Cup Filling Machine

A cup filling machine is a specialized packaging machine designed to accurately and efficiently fill pre-formed cups with various liquid, semi-liquid, granular, or powdered products. After filling, the machine typically seals the cups with a lid (heat seal, snap-on, or foil), ensuring product integrity and hygiene.

Types of Cup Filling Machine

Rotary Cup Filling Machines: Products are fed onto a rotating turntable that moves them through various stations (cup loading, filling, sealing, ejection). High speed and continuous operation.

Linear Cup Filling Machines: Cups move in a straight line through the different processing stations. Suitable for lower to medium speeds, and often more flexible for different cup sizes.

Automatic Cup Filling Machines: Fully automated, handling cup loading, filling, sealing, and ejection without manual intervention.

Semi-Automatic Cup Filling Machines: Require manual placement of cups, with the machine performing filling and sealing.

Volumetric Cup Fillers: Measure product by volume (e.g., piston fillers for liquids, auger fillers for powders).

Gravimetric (Weight) Cup Fillers: Measure product by weight for higher accuracy, often used for high-value or inconsistent density products.

Liquid/Paste Fillers: Designed for yogurt, juice, sauces, creams, jams.

Powder/Granule Fillers: For coffee, spices, sugar, cereals, snacks.

Combo Fillers: Can handle multiple types of products or multiple filling stations for different ingredients.

Applications in Various Industries

Food & Beverage Industry: Widely used for dairy products (yogurt, milk, cheese spreads), desserts, juices, sauces, soups, coffee, instant noodles, snacks, and ready meals. Focus on hygiene, precise filling, and rapid production.

Pharmaceutical Industry: Filling powders, creams, gels, and liquids into sterile cups or containers. Strict hygiene and accuracy are critical.

Cosmetics & Personal Care: Filling creams, lotions, gels, shampoos, and conditioners into cups and jars.

Chemical Industry: Filling industrial pastes, greases, or granular chemicals.

Technology: 

Key technologies include:

Filling Mechanisms: Piston pumps, gear pumps, peristaltic pumps (for liquids/pastes); auger fillers, vibratory fillers (for powders/granules).

Sealing Technology: Heat sealing (for foil or plastic lids), induction sealing, snap-on lid applicators.

Sanitization: CIP (Clean-in-Place) systems for liquid fillers, UV sterilization for cups/lids, laminar flow hoods for aseptic filling.

Automation & Control: PLCs (Programmable Logic Controllers), servo motors for precise control of filling volume and speed, HMI (Human Machine Interface) touchscreens for easy operation and recipe management.

Sensors: Cup presence sensors, fill level sensors, cap detection sensors for quality control.

Material Selection Considerations

• Product Contact Parts: Primarily food-grade stainless steel (SUS304, SUS316, often electropolished) for all parts that come into contact with the product, ensuring hygiene, corrosion resistance, and easy cleaning. Food-grade plastics like PTFE, UHMW-PE, or silicone are used for seals, nozzles, and guides.
• Machine Frame & Housing: Stainless steel or powder-coated mild steel for durability and corrosion resistance, especially in washdown environments.
• Conveyors/Turntables: Stainless steel or food-grade plastic chains/belts.
• Seals & Gaskets: Food-grade elastomers (e.g., EPDM, Viton, silicone) compatible with the product and cleaning agents.
• Electrical Components: Enclosed in IP-rated housings to protect against moisture and dust.
• Cup Material: Compatible with the product and sealing method (e.g., PP, PS, PET, paperboard with liner, aluminum foil).
• Lid Material: Heat-sealable films (PP, PET, aluminum foil), snap-on plastic lids.