Inline Filling Systems

An inline filling system fills containers moving in a straight line on a conveyor belt. Fill nozzles are mounted above the conveyor in a fixed or indexing station. Containers enter from one side, stop under the nozzles, receive a measured fill, then exit. Inline systems are the most common configuration for production lines handling 2–16 fill heads. They are more flexible and lower cost than rotary systems, with faster changeover between container formats and product types.

Inline filling systems: containers move in a straight line and stop under fixed nozzles. Lower capital cost, flexible for multiple container types, easy format changeover. Best for 500–15,000 containers/hr. Rotary filling systems: containers move on a spinning carousel and are filled continuously in motion. Higher throughput (up to 60,000+ containers/hr) for single-product, high-speed dedicated lines. Higher cost and longer changeover. Choose inline when you need flexibility; choose rotary when you need maximum throughput on a single high-volume product.

2-head inline: 500–1,500 containers/hr (pilot or small batch). 4-head inline: 1,500–4,000 containers/hr (small to medium production). 6-head inline: 3,000–6,000 containers/hr (medium production). 8-head inline: 4,000–10,000 containers/hr (medium-large production). 12-head inline: 6,000–15,000 containers/hr (large production). 16-head inline: 10,000–20,000 containers/hr (high-volume). The required head count depends on fill volume, liquid viscosity and target throughput. Share your requirements and we will recommend the optimal configuration.

Inline filling systems handle water-thin liquids (water, juice, alcohol — <100 cP), medium-viscosity liquids (sauces, shampoo, lotion — 100–10,000 cP), viscous products (honey, gel, cream — up to ~100,000 cP with heated hopper), and particulate-laden liquids (chunky sauces, pulp juice — with wide-bore piston or rotary valve). Different fill principles (piston, peristaltic, flow meter, gear pump) are selected based on viscosity and product sensitivity. Specify your liquid and we will recommend the right fill principle.

Inline 2-head filling system (basic, 30ml–2,000ml): $8,000–$18,000. Inline 4-head filling system with conveyor and controls: $18,000–$40,000. Inline 8-head servo filling system: $40,000–$85,000. Complete inline filling line (fill + cap + label + coder): $60,000–$150,000. Inline pharmaceutical or ATEX filling system: $80,000–$250,000. Prices vary by fill principle, number of heads, container type and line integration. Contact us with your container, liquid and target throughput for an accurate quotation.