1. Product flow
Record viscosity at filling temperature, settling, aeration, foam, stringing, drips and whether the product changes under shear.
Selection tool
Volumetric filler selection matrix.
Compare the main filling principles against product behaviour, particles, dose control, cleaning and typical applications before narrowing a machine shortlist.
Piston vs pumpProduct behaviourMachine selection
Start with the process
Use the matrix to create a shortlist, not to replace a product trial.
A useful selection process combines product behaviour, fill range, pack format, cleaning, output and integration. The matrix highlights likely routes and the questions that still need confirming.
| Filling principle | Product behaviour | Particles | Dose approach | Cleaning focus | Typical shortlist uses |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Volumetric piston | Thin to very thick products; useful where a measured cylinder stroke suits the fill range | Can suit soft particulates where valve, port and nozzle clearances are appropriate | Good route for repeated measured doses; actual result depends on product and setup | Check cylinder, valves, seals, hopper/feed and strip-down method | Sauces, creams, pastes, gels, honey and many general liquids |
| Positive-displacement pump | Wide range depending on pump type; useful for continuous product feed and servo control | Some pump types can handle soft solids; shear and damage need testing | Flexible recipe control when pump displacement is repeatable | Check pump access, product hold-up, seal compatibility and cleaning route | Liquids, oils, lotions, sauces, gels and specialist products |
| Peristaltic pump | Best suited to products that can pass through flexible tubing | Normally unsuitable for significant particles or highly abrasive products | Product contacts the tube, which can simplify changeover for suitable products | Tube life, compatibility and calibration must be managed | Low-volume liquids, flavours, fragrances and products needing a simple product path |
| Vacuum / fill-to-level | Free-flowing liquids in rigid containers | Not intended for particulate or viscous products | Consistent visual level rather than a measured volumetric dose | Product recovery and bottle seal condition are important | Water-like liquids where equal fill height is the priority |
| Volumetric cup | Free-flowing granules and powders with stable bulk density | Particle size and bridging affect flow; not a liquid-filling method | Dose is based on cup volume, so density variation affects weight | Cup access, dust, product flow and changeover should be reviewed | Rice, seeds, pulses, small granules and suitable powders |
The descriptions are planning guidance. Actual machine suitability and performance must be confirmed with representative product, containers and the proposed production arrangement.
Decision sequence
Six checks that prevent a misleading machine comparison.
2. Particles
Record maximum particle size, shape, softness and concentration rather than saying only that a product is “chunky”.
3. Fill range
List the minimum, normal and maximum dose. A very wide range can change cylinder, pump or recipe choices.
4. Container
Confirm opening diameter, height, stability, material and whether nozzle dive or neck centring is needed.
5. Cleaning
Decide whether parts will be removed, flushed, cleaned in place or changed between products and allergens.
6. Complete line
Compare filler cycle time with feeding, capping, labelling, coding, conveying and accumulation.
Downloadable worksheet
Take the comparison into a project meeting.
The CSV version can be opened in Excel or another spreadsheet application and extended with your own products, containers and trial notes.
Use one row per product and pack
- Product name and temperature
- Viscosity and particles
- Fill range and tolerance target
- Container and closure
- Cleaning and changeover
- Target output and integration
Machine families
Move from the selection matrix into the closest machinery category.
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.
Capacity 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 dutiesTotal cost of ownershipCompare cost, savings and paybackAbout LancingCompany, support and content approach
FAQs
Common selection-matrix questions.
A piston or suitable positive-displacement pump is often shortlisted for thicker products, but particles, temperature, shear sensitivity and clean cut-off still need testing.
Usually not without compromises. A broad product range may require different product paths, nozzles, change parts or more than one filling principle.
The opening controls nozzle size, insertion depth, splash risk, particle clearance and whether bottom-up filling is practical.
No. A stable, clean and repeatable fill normally matters before theoretical maximum speed, especially when capping or labelling can become the real bottleneck.
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.
Dosing-method comparison
Compare the measurement principle before selecting the machine format.
No single filling method is strongest for every product. Use the actual product condition, accepted quantity basis, container and cleaning requirement to decide which route deserves a controlled trial.
| Method | Measurement basis | Best-fit conditions | Main variables to test | When to compare another route |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Piston filling | A defined cylinder displacement set by bore and stroke. | Liquids, sauces, creams and pastes that suit positive displacement and an appropriate valve/nozzle path. | Product temperature, feed stability, cylinder range, valve closure, particles, seal compatibility and nozzle cut-off. | Compare a cleaner disposable product path, direct flow measurement or weighing when those are the dominant requirements. |
| Peristaltic filling | A controlled tubing displacement created by pump rotation. | Flowing liquids where a limited product-contact path and tubing change can be useful. | Tubing material and size, compression, product viscosity, pressure, air, calibration and tubing life. | Compare piston or another pump route when viscosity, dose range, pressure or throughput exceeds the practical tubing window. |
| Flowmeter filling | Volume derived from a compatible flow signal. | Stable flowing liquids where the selected meter is compatible with the formulation and production conditions. | Flow profile, temperature, bubbles, conductivity or other sensor requirements, product supply and valve timing. | Compare positive displacement when flow measurement is unstable or the product is highly viscous, aerated or particulate. |
| Time-pressure filling | Flow allowed for a controlled time under a controlled pressure condition. | Suitable free-flowing liquids where viscosity, pressure and supply head can be kept consistent. | Pressure, product level, temperature, viscosity, valve timing, nozzle restriction and start-up condition. | Compare direct displacement or flow measurement when supply conditions change enough to move the delivered quantity. |
| Gear or rotor-pump filling | Pump movement related to an established delivered volume. | Flowing to viscous products that suit the chosen pump geometry and product-contact materials. | Slip, speed, back pressure, shear, particles, priming, feed condition and cleaning access. | Compare piston, peristaltic or another method when product damage, solids, cleanability or the dose range is a stronger constraint. |
| Volumetric cup dosing | A fixed or adjustable cup repeats a defined space. | Free-flowing granules with sufficiently stable bulk density and clean cup filling/discharge. | Loose and settled density, hopper level, vibration, segregation, retention, cup setting and outlet size. | Compare auger or weigh filling when powder flow, density variation or direct mass control dominates. |
| Weigh filling | Mass measured by a weighing system. | Applications where accepted quantity is principally by mass or material density varies. | Feed stages, vibration, product fall, load-cell stability, environmental disturbance and target tolerance. | Compare volumetric dosing when a stable product permits a simpler high-throughput volume-based route. |
| Fill-to-level | A consistent visible liquid level in the container. | Free-flowing liquids where uniform shelf appearance matters and container internal volume may vary. | Container consistency, seal at the nozzle, liquid behaviour, foam, return path and target level. | Compare volumetric filling when the delivered quantity must be controlled independently of container variation. |
Evidence to request from every method
- Representative product at the real operating temperature and condition.
- Smallest and largest dose, container opening and accepted quantity basis.
- Individual results rather than only an average.
- Start-up, steady-running and restart samples.
- Cleaning, change-parts and retained-setting record.
- Observed foam, drip, stringing, particles or product damage.
Keep automation separate from measurement
A manual, semi-automatic or automatic machine can use the same underlying dosing principle. Select the measurement method first, then choose the number of heads, container handling and line controls needed for the target production route.
Compare semi-automatic and automatic filling after the dosing shortlist is technically credible.
Compare methods using the same samples and acceptance basis.
Send the product, container, dose range, target output and tolerance so Lancing UK can identify the methods that deserve a controlled trial.