison
Whole-life comparison
Compare machines on the costs and savings that continue after delivery.
The calculator is a simple planning model. Run several scenarios and verify assumptions with production, engineering and finance before making an investment decision.
- Include installation, integration and change parts.
- Use realistic annual maintenance and consumable costs.
- Quantify labour and product-giveaway savings separately.
- Model downtime, cleaning and future capacity outside the simple calculation.
Costs commonly missed
Build a comparison that reflects the actual production method.
Product giveaway
Average overfill, startup waste, residual product in the path and rejected packs.
Downtime
Fault diagnosis, spares availability, support response, access and maintenance time.
Future capacity
Ability to add nozzles, integrate conveyors or handle new packs without replacing the system.
Downloadable worksheet
Record the assumptions behind the investment case.
The CSV worksheet adds fields for downtime, cleaning, utilities, spares, residual value and risk notes so competing proposals can be compared consistently.
Download TCO worksheet CSVUse three scenarios
- Conservative: lower savings and higher recurring costs
- Expected: evidence-based operating assumptions
- Best case: only where trial data supports it
- Record the source and owner for every key input
Calculation method
How the simple TCO and payback model works.
Upfront cost combines machine and installation. Whole-period cost adds annual maintenance across the selected years. Gross benefits combine labour and material savings. Simple payback divides upfront cost by annual net benefit where that value is positive.
| Upfront cost | Machine and change parts + installation and integration |
| Total cost over period | Upfront cost + annual maintenance × years |
| Gross benefits | (Annual labour saving + annual product saving) × years |
| Simple payback | Upfront cost ÷ (annual labour saving + annual product saving − annual maintenance) |
Technical resource library
Continue your filling-machine project research.
Use the related tools and guides to build a clearer specification before requesting a machine shortlist.
Filler selection matrixCompare suitable dosing principlesCapacity calculatorEstimate packs per minute and shiftOverfill cost calculatorEstimate product giveaway and costFilling-line OEE calculatorModel availability, performance and qualityURS templatePrepare a stronger machine specificationViscosity and product behaviourUnderstand what changes filler choiceUK compliance planningReview documentation and workplace dutiesAbout LancingCompany, support and content approach
FAQs
Filling-machine TCO questions.
Include acquisition, installation, integration, utilities, change parts, training, maintenance, spares, cleaning, labour, product loss, downtime and eventual replacement or disposal.
Not necessarily. A cheaper machine can cost more if it creates extra labour, slow changeovers, higher giveaway, difficult cleaning or longer downtime.
It normally excludes financing, tax, inflation, discounting and the timing of cash flows. Use a qualified financial model for investment decisions.
Model conservative, expected and best-case scenarios and document which assumptions can be validated during a product trial or site study.
Turn the planning work into a practical machine shortlist.
Send your product, fill range, container, output target and available footprint. Lancing UK can compare the most practical filling route before quotation.