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Filling
Also known as: pouch filling, packing, product filling, filling and sealing
Filling is the packing step where product is put into a pouch or film and sealed; it can be manual, semi-automatic or automatic.
Filling is the stage where product is placed into a pouch or packaging film and sealed. The filling method shapes the choice of pouch type, material, features and even artwork.
Methods
- Manual: weighed by hand and closed with a bench sealer; common for small and new brands.
- Semi-automatic: machine dosing with manual pouch handling.
- Premade pouch machines: pick, open, fill and seal ready-made doypacks, flat-bottom or spout pouches.
- Form-fill-seal: the machine forms the pack from rollstock; vertical is VFFS, horizontal is HFFS.
Key points
Keep seal areas free of powder, oil or liquid; set temperature, dwell time and pressure to suit the sealant layer; leave headspace; check material suitability for hot products; and remember that gas flushing only helps if the pack has adequate barrier.
Tip
Tell your converter exactly how you fill: by hand or which machine model, and whether the product is hot, liquid or powder. Share the machine's specification sheet and trial samples before the production run.
Frequently asked
Can I fill and seal pouches by hand?
Yes, premade pouches can be filled manually and closed with a bench or foot-operated heat sealer.
Should I buy pouches or rollstock?
Premade-pouch machines need pouches; form-fill-seal machines need rollstock.
Related terms
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