Powder Weigh Filling Machine

A powder weigh filling machine uses precision load cells or a multi-head combination weigher to determine the exact weight of powder before or during filling. Unlike volumetric auger fillers (which measure volume and infer weight), weigh filling machines measure weight directly — making them insensitive to changes in powder bulk density, moisture content or flowability. They are the preferred solution for products where a fixed legal net weight must be guaranteed (regulated food products, pharmaceutical, trade-certified industrial materials) and for high-value powders where giveaway reduction is economically important.

Single-head linear weigher: one weigh bucket, fills one container at a time. 20–80 fills/min. Simple, compact, lower cost. Best for 200g–25kg fills of free-flowing or cohesive powders. Accuracy: ±0.1–0.2%. Multi-head combination weigher (10–32 heads): multiple buckets weigh simultaneously; the controller selects the combination of buckets that most closely matches the target weight and releases them together. 60–200 fills/min. Extremely accurate: ±0.05–0.1%. Best for granular products (coffee beans, protein granules, seeds, nuts) at 100g–5kg. Not ideal for very fine or cohesive powders that clump in the weigher buckets.

Yes. Combination weighers are most commonly paired with vertical form-fill-seal (VFFS) machines to create a fully integrated weigh-fill-seal line. The weigher is mounted above the VFFS tube and drops a pre-weighed charge of product directly into the forming tube on command from the VFFS machine controller. Synchronisation between the weigher timing and the VFFS sealing jaw cycle is critical. HEMUfill weigh-filling machines come with VFFS interface (I/O signals, fieldbus) as standard. They can also integrate with horizontal FFS, canning lines and standalone bag filling systems via conveyor.

Achievable accuracy depends on fill weight and powder type. For free-flowing granules (coffee beans, seeds, sugar): ±0.05–0.1% with a 14–32 head combination weigher. For fine powders (ground coffee, protein powder, spice): ±0.1–0.2% with a single-head linear weigher (using servo-controlled dribble feed). For cohesive powders (humid flour, compacted starch): ±0.2–0.5% — cohesion causes clumping in the weigher buckets which reduces combination weigher performance; a linear scale with vibration discharge is better. Check-weigher feedback can improve effective accuracy on all powder types to ±0.1% or better.

Giveaway is the excess product added above the stated net weight (e.g. a 500g bag with 512g actual fill = 12g giveaway = 2.4%). Reducing giveaway is pure profit. Weigh filling machines reduce giveaway through: (1) direct weight measurement (not volumetric inference); (2) combination weigher algorithm selects the bucket combination closest to target weight without going under; (3) servo-controlled dribble feed at the end of the fill cycle adds the final few grams precisely; (4) check-weigher feedback adjusts target weight setpoint to compensate for systematic error drift. A well-tuned system achieves giveaway below 0.5% — on a production line running 1 tonne/day of protein powder at $10/kg, this saves $50/day or $18,000/year.

Single-head linear weigher (50g–25kg, standalone or inline): $8,000–$25,000 USD. 10-head combination weigher (50g–5kg, for granular products): $25,000–$60,000 USD. 14-head high-accuracy combination weigher: $40,000–$90,000 USD. 32-head ultra-precision combination weigher (for high-value powder): $80,000–$180,000 USD. Complete weigh + VFFS + check-weigher line: $80,000–$250,000 USD. Contact us with fill weight, powder type and target speed for an itemised quotation.