Different types of food packaging machines are available today. The kind you go for depends on your product type, packaging material, production needs, and various other factors. This guide introduces you to the options available, their names, and their specific applications.
What are Food Packaging Machines?
Packaging machines pack food in containers, plastic sheets, or pallets. Packaging protects the food from damage or contamination. It also prepares it for storage, transportation, or display.
Packaging machinery exists in many designs, sizes, and automation levels. These variations allow businesses to select what best fits their needs and budget, among other considerations.
For instance, a small food packaging machine for small businesses may only cost a few thousand fdollars. On the other hand, industrial types are usually massive structures with automated operations.
Types of Food Packaging Machines
We classify food packaging solutions based on their usage level. In light of that, we have primary, secondary, and tertiary packaging machines. Each variant has a specific function and the kind of machine it uses. The different types of packaging devices in each class include the following.
1. Primary Food Packaging Machines
Primary packaging directly protects products. Put another way, it contacts the food, enclosing it with a rigid or flexible protective material. The machines in this category include the following:
Filling Machine
A filling type places food into containers like flexible bags, pouches, and bottles. The machine can pack liquids and solids like beverages, snacks, spices, and grains. It comes in various types, depending on the packaging process it employs.
- Gravity fillers
- Auger fillers
- Piston fillers
- Pump fillers
- Overflow fillers
Blister Packing Machine
This device packages food items into transparent pockets, sealing them with paper or plastic substrates. It typically forms the blister using the thermoforming process. We name them based on the blister forming mechanism they employ, with options such including:
- Roller blister machine
- Flatbed blister machine
- Roller plate blister machine
Closing/Sealing Machine
Closing types cap/ lid packages after filling them. They then seal the closed end. You can, therefore, call them sealing machines. They cap beverage bottles, heat-seal bags, etc. We have them in various types, such as:
- Screw cap closers
- Press in/on closers
- Heat seal closers
- Tying wire closers
Form, Fill, Seal Machine
These produce the packaging material and fill it with food products. The last step involves closing the open end to preserve the food. The machines are available in various versions based on their working mechanisms.
- Vertical form-filling machine
- Horizontal form-filling machine
- Rotary form-filling machine
Vacuum Packaging Machine
Vacuum types extract air from filled packages before sealing them. This action reduces oxygen levels, preserving perishable foods. The machines pack fish, meats, cereals, fruits, vegetables, etc. Like other packaging systems, they can be of various types, such as:
- Edge suction/external vacuum packers
- Chamber vacuum packers
- Nozzle vacuum packers
- Rotary belt vacuum packers
- Thermoforming vacuum packers
Thermoforming Machine
Thermo-formers work by molding the package using heat and vacuum or pressure. They then place food in the formed pieces, remove air, and seal them. You can use them for solid and liquid foods. Their types can be one of the following.
- Vacuum forming machine
- Pressure forming machine
- Twin sheet forming machine
- Rotary forming machine
Aseptic Packaging Machine
Aseptic packers sterilize the food or packaging material before the sealing step. They pack pre-sterilized foods like milk or non-sterile types, such as vegetables. The machines use various methods to kill pathogens, giving rise to these machine types.
- Steam sterilization aseptic packers
- Chemical sterilization aseptic packers
- Dry heat sterilization aseptic packers
Shrink Wrapping Machine
These use shrink-wrap, a transparent plastic film that shrinks when heated, to wrap food items. They produce controlled heat to collapse the plastic around the food and seal its open ends. The device can be one of the following options.
- I-bar shrink-wrap sealer
- L-bar shrink-wrap sealer
- Continuous shrink-wrap sealer
2. Secondary Food Packaging Machines
Secondary packaging encloses packed items to protect or bundle them for transportation and storage. The machines in this class include those that place products inside boxes and bundling or wrapping equipment.
Cartoning Machine
Cartoners place foods inside robust enclosures for storage, display, or shipping. They use robotic grippers to erect and close the carton boxes. Depending on the carton feeding direction, they can be one of these types:
- Horizontal/side load packer
- Vertical/top load packer
- Wrap around packer
Shrink Bundling Machine
Shrink bundlers group packaged items using thicker shrink wrap. They mostly bundle beverage bottles and canned food but can also wrap cartons, trays, and other packages. They can sleeve or overwrap items. Their most common types based on construction are:
- Inline bundlers
- Right-angle in-feed bundlers
- Vertical feed bundlers
3. Tertiary Food Packaging Machines
Tertiary packaging goes a step further, enveloping primary and secondary packaging materials. Wrapping helps bundle packages, including boxes, together for easier storage or transportation. The machines in this category include:
Case Packer
Case packers prepare goods for storage and shipping. They accumulate packages, including cartons, into larger boxes. The boxes are usually half-height trays or full-height cases. The packers come in various types, including the following.
- Side load/horizontal case packers
- Top load/vertical case packers
- Bottom load case packers
- Robotic case packers
Palletizing Machine
A palletizer is end-of-the-line packaging equipment. It automatically stacks packaged goods on pallets. Later, the loaded items may undergo further processes, such as wrapping or strapping. They are of various types, grouped by construction and working:
- Conventional palletizers
- Robotic palletizers
- Hybrid palletizers
- High in-feed palletizers
- Low in-feed palletizers
Wrapping Machine
These food packaging machines enclose products with paper, plastic film, or aluminum foil. They can wrap cartons, cases, and pallets, sealing the material using heat or glue. We group them by their construction and mechanism, with options including:
- Turntable wrapper
- Rotary arm wrapper
- Ring wrapper
Strapping Machine
Strapping machines place plastic straps or cords around heavy packages like boxes. They tension the straps automatically before cutting and sealing them. We mainly use these types of packaging equipment to bundle items on pallets. Their types include those listed below.
- Turn table strapping
- Straddle strapping
- Orbital strapping
How to Choose a Food Packaging Machine
How do you select a packaging device or system from the many options? Understanding what to look for is essential, especially for first-time buyers. The following tips should guide you to the correct choice for your business size and type.
- Ensure the type you go for is compatible with your product or packaging line devices. Some types of packaging equipment can only work with solid foods, while some pack liquids.
- The packaging material you use will also determine the packer to use. The materials include plastic film, paper, glass, etc.
- Ensure the machine can handle the package format. Here, you have a wide range of options, including bags, pouches, trays, and bottles.
- Determine your daily or hourly production needs. A food packaging machine for restaurant use can be a manual type.
- For industrial applications, consider the automatic types. Automatic packaging machines increase production speeds despite costing more.
- Ensure the machine is easy to operate and own. That means looking for usability features like touch controls, maintenance requirements, etc.
- How much do you plan on investing based on your business size? The packaging machine cost can vary from a few hundred to several thousand dollars.
- Go for what fits your budget without overlooking the factors discussed.
Conclusion
Food packaging machinery manufacturers supply different devices, from manual to semi-automatic and fully automatic. This guide looked at the most common packers based on their design and application specifics. We also shared selection tips to help you find a machine that best suits your requirements.
